CVCC vs. DCCC

Comparable Facts

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

Catawba Valley Community College is larger than DCCC based on total student enrollment (4,904 students vs. 4,305 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Davidson Davie Community College is in Thomasville, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Davidson Davie Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba Valley Community College 10:1; Davidson Davie Community College 15:1.

CVCC vs. DCCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CVCC or DCCC? 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 Davidson Davie Community College than CVCC ($8,797 vs. $10,996).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Davidson Davie Community College are 0% lower than at Catawba Valley Community College ($12,733 vs. $12,734).
• Catawba Valley Community College is 22.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than DCCC (about $447 more per year; $2,427.00 vs. $1,980.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.4% higher at CVCC than at Davidson Davie Community College (about $1,215 more per year; $7,803.00 vs. $6,588.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Davidson Davie Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (75% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 80.4% larger than aid received by Davidson Davie Community College students ($9,775 vs. $5,418).

CVCC vs. DCCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CVCC or DCCC? 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 DCCC 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; DCCC - Open admission.

CVCC vs. DCCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CVCC and DCCC? 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 Catawba Valley Community College earn a median of about $900 more per year than DCCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,200 vs. $28,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Catawba Valley Community College graduates have a $4,206 lower median loan debt than DCCC graduates ($7,419 vs. $11,625).
• Among borrowers, CVCC graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than DCCC graduates ($76 vs. $120).
• More CVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DCCC students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 26%)

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.