MECC vs. TNCC

Deciding between Mountain Empire Community College and Virginia Peninsula 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
  • TNCC Hampton, VA
  • Setting
  • MECC Rural Fringe
  • TNCC Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • MECC 2,116
  • TNCC 6,410
  • Type
  • MECC Public 2 Year
  • TNCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • MECC
  • TNCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • MECC -
  • TNCC -
  • Status
  • MECC Non-profit
  • TNCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • MECC
  • TNCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • MECC $5,007
  • TNCC $5,088
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • MECC $11,445
  • TNCC $11,526
  • Room & Board
  • MECC $6,030
  • TNCC $11,060
  • Average Net Price
  • MECC $9,210
  • TNCC $7,091
  • Average Grant Aid
  • MECC $6,096
  • TNCC $6,376
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • MECC 93%
  • TNCC 57%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • MECC 22:1
  • TNCC 24:1
  • Popular Majors
  • MECC
    • Health Professions (47%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • TNCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (24%)
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (14%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Engineering Technology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • MECC -
  • TNCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • MECC $27,300
  • TNCC $33,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • MECC -
  • TNCC 31%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • MECC N/A
  • TNCC $10,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • MECC N/A
  • TNCC $108

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • MECC 39%
  • TNCC 43%
  • % Women
  • MECC 61%
  • TNCC 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • MECC Extremely Low
  • TNCC High
  • HBCU
  • MECC No
  • TNCC No
  • % White
  • MECC 95%
  • TNCC 47%
  • % Asian
  • MECC 0%
  • TNCC 3%
  • % Black
  • MECC 2%
  • TNCC 36%
  • % Hispanic
  • MECC 1%
  • TNCC 7%
  • % Native American
  • MECC 0%
  • TNCC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • MECC 0%
  • TNCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • MECC 1%
  • TNCC 5%
  • % International
  • MECC 0%
  • TNCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • MECC 0%
  • TNCC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • MECC 98%
  • TNCC 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • MECC 2%
  • TNCC 1%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Virginia Peninsula Community College is larger than MECC based on total student enrollment (6,410 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); Virginia Peninsula Community College is in Hampton, VA (Midsize City setting).
  • Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Virginia Peninsula Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Mountain Empire Community College 22:1; Virginia Peninsula Community College 24:1.

MECC vs. TNCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MECC or TNCC? 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 Virginia Peninsula Community College than MECC ($7,091 vs. $9,210).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mountain Empire Community College are 45.5% lower than at Virginia Peninsula Community College ($6,030 vs. $11,060).
  • Virginia Peninsula Community College is 1.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than MECC (about $81 more per year; $5,088.00 vs. $5,007.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.7% higher at TNCC than at Mountain Empire Community College (about $81 more per year; $11,526.00 vs. $11,445.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mountain Empire Community College than at Virginia Peninsula Community College (93% vs. 57%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Peninsula Community College students is 4.6% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($6,376 vs. $6,096).

MECC vs. TNCC Admissions comparison

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

MECC vs. TNCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MECC and TNCC? 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 Virginia Peninsula Community College earn a median of about $6,200 more per year than MECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,500 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.