McDowell Technical Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Wake Technical Community College is larger than McDowell Technical Community College based on total student enrollment (24,609 students vs. 1,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• McDowell Technical Community College is located in Marion, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Wake Technical Community College is in Raleigh, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• McDowell Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Wake Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: McDowell Technical Community College 8:1; Wake Technical Community College 18:1.

McDowell Technical Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McDowell Technical Community College or Wake 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 Wake Technical Community College ($8,024 vs. $10,767).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDowell Technical Community College are 31.1% lower than at Wake Technical Community College ($11,943 vs. $17,334).
• Wake Technical Community College is 10.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than McDowell Technical Community College (about $222 more per year; $2,254.00 vs. $2,032.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.3% higher at Wake Technical Community College than at McDowell Technical Community College (about $222 more per year; $6,862.00 vs. $6,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Wake Technical Community College than at McDowell Technical Community College (74% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDowell Technical Community College students is 92.1% larger than aid received by Wake Technical Community College students ($9,220 vs. $4,800).

McDowell Technical Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College Admissions comparison

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

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

McDowell Technical Community College vs. Wake Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for McDowell Technical Community College and Wake 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 Wake Technical Community College earn a median of about $9,100 more per year than McDowell Technical Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,500 vs. $25,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Wake Technical Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McDowell Technical Community College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 24%)

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.