Richmond Community College vs. Southwestern Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Richmond Community College in Hamlet, NC with Southwestern Community College in Sylva, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Richmond Community College is larger than Southwestern Community College based on total student enrollment (2,384 students vs. 2,157 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Richmond Community College is located in Hamlet, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Southwestern Community College is in Sylva, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Richmond Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwestern Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Richmond Community College 14:1; Southwestern Community College 10:1.

Richmond Community College vs. Southwestern Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Richmond Community College or Southwestern 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 Southwestern Community College than Richmond Community College ($6,176 vs. $6,865).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Community College are 21.5% lower than at Richmond Community College ($13,050 vs. $16,614).
• Southwestern Community College is 110.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Richmond Community College (about $2,156 more per year; $4,112.00 vs. $1,956.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 100.9% higher at Southwestern Community College than at Richmond Community College (about $6,620 more per year; $13,184.00 vs. $6,564.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Richmond Community College than at Southwestern Community College (97% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 32.2% larger than aid received by Richmond Community College students ($10,024 vs. $7,580).

Richmond Community College vs. Southwestern Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Richmond Community College or Southwestern 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 Southwestern Community College and Richmond Community College.

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

Richmond Community College vs. Southwestern Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Richmond Community College and Southwestern 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 Southwestern Community College earn a median of about $1,900 more per year than Richmond Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,200 vs. $25,300), 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.