Blue Ridge Community College vs. Piedmont Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, NC with Piedmont Community College in Roxboro, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Blue Ridge Community College is larger than Piedmont Community College based on total student enrollment (2,723 students vs. 896 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Blue Ridge Community College is located in Flat Rock, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Piedmont Community College is in Roxboro, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Blue Ridge Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Blue Ridge Community College 12:1; Piedmont Community College 6:1.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Piedmont Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blue Ridge Community College or Piedmont Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Piedmont Community College than Blue Ridge Community College ($1,095 vs. $8,273).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont Community College are 31.6% lower than at Blue Ridge Community College ($6,720 vs. $9,826).
• Blue Ridge Community College is 4.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Piedmont Community College (about $104 more per year; $2,660.00 vs. $2,556.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.2% higher at Blue Ridge Community College than at Piedmont Community College (about $104 more per year; $8,804.00 vs. $8,700.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Blue Ridge Community College than at Piedmont Community College (93% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont Community College students is 100.9% larger than aid received by Blue Ridge Community College students ($9,668 vs. $4,813).

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Piedmont Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blue Ridge Community College or Piedmont Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Piedmont Community College and Blue Ridge Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Blue Ridge Community College - Open admission; Piedmont Community College - Open admission.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Piedmont Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Blue Ridge Community College and Piedmont Community College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Blue Ridge Community College earn a median of about $800 more per year than Piedmont Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,500 vs. $26,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Blue Ridge Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont Community College students, three years after graduation. (29% vs. 23%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.