Gaston College vs. McDowell Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Gaston College in Dallas, NC with McDowell Technical Community College in Marion, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Gaston College is larger than McDowell Technical Community College based on total student enrollment (6,443 students vs. 1,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Gaston College is located in Dallas, NC (Rural Fringe setting); McDowell Technical Community College is in Marion, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Gaston College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. McDowell Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Gaston College 17:1; McDowell Technical Community College 8:1.

Gaston College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gaston College or McDowell Technical 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 McDowell Technical Community College than Gaston College ($8,024 vs. $8,055).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDowell Technical Community College are 0.6% lower than at Gaston College ($11,943 vs. $12,018).
• Gaston College is 56.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than McDowell Technical Community College (about $1,154 more per year; $3,186.00 vs. $2,032.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 40.5% higher at Gaston College than at McDowell Technical Community College (about $2,690 more per year; $9,330.00 vs. $6,640.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Gaston College as at McDowell Technical Community College (59% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDowell Technical Community College students is 8.5% larger than aid received by Gaston College students ($9,220 vs. $8,497).

Gaston College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Gaston College or McDowell Technical 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 McDowell Technical Community College and Gaston College.

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

Gaston College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Gaston College and McDowell Technical 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 Gaston College earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than McDowell Technical Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,900 vs. $25,400), 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.