NPC vs. South Mountain Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Northland Pioneer College in Holbrook, AZ with South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, AZ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

South Mountain Community College is larger than NPC based on total student enrollment (4,516 students vs. 3,158 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Northland Pioneer College is located in Holbrook, AZ (Rural Fringe setting); South Mountain Community College is in Phoenix, AZ (Large City setting).
• Northland Pioneer College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. South Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Northland Pioneer College 12:1; South Mountain Community College 20:1.

NPC vs. South Mountain Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NPC or South Mountain 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 Northland Pioneer College than South Mountain Community College ($9,817 vs. $13,152).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Mountain Community College are 19.1% lower than at Northland Pioneer College ($10,872 vs. $13,442).
• Northland Pioneer College is 13% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Mountain Community College (about $306 more per year; $2,664.00 vs. $2,358.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.2% higher at NPC than at South Mountain Community College (about $1,362 more per year; $10,320.00 vs. $8,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at South Mountain Community College than at Northland Pioneer College (75% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by South Mountain Community College students is 9.1% larger than aid received by Northland Pioneer College students ($5,451 vs. $4,996).

NPC vs. South Mountain Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NPC or South Mountain Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between South Mountain Community College and NPC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NPC - Open admission; South Mountain Community College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: NPC Aug 22, 2027.

NPC vs. South Mountain Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NPC and South Mountain Community College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from South Mountain Community College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than NPC graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $30,100), 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.