Northern Virginia Community College vs. VHCC

Comparable Facts

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

Northern Virginia Community College is larger than VHCC based on total student enrollment (56,457 students vs. 2,082 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northern Virginia Community College is located in Annandale, VA (Large Suburban setting); Virginia Highlands Community College is in Abingdon, VA (Town Fringe setting).
• Northern Virginia 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: Northern Virginia Community College 31:1; Virginia Highlands Community College 17:1.

Northern Virginia Community College vs. VHCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College ($6,065 vs. $9,627).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Highlands Community College are 67.3% lower than at Northern Virginia Community College ($4,150 vs. $12,684).
• Northern Virginia Community College is 17.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than VHCC (about $869 more per year; $5,891.00 vs. $5,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.3% higher at Northern Virginia Community College than at Virginia Highlands Community College (about $949 more per year; $12,409.00 vs. $11,460.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Virginia Highlands Community College than at Northern Virginia Community College (79% vs. 54%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Virginia Community College students is 11.4% larger than aid received by Virginia Highlands Community College students ($7,519 vs. $6,749).

Northern Virginia Community College vs. VHCC Admissions comparison

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

Northern Virginia Community College vs. VHCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northern Virginia Community College 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 Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of about $18,400 more per year than VHCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $27,700), 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.