CVCC vs. Central Carolina Community College

Deciding between Catawba Valley Community College and Central Carolina 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
  • Central Carolina Community College Sanford, NC
  • Setting
  • CVCC Rural Fringe
  • Central Carolina Community College Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • CVCC 4,904
  • Central Carolina Community College 5,882
  • Type
  • CVCC Public 2 Year
  • Central Carolina Community College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • CVCC
  • Central Carolina Community College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • CVCC -
  • Central Carolina Community College -
  • Status
  • CVCC Non-profit
  • Central Carolina Community College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • CVCC
  • Central Carolina Community College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • CVCC $2,427
  • Central Carolina Community College $2,711
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • CVCC $7,803
  • Central Carolina Community College $8,855
  • Room & Board
  • CVCC $12,734
  • Central Carolina Community College $9,643
  • Average Net Price
  • CVCC $10,996
  • Central Carolina Community College $7,317
  • Average Grant Aid
  • CVCC $9,775
  • Central Carolina Community College $8,031
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • CVCC 53%
  • Central Carolina Community College 70%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • CVCC 10:1
  • Central Carolina Community College 12:1
  • Popular Majors
  • CVCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (27%)
    • Health Professions (19%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
    • Precision Production Trades (11%)
    • Business (8%)
  • Central Carolina Community College
    • (17%)
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering Technology (13%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • CVCC -
  • Central Carolina Community College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • CVCC $29,200
  • Central Carolina Community College $26,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • CVCC 34%
  • Central Carolina Community College -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • CVCC $7,419
  • Central Carolina Community College N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • CVCC $76
  • Central Carolina Community College N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • CVCC 45%
  • Central Carolina Community College 38%
  • % Women
  • CVCC 55%
  • Central Carolina Community College 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • CVCC Medium
  • Central Carolina Community College High
  • HBCU
  • CVCC No
  • Central Carolina Community College No
  • % White
  • CVCC 69%
  • Central Carolina Community College 57%
  • % Asian
  • CVCC 9%
  • Central Carolina Community College 1%
  • % Black
  • CVCC 9%
  • Central Carolina Community College 24%
  • % Hispanic
  • CVCC 10%
  • Central Carolina Community College 13%
  • % Native American
  • CVCC 1%
  • Central Carolina Community College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • CVCC 0%
  • Central Carolina Community College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • CVCC 1%
  • Central Carolina Community College 3%
  • % International
  • CVCC 0%
  • Central Carolina Community College 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • CVCC 2%
  • Central Carolina Community College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • CVCC 98%
  • Central Carolina Community College 97%
  • % Out-of-State
  • CVCC 2%
  • Central Carolina Community College 1%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • CVCC No
  • Central Carolina Community College No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • CVCC No
  • Central Carolina Community College No
  • Meal Plan
  • CVCC No
  • Central Carolina Community College No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • CVCC Yes
  • Central Carolina Community College Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • CVCC No
  • Central Carolina Community College No

Comparable Facts

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

Central Carolina Community College is larger than CVCC based on total student enrollment (5,882 students vs. 4,904 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Central Carolina Community College is in Sanford, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Central Carolina Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba Valley Community College 10:1; Central Carolina Community College 12:1.

CVCC vs. Central Carolina Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CVCC or Central Carolina 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 Central Carolina Community College than CVCC ($7,317 vs. $10,996).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Carolina Community College are 24.3% lower than at Catawba Valley Community College ($9,643 vs. $12,734).
  • Central Carolina Community College is 11.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than CVCC (about $284 more per year; $2,711.00 vs. $2,427.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.5% higher at Central Carolina Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (about $1,052 more per year; $8,855.00 vs. $7,803.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Central Carolina Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (70% vs. 53%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 21.7% larger than aid received by Central Carolina Community College students ($9,775 vs. $8,031).

CVCC vs. Central Carolina Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CVCC or Central Carolina 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 Central Carolina Community College 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; Central Carolina Community College - Open admission.

CVCC vs. Central Carolina Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CVCC and Central Carolina 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 Catawba Valley Community College earn a median of about $2,700 more per year than Central Carolina Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,200 vs. $26,500), 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.