Northern Virginia Community College vs. RCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, VA with Rappahannock Community College in Glenns, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Northern Virginia Community College is larger than RCC based on total student enrollment (56,457 students vs. 2,962 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northern Virginia Community College is located in Annandale, VA (Large Suburban setting); Rappahannock Community College is in Glenns, VA (Distant Rural setting).
• Northern Virginia 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: Northern Virginia Community College 31:1; Rappahannock Community College 22:1.

Northern Virginia Community College vs. RCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College ($6,265 vs. $9,627).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rappahannock Community College are 29% lower than at Northern Virginia Community College ($9,000 vs. $12,684).
• Northern Virginia Community College is 15.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than RCC (about $789 more per year; $5,891.00 vs. $5,102.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.5% higher at Northern Virginia Community College than at Rappahannock Community College (about $869 more per year; $12,409.00 vs. $11,540.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rappahannock Community College than at Northern Virginia Community College (80% vs. 54%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Virginia Community College students is 27.1% larger than aid received by Rappahannock Community College students ($7,519 vs. $5,917).

Northern Virginia Community College vs. RCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College.

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

Northern Virginia Community College vs. RCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of about $17,100 more per year than RCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $29,000), 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.