ESCC vs. MECC

Deciding between Eastern Shore Community College and Mountain Empire 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
  • ESCC Melfa, VA
  • MECC Big Stone Gap, VA
  • Setting
  • ESCC Remote Rural
  • MECC Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • ESCC 859
  • MECC 2,116
  • Type
  • ESCC Public 2 Year
  • MECC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • ESCC
  • MECC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • ESCC -
  • MECC -
  • Status
  • ESCC Non-profit
  • MECC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • ESCC
  • MECC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • ESCC $5,082
  • MECC $5,007
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • ESCC $11,520
  • MECC $11,445
  • Room & Board
  • ESCC $5,907
  • MECC $6,030
  • Average Net Price
  • ESCC $3,005
  • MECC $9,210
  • Average Grant Aid
  • ESCC $7,953
  • MECC $6,096
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • ESCC 84%
  • MECC 93%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • ESCC 24:1
  • MECC 22:1
  • Popular Majors
  • ESCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (46%)
    • Health Professions (26%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (9%)
    • Business (7%)
    • Engineering Technology (4%)
  • MECC
    • Health Professions (47%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • ESCC -
  • MECC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • ESCC $25,300
  • MECC $27,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • ESCC -
  • MECC -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • ESCC N/A
  • MECC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • ESCC N/A
  • MECC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • ESCC 39%
  • MECC 39%
  • % Women
  • ESCC 61%
  • MECC 61%
  • Racial Diversity
  • ESCC High
  • MECC Extremely Low
  • HBCU
  • ESCC No
  • MECC No
  • % White
  • ESCC 45%
  • MECC 95%
  • % Asian
  • ESCC 1%
  • MECC 0%
  • % Black
  • ESCC 38%
  • MECC 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • ESCC 10%
  • MECC 1%
  • % Native American
  • ESCC 0%
  • MECC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • ESCC 0%
  • MECC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • ESCC 4%
  • MECC 1%
  • % International
  • ESCC 1%
  • MECC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • ESCC 1%
  • MECC 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • ESCC 99%
  • MECC 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • ESCC 1%
  • MECC 2%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa, VA with Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Mountain Empire Community College is larger than ESCC based on total student enrollment (2,116 students vs. 859 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Eastern Shore Community College is located in Melfa, VA (Remote Rural setting); Mountain Empire Community College is in Big Stone Gap, VA (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Eastern Shore Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Eastern Shore Community College 24:1; Mountain Empire Community College 22:1.

ESCC vs. MECC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESCC or MECC? 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 Eastern Shore Community College than MECC ($3,005 vs. $9,210).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Shore Community College are 2% lower than at Mountain Empire Community College ($5,907 vs. $6,030).
  • Eastern Shore Community College is 1.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than MECC (about $75 more per year; $5,082.00 vs. $5,007.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.7% higher at ESCC than at Mountain Empire Community College (about $75 more per year; $11,520.00 vs. $11,445.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mountain Empire Community College than at Eastern Shore Community College (93% vs. 84%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Shore Community College students is 30.5% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($7,953 vs. $6,096).

ESCC vs. MECC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ESCC or MECC? 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 MECC and ESCC.

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

ESCC vs. MECC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ESCC and MECC? 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 Mountain Empire Community College earn a median of about $2,000 more per year than ESCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,300 vs. $25,300), 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.