South Piedmont Community College vs. Blue Ridge Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare South Piedmont Community College in Polkton, NC with Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

South Piedmont Community College is larger than Blue Ridge Community College based on total student enrollment (4,013 students vs. 2,723 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• South Piedmont Community College is located in Polkton, NC (Distant Rural setting); Blue Ridge Community College is in Flat Rock, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• South Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Blue Ridge Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: South Piedmont Community College 19:1; Blue Ridge Community College 12:1.

South Piedmont Community College vs. Blue Ridge Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Piedmont Community College or Blue Ridge 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 South Piedmont Community College than Blue Ridge Community College ($7,689 vs. $8,273).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blue Ridge Community College are 32.6% lower than at South Piedmont Community College ($9,826 vs. $14,586).
• Blue Ridge Community College is 31.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Piedmont Community College (about $638 more per year; $2,660.00 vs. $2,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 32.8% higher at Blue Ridge Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (about $2,174 more per year; $8,804.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Blue Ridge Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (93% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by South Piedmont Community College students is 70.9% larger than aid received by Blue Ridge Community College students ($8,227 vs. $4,813).

South Piedmont Community College vs. Blue Ridge Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, South Piedmont Community College or Blue Ridge 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 Blue Ridge Community College and South Piedmont Community College.

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

South Piedmont Community College vs. Blue Ridge Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Piedmont Community College and Blue Ridge 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 Blue Ridge Community College earn a median of about $500 more per year than South Piedmont Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,500 vs. $27,000), 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.