MECC vs. Fortis College-Richmond

Comparable Facts

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

Mountain Empire Community College is larger than Fortis College-Richmond based on total student enrollment (2,116 students vs. 502 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mountain Empire Community College is located in Big Stone Gap, VA (Rural Fringe setting); Fortis College Richmond is in Richmond, VA (Large Suburban setting).
• Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Fortis College Richmond is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Mountain Empire Community College 22:1; Fortis College Richmond 23:1.

MECC vs. Fortis College-Richmond Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MECC or Fortis College-Richmond? 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 Mountain Empire Community College than Fortis College-Richmond ($9,210 vs. $24,719).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mountain Empire Community College are 52.1% lower than at Fortis College Richmond ($6,030 vs. $12,600).
• Fortis College Richmond is 213.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than MECC (about $10,681 more per year; $15,688.00 vs. $5,007.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 37.1% higher at Fortis College-Richmond than at Mountain Empire Community College (about $4,243 more per year; $15,688.00 vs. $11,445.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fortis College Richmond than at Mountain Empire Community College (95% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fortis College Richmond students is 17% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($7,134 vs. $6,096).

MECC vs. Fortis College-Richmond Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MECC or Fortis College-Richmond? 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 Fortis College-Richmond and MECC.

• Mountain Empire Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: MECC - Open admission; Fortis College-Richmond - Not reported.

MECC vs. Fortis College-Richmond Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MECC and Fortis College-Richmond? 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 Mountain Empire Community College earn a median of about $900 more per year than Fortis College-Richmond graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,300 vs. $26,400), 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.