Cleveland Community College vs. Southwestern Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Cleveland Community College in Shelby, NC with Southwestern Community College in Sylva, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Community College is larger than Cleveland Community College based on total student enrollment (2,157 students vs. 1,558 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cleveland Community College is located in Shelby, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Southwestern Community College is in Sylva, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cleveland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwestern Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cleveland Community College 15:1; Southwestern Community College 10:1.

Cleveland Community College vs. Southwestern Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleveland Community College or Southwestern 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 Cleveland Community College than Southwestern Community College ($706 vs. $6,176).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cleveland Community College are 79.3% lower than at Southwestern Community College ($2,700 vs. $13,050).
• Southwestern Community College is 58% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cleveland Community College (about $1,510 more per year; $4,112.00 vs. $2,602.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 50.7% higher at Southwestern Community College than at Cleveland Community College (about $4,438 more per year; $13,184.00 vs. $8,746.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cleveland Community College than at Southwestern Community College (100% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 57.9% larger than aid received by Cleveland Community College students ($10,024 vs. $6,347).

Cleveland Community College vs. Southwestern Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cleveland Community College or Southwestern 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 Southwestern Community College and Cleveland Community College.

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

Cleveland Community College vs. Southwestern Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cleveland Community College and Southwestern 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 Southwestern Community College earn a median of about $200 more per year than Cleveland Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,200 vs. $27,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.