CVCC vs. Guilford Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Guilford Technical Community College is larger than CVCC based on total student enrollment (11,485 students vs. 4,904 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Guilford Technical Community College is in Jamestown, NC (Distant Town setting).
• Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Guilford Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba Valley Community College 10:1; Guilford Technical Community College 16:1.

CVCC vs. Guilford Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CVCC or Guilford 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 Catawba Valley Community College than Guilford Technical Community College ($10,996 vs. $14,819).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Guilford Technical Community College are 7.8% lower than at Catawba Valley Community College ($11,736 vs. $12,734).
• Catawba Valley Community College is 4.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Guilford Technical Community College (about $107 more per year; $2,427.00 vs. $2,320.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.4% higher at CVCC than at Guilford Technical Community College (about $107 more per year; $7,803.00 vs. $7,696.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Guilford Technical Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (81% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 75.8% larger than aid received by Guilford Technical Community College students ($9,775 vs. $5,560).

CVCC vs. Guilford Technical Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CVCC or Guilford 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 Guilford Technical 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; Guilford Technical Community College - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman CVCC students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (2.73) than students at Guilford Technical Community College (2.55).

CVCC vs. Guilford Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CVCC and Guilford 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 Guilford Technical Community College earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than CVCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($30,300 vs. $29,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Catawba Valley Community College graduates have a $8,581 lower median loan debt than Guilford Technical Community College graduates ($7,419 vs. $16,000).
• Among borrowers, CVCC graduates have an estimated $89 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Guilford Technical Community College graduates ($76 vs. $165).
• More CVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Guilford Technical Community College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 18%)

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.