South Piedmont Community College vs. Cape Fear Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare South Piedmont Community College in Polkton, NC with Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cape Fear Community College is larger than South Piedmont Community College based on total student enrollment (14,082 students vs. 4,013 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• South Piedmont Community College is located in Polkton, NC (Distant Rural setting); Cape Fear Community College is in Wilmington, NC (Midsize City setting).
• South Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Cape Fear Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: South Piedmont Community College 19:1; Cape Fear Community College 13:1.

South Piedmont Community College vs. Cape Fear Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Piedmont Community College or Cape Fear 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 Cape Fear Community College ($7,689 vs. $9,900).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cape Fear Community College are 47.9% lower than at South Piedmont Community College ($7,594 vs. $14,586).
• Cape Fear Community College is 35.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Piedmont Community College (about $726 more per year; $2,748.00 vs. $2,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 34.1% higher at Cape Fear Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (about $2,262 more per year; $8,892.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at South Piedmont Community College as at Cape Fear Community College (48% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by South Piedmont Community College students is 78.7% larger than aid received by Cape Fear Community College students ($8,227 vs. $4,603).

South Piedmont Community College vs. Cape Fear Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, South Piedmont Community College or Cape Fear 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 Cape Fear 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; Cape Fear Community College - Open admission.

South Piedmont Community College vs. Cape Fear Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Piedmont Community College and Cape Fear 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 Cape Fear Community College earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than South Piedmont Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,100 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.