Brightpoint Community College vs. MECC

Comparable Facts

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

Brightpoint Community College is larger than MECC based on total student enrollment (9,380 students vs. 2,116 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Brightpoint Community College is located in Chester, VA (Large Suburban setting); Mountain Empire Community College is in Big Stone Gap, VA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Brightpoint 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: Brightpoint Community College 23:1; Mountain Empire Community College 22:1.

Brightpoint Community College vs. MECC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Brightpoint Community College 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 Brightpoint Community College than MECC ($5,950 vs. $9,210).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mountain Empire Community College are 39.5% lower than at Brightpoint Community College ($6,030 vs. $9,970).
• Brightpoint 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 Brightpoint Community College 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 Brightpoint Community College (93% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Brightpoint Community College students is 1.7% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($6,201 vs. $6,096).

Brightpoint Community College vs. MECC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Brightpoint Community College 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 Brightpoint Community College.

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

Brightpoint Community College vs. MECC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Brightpoint Community College 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 Brightpoint Community College earn a median of about $8,900 more per year than MECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $27,300), 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.