CVCC vs. Wake Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Wake Technical Community College is larger than CVCC based on total student enrollment (24,609 students vs. 4,904 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Wake Technical Community College is in Raleigh, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Wake Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba Valley Community College 10:1; Wake Technical Community College 18:1.

CVCC vs. Wake Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CVCC or Wake 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 Wake Technical Community College than CVCC ($10,767 vs. $10,996).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba Valley Community College are 26.5% lower than at Wake Technical Community College ($12,734 vs. $17,334).
• Catawba Valley Community College is 7.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Wake Technical Community College (about $173 more per year; $2,427.00 vs. $2,254.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.7% higher at CVCC than at Wake Technical Community College (about $941 more per year; $7,803.00 vs. $6,862.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Wake Technical Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (74% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 103.6% larger than aid received by Wake Technical Community College students ($9,775 vs. $4,800).

CVCC vs. Wake Technical Community College Admissions comparison

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

CVCC vs. Wake Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CVCC and Wake 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 Wake Technical Community College earn a median of about $5,300 more per year than CVCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,500 vs. $29,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Catawba Valley Community College graduates have a $7,331 lower median loan debt than Wake Technical Community College graduates ($7,419 vs. $14,750).
• Among borrowers, CVCC graduates have an estimated $76 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Wake Technical Community College graduates ($76 vs. $152).
• More CVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wake Technical Community College students, three years after graduation. (34% 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.