South Piedmont Community College vs. CVCC

Comparable Facts

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

Catawba Valley Community College is larger than South Piedmont Community College based on total student enrollment (4,904 students vs. 4,013 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• South Piedmont Community College is located in Polkton, NC (Distant Rural setting); Catawba Valley Community College is in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• South Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: South Piedmont Community College 19:1; Catawba Valley Community College 10:1.

South Piedmont Community College vs. CVCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Piedmont Community College or CVCC? 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 CVCC ($7,689 vs. $10,996).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba Valley Community College are 12.7% lower than at South Piedmont Community College ($12,734 vs. $14,586).
• Catawba Valley Community College is 20% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Piedmont Community College (about $405 more per year; $2,427.00 vs. $2,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.7% higher at CVCC than at South Piedmont Community College (about $1,173 more per year; $7,803.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Catawba Valley Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (53% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 18.8% larger than aid received by South Piedmont Community College students ($9,775 vs. $8,227).

South Piedmont Community College vs. CVCC Admissions comparison

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

South Piedmont Community College vs. CVCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Piedmont Community College and CVCC? 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 Catawba Valley Community College earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than South Piedmont Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,200 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.