Cape Fear Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC with McDowell Technical Community College in Marion, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cape Fear Community College is larger than McDowell Technical Community College based on total student enrollment (14,082 students vs. 1,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cape Fear Community College is located in Wilmington, NC (Midsize City setting); McDowell Technical Community College is in Marion, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cape Fear Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. McDowell Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cape Fear Community College 13:1; McDowell Technical Community College 8:1.

Cape Fear Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cape Fear Community College or McDowell 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 McDowell Technical Community College than Cape Fear Community College ($8,024 vs. $9,900).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cape Fear Community College are 36.4% lower than at McDowell Technical Community College ($7,594 vs. $11,943).
• Cape Fear Community College is 35.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than McDowell Technical Community College (about $716 more per year; $2,748.00 vs. $2,032.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 33.9% higher at Cape Fear Community College than at McDowell Technical Community College (about $2,252 more per year; $8,892.00 vs. $6,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at McDowell Technical Community College than at Cape Fear Community College (59% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDowell Technical Community College students is 100.3% larger than aid received by Cape Fear Community College students ($9,220 vs. $4,603).

Cape Fear Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cape Fear Community College or McDowell Technical Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between McDowell Technical Community College and Cape Fear Community College.

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

Cape Fear Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cape Fear Community College and McDowell Technical Community College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Cape Fear Community College earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than McDowell Technical Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,100 vs. $25,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Cape Fear Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McDowell Technical Community College students, three years after graduation. (31% vs. 24%)

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.