MECC vs. New River Community College

Comparable Facts

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

New River Community College is larger than MECC based on total student enrollment (4,254 students vs. 2,116 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mountain Empire Community College is located in Big Stone Gap, VA (Rural Fringe setting); New River Community College is in Dublin, VA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. New River Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Mountain Empire Community College 22:1; New River Community College 33:1.

MECC vs. New River Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MECC or New River 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 New River Community College than MECC ($6,993 vs. $9,210).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mountain Empire Community College are 24.6% lower than at New River Community College ($6,030 vs. $8,000).
• Mountain Empire Community College is 0.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than New River Community College (about $28 more per year; $5,007.00 vs. $4,979.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.2% higher at MECC than at New River Community College (about $28 more per year; $11,445.00 vs. $11,417.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mountain Empire Community College than at New River Community College (93% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New River Community College students is 8.8% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($6,632 vs. $6,096).

MECC vs. New River Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MECC or New River 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 New River Community College and MECC.

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

MECC vs. New River Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MECC and New River 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 New River Community College earn a median of about $6,100 more per year than MECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,400 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.