Cleveland Community College vs. Wilkes Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Wilkes Community College is larger than Cleveland Community College based on total student enrollment (2,593 students vs. 1,558 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cleveland Community College is located in Shelby, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Wilkes Community College is in Wilkesboro, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cleveland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Wilkes Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cleveland Community College 15:1; Wilkes Community College 8:1.

Cleveland Community College vs. Wilkes Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleveland Community College or Wilkes 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 Wilkes Community College than Cleveland Community College ($658 vs. $706).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cleveland Community College are 78% lower than at Wilkes Community College ($2,700 vs. $12,291).
• Cleveland Community College is 1.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Wilkes Community College (about $30 more per year; $2,602.00 vs. $2,572.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.3% higher at Cleveland Community College than at Wilkes Community College (about $30 more per year; $8,746.00 vs. $8,716.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cleveland Community College than at Wilkes Community College (100% vs. 90%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes Community College students is 31.9% larger than aid received by Cleveland Community College students ($8,372 vs. $6,347).

Cleveland Community College vs. Wilkes Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cleveland Community College or Wilkes 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 Wilkes 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; Wilkes Community College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Wilkes Community College Aug 12, 2027.

Cleveland Community College vs. Wilkes Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cleveland Community College and Wilkes 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 Cleveland Community College earn a median of about $900 more per year than Wilkes Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,000 vs. $26,100), 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.