Blue Ridge Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Wake Technical Community College is larger than Blue Ridge Community College based on total student enrollment (24,609 students vs. 2,723 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Blue Ridge Community College is located in Flat Rock, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Wake Technical Community College is in Raleigh, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Blue Ridge Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Wake Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Blue Ridge Community College 12:1; Wake Technical Community College 18:1.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blue Ridge Community College or Wake Technical 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 Blue Ridge Community College than Wake Technical Community College ($8,273 vs. $10,767).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blue Ridge Community College are 43.3% lower than at Wake Technical Community College ($9,826 vs. $17,334).
• Blue Ridge Community College is 18% more expensive for in-state tuition than Wake Technical Community College (about $406 more per year; $2,660.00 vs. $2,254.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.3% higher at Blue Ridge Community College than at Wake Technical Community College (about $1,942 more per year; $8,804.00 vs. $6,862.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Blue Ridge Community College than at Wake Technical Community College (93% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Blue Ridge Community College students is 0.3% larger than aid received by Wake Technical Community College students ($4,813 vs. $4,800).

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blue Ridge Community College or Wake Technical 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 Wake Technical 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; Wake Technical Community College - Open admission.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Blue Ridge Community College and Wake Technical 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 Wake Technical Community College earn a median of about $7,000 more per year than Blue Ridge Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,500 vs. $27,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Blue Ridge Community College graduates have a $4,250 lower median loan debt than Wake Technical Community College graduates ($10,500 vs. $14,750).
• Among borrowers, Blue Ridge Community College graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Wake Technical Community College graduates ($108 vs. $152).
• More Wake Technical Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blue Ridge Community College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 29%)

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.