SCC vs. Tri-County Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Sandhills Community College is larger than Tri-County Community College based on total student enrollment (4,115 students vs. 1,023 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sandhills Community College is located in Pinehurst, NC (Distant Town setting); Tri County Community College is in Murphy, NC (Remote Rural setting).
• Sandhills 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: Sandhills Community College 14:1; Tri County Community College 13:1.

SCC vs. Tri-County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCC 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 Sandhills Community College than Tri-County Community College ($6,513 vs. $7,905).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tri County Community College are 1.6% lower than at Sandhills Community College ($17,488 vs. $17,780).
• Tri County Community College is 29.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than SCC (about $596 more per year; $2,636.00 vs. $2,040.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 32.1% higher at Tri-County Community College than at Sandhills Community College (about $2,132 more per year; $8,780.00 vs. $6,648.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sandhills Community College than at Tri County Community College (88% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tri County Community College students is 49.9% larger than aid received by Sandhills Community College students ($10,711 vs. $7,146).

SCC vs. Tri-County Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SCC 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 SCC.

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

SCC vs. Tri-County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SCC 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 Sandhills Community College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than Tri-County Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,800 vs. $23,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More SCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tri-County Community College students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 31%)

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.