COTC vs. Southern State Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Central Ohio Technical College in Newark, OH with Southern State Community College in Hillsboro, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Central Ohio Technical College is larger than Southern State Community College based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 2,227 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Central Ohio Technical College is located in Newark, OH (Small Suburban setting); Southern State Community College is in Hillsboro, OH (Rural Fringe setting).
• Central Ohio Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southern State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Central Ohio Technical College 16:1; Southern State Community College 20:1.

COTC vs. Southern State Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, COTC or Southern State 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 Central Ohio Technical College than Southern State Community College ($9,115 vs. $9,431).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern State Community College are 24.6% lower than at Central Ohio Technical College ($6,928 vs. $9,192).
• Southern State Community College is 12.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than COTC (about $656 more per year; $5,912.00 vs. $5,256.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 35% higher at Southern State Community College than at Central Ohio Technical College (about $2,802 more per year; $10,818.00 vs. $8,016.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Central Ohio Technical College than at Southern State Community College (84% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Central Ohio Technical College students is 2.1% larger than aid received by Southern State Community College students ($5,630 vs. $5,513).

COTC vs. Southern State Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, COTC or Southern State 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 Southern State Community College and COTC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: COTC - Open admission; Southern State Community College - Open admission.

COTC vs. Southern State Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for COTC and Southern State 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 Central Ohio Technical College earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than Southern State Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,000 vs. $31,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southern State Community College graduates have a $4,881 lower median loan debt than COTC graduates ($12,370 vs. $17,251).
• Among borrowers, Southern State Community College graduates have an estimated $51 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than COTC graduates ($127 vs. $178).
• More COTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southern State Community College students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 29%)

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.