Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southside Virginia Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Northern Virginia Community College is larger than Southside Virginia Community College based on total student enrollment (56,457 students vs. 3,306 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northern Virginia Community College is located in Annandale, VA (Large Suburban setting); Southside Virginia Community College is in Alberta, VA (Distant Rural setting).
• Northern Virginia 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: Northern Virginia Community College 31:1; Southside Virginia Community College 24:1.

Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southside Virginia Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College ($6,255 vs. $9,627).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southside Virginia Community College are 42.6% lower than at Northern Virginia Community College ($7,281 vs. $12,684).
• Northern Virginia Community College is 17.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southside Virginia Community College (about $884 more per year; $5,891.00 vs. $5,007.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.4% higher at Northern Virginia Community College than at Southside Virginia Community College (about $964 more per year; $12,409.00 vs. $11,445.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southside Virginia Community College than at Northern Virginia Community College (76% vs. 54%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southside Virginia Community College students is 1.2% larger than aid received by Northern Virginia Community College students ($7,612 vs. $7,519).

Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southside Virginia Community College Admissions comparison

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

Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southside Virginia Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of about $20,100 more per year than Southside Virginia Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 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.