CVCC vs. ACC

Deciding between Catawba Valley Community College and Alamance Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • CVCC Hickory, NC
  • ACC Graham, NC
  • Setting
  • CVCC Rural Fringe
  • ACC Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • CVCC 4,904
  • ACC 4,827
  • Type
  • CVCC Public 2 Year
  • ACC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • CVCC
  • ACC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • CVCC -
  • ACC -
  • Status
  • CVCC Non-profit
  • ACC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • CVCC
  • ACC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • CVCC $2,427
  • ACC $2,592
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • CVCC $7,803
  • ACC $8,736
  • Room & Board
  • CVCC $12,734
  • ACC $10,095
  • Average Net Price
  • CVCC $10,996
  • ACC $7,566
  • Average Grant Aid
  • CVCC $9,775
  • ACC $8,192
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • CVCC 53%
  • ACC 66%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • CVCC -
  • ACC -
  • Admitted
  • CVCC -
  • ACC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • CVCC Open
  • ACC Open
  • Enrolled
  • CVCC Open
  • ACC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • CVCC
  • ACC
  • Typical ACT score
  • CVCC
  • ACC
  • Average High School GPA
  • CVCC 2.73
  • ACC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • CVCC B-
  • ACC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • CVCC Unavailable
  • ACC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • CVCC
  • ACC
  • ACT Range
  • CVCC
  • ACC
  • SAT Range
  • CVCC
  • ACC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • CVCC Open admission
  • ACC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • CVCC
  • ACC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • CVCC 10:1
  • ACC 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • CVCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (27%)
    • Health Professions (19%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
    • Precision Production Trades (11%)
    • Business (8%)
  • ACC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
    • Health Professions (22%)
    • Business (15%)
    • Engineering Technology (7%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • CVCC -
  • ACC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • CVCC $29,200
  • ACC $28,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • CVCC 34%
  • ACC -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • CVCC $7,419
  • ACC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • CVCC $76
  • ACC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • CVCC 45%
  • ACC 38%
  • % Women
  • CVCC 55%
  • ACC 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • CVCC Medium
  • ACC High
  • HBCU
  • CVCC No
  • ACC No
  • % White
  • CVCC 69%
  • ACC 57%
  • % Asian
  • CVCC 9%
  • ACC 2%
  • % Black
  • CVCC 9%
  • ACC 21%
  • % Hispanic
  • CVCC 10%
  • ACC 11%
  • % Native American
  • CVCC 1%
  • ACC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • CVCC 0%
  • ACC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • CVCC 1%
  • ACC 1%
  • % International
  • CVCC 0%
  • ACC 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • CVCC 2%
  • ACC 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • CVCC 98%
  • ACC 100%
  • % Out-of-State
  • CVCC 2%
  • ACC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • CVCC No
  • ACC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • CVCC No
  • ACC No
  • Meal Plan
  • CVCC No
  • ACC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • CVCC Yes
  • ACC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • CVCC No
  • ACC Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, NC with Alamance Community College in Graham, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Catawba Valley Community College is larger than ACC based on total student enrollment (4,904 students vs. 4,827 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Alamance Community College is in Graham, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Alamance Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba Valley Community College 10:1; Alamance Community College 18:1.

CVCC vs. ACC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CVCC or ACC? 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 Alamance Community College than CVCC ($7,566 vs. $10,996).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Alamance Community College are 20.7% lower than at Catawba Valley Community College ($10,095 vs. $12,734).
  • Alamance Community College is 6.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than CVCC (about $165 more per year; $2,592.00 vs. $2,427.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 12% higher at ACC than at Catawba Valley Community College (about $933 more per year; $8,736.00 vs. $7,803.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Alamance Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (66% vs. 53%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 19.3% larger than aid received by Alamance Community College students ($9,775 vs. $8,192).

CVCC vs. ACC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CVCC or ACC? 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 ACC and CVCC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CVCC - Open admission; ACC - Open admission.

CVCC vs. ACC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CVCC and ACC? 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 Catawba Valley Community College earn a median of about $400 more per year than ACC graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,200 vs. $28,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.