Gaston College vs. Tri-County Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Gaston College in Dallas, NC with Tri County Community College in Murphy, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Gaston College is larger than Tri-County Community College based on total student enrollment (6,443 students vs. 1,023 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Gaston College is located in Dallas, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Tri County Community College is in Murphy, NC (Remote Rural setting).
• Gaston College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tri County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Gaston College 17:1; Tri County Community College 13:1.

Gaston College vs. Tri-County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gaston College or Tri-County 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 Tri County Community College than Gaston College ($7,905 vs. $8,055).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gaston College are 31.3% lower than at Tri County Community College ($12,018 vs. $17,488).
• Gaston College is 20.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Tri-County Community College (about $550 more per year; $3,186.00 vs. $2,636.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.3% higher at Gaston College than at Tri County Community College (about $550 more per year; $9,330.00 vs. $8,780.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Tri County Community College than at Gaston College (76% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tri County Community College students is 26.1% larger than aid received by Gaston College students ($10,711 vs. $8,497).

Gaston College vs. Tri-County Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Gaston College or Tri-County Community College? 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 Tri-County 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; Tri-County Community College - Open admission.

Gaston College vs. Tri-County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Gaston College and Tri-County Community College? 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 Gaston College earn a median of about $4,300 more per year than Tri-County Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,900 vs. $23,600), 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.