Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Piedmont Community College in Roxboro, NC with Tri County Community College in Murphy, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Tri County Community College is larger than Piedmont Community College based on total student enrollment (1,023 students vs. 896 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Piedmont Community College is located in Roxboro, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Tri County Community College is in Murphy, NC (Remote Rural setting).
• Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tri County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Piedmont Community College 6:1; Tri County Community College 13:1.

Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont Community College or Tri-County 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 Piedmont Community College than Tri-County Community College ($1,095 vs. $7,905).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont Community College are 61.6% lower than at Tri County Community College ($6,720 vs. $17,488).
• Tri County Community College is 3.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Piedmont Community College (about $80 more per year; $2,636.00 vs. $2,556.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.9% higher at Tri-County Community College than at Piedmont Community College (about $80 more per year; $8,780.00 vs. $8,700.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Tri County Community College than at Piedmont Community College (76% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tri County Community College students is 10.8% larger than aid received by Piedmont Community College students ($10,711 vs. $9,668).

Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Piedmont Community College or Tri-County 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 Tri-County Community College and Piedmont Community College.

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

Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Piedmont Community College and Tri-County 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 Piedmont Community College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than Tri-County Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($26,700 vs. $23,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Tri-County Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont Community College students, three years after graduation. (31% vs. 23%)

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.