MECC vs. RCC

Deciding between Mountain Empire Community College and Rappahannock Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • MECC Big Stone Gap, VA
  • RCC Glenns, VA
  • Setting
  • MECC Rural Fringe
  • RCC Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • MECC 2,116
  • RCC 2,962
  • Type
  • MECC Public 2 Year
  • RCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • MECC
  • RCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • MECC -
  • RCC -
  • Status
  • MECC Non-profit
  • RCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • MECC
  • RCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • MECC $5,007
  • RCC $5,102
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • MECC $11,445
  • RCC $11,540
  • Room & Board
  • MECC $6,030
  • RCC $9,000
  • Average Net Price
  • MECC $9,210
  • RCC $6,265
  • Average Grant Aid
  • MECC $6,096
  • RCC $5,917
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • MECC 93%
  • RCC 80%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • MECC -
  • RCC -
  • Admitted
  • MECC -
  • RCC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • MECC Open
  • RCC Open
  • Enrolled
  • MECC Open
  • RCC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • MECC
  • RCC
  • Typical ACT score
  • MECC
  • RCC
  • Average High School GPA
  • MECC -
  • RCC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • MECC -
  • RCC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • MECC Unavailable
  • RCC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • MECC
  • RCC
  • ACT Range
  • MECC
  • RCC
  • SAT Range
  • MECC
  • RCC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • MECC Open admission
  • RCC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • MECC
  • RCC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • MECC 22:1
  • RCC 22:1
  • Popular Majors
  • MECC
    • Health Professions (47%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • RCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
    • Health Professions (27%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)
    • Business (5%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • MECC -
  • RCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • MECC $27,300
  • RCC $29,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • MECC -
  • RCC -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • MECC N/A
  • RCC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • MECC N/A
  • RCC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • MECC 39%
  • RCC 38%
  • % Women
  • MECC 61%
  • RCC 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • MECC Extremely Low
  • RCC Medium
  • HBCU
  • MECC No
  • RCC No
  • % White
  • MECC 95%
  • RCC 66%
  • % Asian
  • MECC 0%
  • RCC 2%
  • % Black
  • MECC 2%
  • RCC 22%
  • % Hispanic
  • MECC 1%
  • RCC 5%
  • % Native American
  • MECC 0%
  • RCC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • MECC 0%
  • RCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • MECC 1%
  • RCC 3%
  • % International
  • MECC 0%
  • RCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • MECC 0%
  • RCC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • MECC 98%
  • RCC 100%
  • % Out-of-State
  • MECC 2%
  • RCC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • MECC No
  • RCC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • MECC No
  • RCC No
  • Meal Plan
  • MECC No
  • RCC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • MECC Yes
  • RCC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • MECC No
  • RCC No

Comparable Facts

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

Rappahannock Community College is larger than MECC based on total student enrollment (2,962 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); Rappahannock Community College is in Glenns, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rappahannock Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Mountain Empire Community College 22:1; Rappahannock Community College 22:1.

MECC vs. RCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MECC or RCC? 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 Rappahannock Community College than MECC ($6,265 vs. $9,210).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mountain Empire Community College are 33% lower than at Rappahannock Community College ($6,030 vs. $9,000).
  • Rappahannock Community College is 1.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than MECC (about $95 more per year; $5,102.00 vs. $5,007.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.8% higher at RCC than at Mountain Empire Community College (about $95 more per year; $11,540.00 vs. $11,445.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mountain Empire Community College than at Rappahannock Community College (93% vs. 80%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students is 3% larger than aid received by Rappahannock Community College students ($6,096 vs. $5,917).

MECC vs. RCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MECC or RCC? 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 RCC 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; RCC - Open admission.

MECC vs. RCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MECC and RCC? 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 Rappahannock Community College earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than MECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,000 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.