MECC vs. VHCC

Deciding between Mountain Empire Community College and Virginia Highlands 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
  • VHCC Abingdon, VA
  • Setting
  • MECC Rural Fringe
  • VHCC Town Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • MECC 2,116
  • VHCC 2,082
  • Type
  • MECC Public 2 Year
  • VHCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • MECC
  • VHCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • MECC -
  • VHCC -
  • Status
  • MECC Non-profit
  • VHCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • MECC
  • VHCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • MECC $5,007
  • VHCC $5,022
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • MECC $11,445
  • VHCC $11,460
  • Room & Board
  • MECC $6,030
  • VHCC $4,150
  • Average Net Price
  • MECC $9,210
  • VHCC $6,065
  • Average Grant Aid
  • MECC $6,096
  • VHCC $6,749
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • MECC 93%
  • VHCC 79%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • MECC 22:1
  • VHCC 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • MECC
    • Health Professions (47%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • VHCC
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (10%)
    • Construction Trades (9%)
    • Business (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • MECC -
  • VHCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • MECC $27,300
  • VHCC $27,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • MECC -
  • VHCC -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • MECC N/A
  • VHCC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • MECC N/A
  • VHCC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • MECC 39%
  • VHCC 36%
  • % Women
  • MECC 61%
  • VHCC 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • MECC Extremely Low
  • VHCC Extremely Low
  • HBCU
  • MECC No
  • VHCC No
  • % White
  • MECC 95%
  • VHCC 93%
  • % Asian
  • MECC 0%
  • VHCC 1%
  • % Black
  • MECC 2%
  • VHCC 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • MECC 1%
  • VHCC 2%
  • % Native American
  • MECC 0%
  • VHCC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • MECC 0%
  • VHCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • MECC 1%
  • VHCC 2%
  • % International
  • MECC 0%
  • VHCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • MECC 0%
  • VHCC 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • MECC 98%
  • VHCC 92%
  • % Out-of-State
  • MECC 2%
  • VHCC 8%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Mountain Empire Community College is larger than VHCC based on total student enrollment (2,116 students vs. 2,082 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Mountain Empire Community College is located in Big Stone Gap, VA (Rural Fringe setting); Virginia Highlands Community College is in Abingdon, VA (Town Fringe setting).
  • Mountain Empire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Virginia Highlands Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Mountain Empire Community College 22:1; Virginia Highlands Community College 17:1.

MECC vs. VHCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MECC or VHCC? 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 Highlands Community College than MECC ($6,065 vs. $9,210).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Highlands Community College are 31.2% lower than at Mountain Empire Community College ($4,150 vs. $6,030).
  • Virginia Highlands Community College is 0.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than MECC (about $15 more per year; $5,022.00 vs. $5,007.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.1% higher at VHCC than at Mountain Empire Community College (about $15 more per year; $11,460.00 vs. $11,445.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mountain Empire Community College than at Virginia Highlands Community College (93% vs. 79%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Highlands Community College students is 10.7% larger than aid received by Mountain Empire Community College students ($6,749 vs. $6,096).

MECC vs. VHCC Admissions comparison

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

MECC vs. VHCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MECC and VHCC? 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 Highlands Community College earn a median of about $400 more per year than MECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,700 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.