CVCC vs. Piedmont Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Catawba Valley Community College is larger than Piedmont Community College based on total student enrollment (4,904 students vs. 896 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Piedmont Community College is in Roxboro, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba Valley Community College 10:1; Piedmont Community College 6:1.

CVCC vs. Piedmont Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CVCC or Piedmont 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 Piedmont Community College than CVCC ($1,095 vs. $10,996).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont Community College are 47.2% lower than at Catawba Valley Community College ($6,720 vs. $12,734).
• Piedmont Community College is 5.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than CVCC (about $129 more per year; $2,556.00 vs. $2,427.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.5% higher at Piedmont Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (about $897 more per year; $8,700.00 vs. $7,803.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Piedmont Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (60% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 1.1% larger than aid received by Piedmont Community College students ($9,775 vs. $9,668).

CVCC vs. Piedmont Community College Admissions comparison

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

CVCC vs. Piedmont Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CVCC and Piedmont 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 $2,500 more per year than Piedmont Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,200 vs. $26,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont Community College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 23%)

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.