Garrett College vs. HCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Garrett College in McHenry, MD with Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown, MD on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Hagerstown Community College is larger than Garrett College based on total student enrollment (5,085 students vs. 679 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Garrett College is located in McHenry, MD (Distant Rural setting); Hagerstown Community College is in Hagerstown, MD (Midsize Suburban setting).
• Garrett College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Hagerstown Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Garrett College 15:1; Hagerstown Community College 17:1.

Garrett College vs. HCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Garrett College or HCC? 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 Hagerstown Community College than Garrett College ($6,767 vs. $8,507).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Garrett College are 39.2% lower than at Hagerstown Community College ($8,384 vs. $13,780).
• Garrett College is 50.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC (about $3,242 more per year; $9,632.00 vs. $6,390.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 47% higher at Garrett College than at Hagerstown Community College (about $3,850 more per year; $12,040.00 vs. $8,190.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Garrett College than at Hagerstown Community College (73% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Garrett College students is 8.2% larger than aid received by Hagerstown Community College students ($5,565 vs. $5,143).

Garrett College vs. HCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Garrett College or HCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between HCC and Garrett College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Garrett College - Open admission; HCC - Open admission.
• Enrolled freshman HCC students have a 0.77 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at Garrett College (2.52).

Garrett College vs. HCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Garrett College and HCC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Hagerstown Community College earn a median of about $2,400 more per year than Garrett College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $33,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Hagerstown Community College graduates have a $536 lower median loan debt than Garrett College graduates ($11,214 vs. $11,750).
• Among borrowers, HCC graduates have an estimated $6 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Garrett College graduates ($115 vs. $121).
• More HCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Garrett College students, three years after graduation. (45% 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.