CVCC vs. SCC

Deciding between Catawba Valley Community College and Sandhills 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
  • SCC Pinehurst, NC
  • Setting
  • CVCC Rural Fringe
  • SCC Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • CVCC 4,904
  • SCC 4,115
  • Type
  • CVCC Public 2 Year
  • SCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • CVCC
  • SCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • CVCC -
  • SCC -
  • Status
  • CVCC Non-profit
  • SCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • CVCC
  • SCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • CVCC $2,427
  • SCC $2,040
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • CVCC $7,803
  • SCC $6,648
  • Room & Board
  • CVCC $12,734
  • SCC $17,780
  • Average Net Price
  • CVCC $10,996
  • SCC $6,513
  • Average Grant Aid
  • CVCC $9,775
  • SCC $7,146
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • CVCC 53%
  • SCC 88%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • CVCC 10:1
  • SCC 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • CVCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (27%)
    • Health Professions (19%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
    • Precision Production Trades (11%)
    • Business (8%)
  • SCC
    • Health Professions (31%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (7%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • CVCC -
  • SCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • CVCC $29,200
  • SCC $27,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • CVCC 34%
  • SCC 57%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • CVCC $7,419
  • SCC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • CVCC $76
  • SCC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • CVCC 45%
  • SCC 37%
  • % Women
  • CVCC 55%
  • SCC 63%
  • Racial Diversity
  • CVCC Medium
  • SCC High
  • HBCU
  • CVCC No
  • SCC No
  • % White
  • CVCC 69%
  • SCC 59%
  • % Asian
  • CVCC 9%
  • SCC 1%
  • % Black
  • CVCC 9%
  • SCC 20%
  • % Hispanic
  • CVCC 10%
  • SCC 10%
  • % Native American
  • CVCC 1%
  • SCC 4%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • CVCC 0%
  • SCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • CVCC 1%
  • SCC 3%
  • % International
  • CVCC 0%
  • SCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • CVCC 2%
  • SCC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • CVCC 98%
  • SCC 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • CVCC 2%
  • SCC 1%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Catawba Valley Community College is larger than SCC based on total student enrollment (4,904 students vs. 4,115 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Sandhills Community College is in Pinehurst, NC (Distant Town setting).
  • Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sandhills Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba Valley Community College 10:1; Sandhills Community College 14:1.

CVCC vs. SCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CVCC or SCC? 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 Sandhills Community College than CVCC ($6,513 vs. $10,996).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba Valley Community College are 28.4% lower than at Sandhills Community College ($12,734 vs. $17,780).
  • Catawba Valley Community College is 19% more expensive for in-state tuition than SCC (about $387 more per year; $2,427.00 vs. $2,040.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 17.4% higher at CVCC than at Sandhills Community College (about $1,155 more per year; $7,803.00 vs. $6,648.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sandhills Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (88% vs. 53%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 36.8% larger than aid received by Sandhills Community College students ($9,775 vs. $7,146).

CVCC vs. SCC Admissions comparison

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

CVCC vs. SCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CVCC and SCC? 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 $1,400 more per year than SCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,200 vs. $27,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More SCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CVCC students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 34%)

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.