SCC vs. Southwestern Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Sandhills Community College is larger than Southwestern Community College based on total student enrollment (4,115 students vs. 2,157 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sandhills Community College is located in Pinehurst, NC (Distant Town setting); Southwestern Community College is in Sylva, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Sandhills 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: Sandhills Community College 14:1; Southwestern Community College 10:1.

SCC vs. Southwestern Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCC 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 SCC ($6,176 vs. $6,513).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Community College are 26.6% lower than at Sandhills Community College ($13,050 vs. $17,780).
• Southwestern Community College is 101.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than SCC (about $2,072 more per year; $4,112.00 vs. $2,040.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 98.3% higher at Southwestern Community College than at Sandhills Community College (about $6,536 more per year; $13,184.00 vs. $6,648.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sandhills Community College than at Southwestern Community College (88% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 40.3% larger than aid received by Sandhills Community College students ($10,024 vs. $7,146).

SCC vs. Southwestern Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SCC 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 SCC.

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

SCC vs. Southwestern Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SCC 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 Sandhills Community College earn a median of about $600 more per year than Southwestern Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,800 vs. $27,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More SCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwestern Community College students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 36%)

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.