MECC vs. Southside Virginia Community College

Deciding between Mountain Empire Community College and Southside Virginia 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
  • Southside Virginia Community College Alberta, VA
  • Setting
  • MECC Rural Fringe
  • Southside Virginia Community College Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • MECC 2,116
  • Southside Virginia Community College 3,306
  • Type
  • MECC Public 2 Year
  • Southside Virginia Community College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • MECC
  • Southside Virginia Community College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • MECC -
  • Southside Virginia Community College -
  • Status
  • MECC Non-profit
  • Southside Virginia Community College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • MECC
  • Southside Virginia Community College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • MECC $5,007
  • Southside Virginia Community College $5,007
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • MECC $11,445
  • Southside Virginia Community College $11,445
  • Room & Board
  • MECC $6,030
  • Southside Virginia Community College $7,281
  • Average Net Price
  • MECC $9,210
  • Southside Virginia Community College $6,255
  • Average Grant Aid
  • MECC $6,096
  • Southside Virginia Community College $7,612
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • MECC 93%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 76%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • MECC 22:1
  • Southside Virginia Community College 24:1
  • Popular Majors
  • MECC
    • Health Professions (47%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • Southside Virginia Community College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
    • Health Professions (20%)
    • Transportation and Materials Moving (14%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (7%)
    • Business (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • MECC -
  • Southside Virginia Community College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • MECC $27,300
  • Southside Virginia Community College $26,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • MECC -
  • Southside Virginia Community College -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • MECC N/A
  • Southside Virginia Community College N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • MECC N/A
  • Southside Virginia Community College N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • MECC 39%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 35%
  • % Women
  • MECC 61%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 65%
  • Racial Diversity
  • MECC Extremely Low
  • Southside Virginia Community College Medium
  • HBCU
  • MECC No
  • Southside Virginia Community College No
  • % White
  • MECC 95%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 54%
  • % Asian
  • MECC 0%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 0%
  • % Black
  • MECC 2%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 40%
  • % Hispanic
  • MECC 1%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 2%
  • % Native American
  • MECC 0%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • MECC 0%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • MECC 1%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 2%
  • % International
  • MECC 0%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • MECC 0%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • MECC 98%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • MECC 2%
  • Southside Virginia Community College 1%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • MECC No
  • Southside Virginia Community College No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • MECC No
  • Southside Virginia Community College No
  • Meal Plan
  • MECC No
  • Southside Virginia Community College No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • MECC Yes
  • Southside Virginia Community College Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • MECC No
  • Southside Virginia Community College No
  • Learn More
  • MECC Details
  • Southside Virginia Community College Details

Comparable Facts

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

Southside Virginia Community College is larger than MECC based on total student enrollment (3,306 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); Southside Virginia Community College is in Alberta, VA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southside Virginia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Mountain Empire Community College 22:1; Southside Virginia Community College 24:1.

MECC vs. Southside Virginia Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MECC or Southside Virginia 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 Southside Virginia Community College than MECC ($6,255 vs. $9,210).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mountain Empire Community College are 17.2% lower than at Southside Virginia Community College ($6,030 vs. $7,281).
  • Mountain Empire Community College and Southside Virginia Community College have the same published in-state tuition ($5,007.00 vs. $5,007.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is the same at MECC as at Southside Virginia Community College ($11,445.00 vs. $11,445.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mountain Empire Community College than at Southside Virginia Community College (93% vs. 76%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southside Virginia Community College students is 24.9% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($7,612 vs. $6,096).

MECC vs. Southside Virginia Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MECC or Southside Virginia 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 Southside Virginia 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; Southside Virginia Community College - Open admission.

MECC vs. Southside Virginia Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MECC and Southside Virginia 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 Mountain Empire Community College earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than Southside Virginia Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,300 vs. $26,000), 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.