Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southwest Virginia

Comparable Facts

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

Northern Virginia Community College is larger than Southwest Virginia based on total student enrollment (56,457 students vs. 2,364 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northern Virginia Community College is located in Annandale, VA (Large Suburban setting); Southwest Virginia Community College is in Cedar Bluff, VA (Distant Rural setting).
• Northern Virginia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwest Virginia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Northern Virginia Community College 31:1; Southwest Virginia Community College 20:1.

Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southwest Virginia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Virginia Community College or Southwest Virginia? 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 Southwest Virginia Community College than Northern Virginia Community College ($6,275 vs. $9,627).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Virginia Community College are 29% lower than at Northern Virginia Community College ($9,000 vs. $12,684).
• Northern Virginia Community College is 16.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southwest Virginia (about $816 more per year; $5,891.00 vs. $5,075.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.8% higher at Northern Virginia Community College than at Southwest Virginia Community College (about $896 more per year; $12,409.00 vs. $11,513.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwest Virginia Community College than at Northern Virginia Community College (94% vs. 54%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Virginia Community College students is 4% larger than aid received by Southwest Virginia Community College students ($7,519 vs. $7,232).

Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southwest Virginia Admissions comparison

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

Northern Virginia Community College vs. Southwest Virginia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northern Virginia Community College and Southwest Virginia? 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 $17,000 more per year than Southwest Virginia graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $29,100), 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.