PVCC vs. Fortis College-Richmond

Comparable Facts

Compare Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, VA with Fortis College Richmond in Richmond, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Piedmont Virginia Community College is larger than Fortis College-Richmond based on total student enrollment (5,263 students vs. 502 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Piedmont Virginia Community College is located in Charlottesville, VA (Small Suburban setting); Fortis College Richmond is in Richmond, VA (Large Suburban setting).
• Piedmont Virginia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Fortis College Richmond is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Piedmont Virginia Community College 21:1; Fortis College Richmond 23:1.

PVCC vs. Fortis College-Richmond Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PVCC or Fortis College-Richmond? 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 Virginia Community College than Fortis College-Richmond ($6,710 vs. $24,719).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont Virginia Community College are 15.4% lower than at Fortis College Richmond ($10,665 vs. $12,600).
• Fortis College Richmond is 209.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than PVCC (about $10,616 more per year; $15,688.00 vs. $5,072.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 36.3% higher at Fortis College-Richmond than at Piedmont Virginia Community College (about $4,178 more per year; $15,688.00 vs. $11,510.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fortis College Richmond than at Piedmont Virginia Community College (95% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fortis College Richmond students is 10.2% larger than aid received by Piedmont Virginia Community College students ($7,134 vs. $6,471).

PVCC vs. Fortis College-Richmond Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, PVCC or Fortis College-Richmond? 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 Fortis College-Richmond and PVCC.

• Piedmont Virginia Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: PVCC - Open admission; Fortis College-Richmond - Not reported.

PVCC vs. Fortis College-Richmond Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for PVCC and Fortis College-Richmond? 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 Virginia Community College earn a median of about $6,900 more per year than Fortis College-Richmond graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,300 vs. $26,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Piedmont Virginia Community College graduates have a $2,505 lower median loan debt than Fortis College-Richmond graduates ($7,509 vs. $10,014).
• Among borrowers, PVCC graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Fortis College-Richmond graduates ($77 vs. $103).
• More PVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fortis College-Richmond students, three years after graduation. (40% vs. 20%)

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.