South Piedmont Community College vs. Gaston College

Comparable Facts

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

Gaston College is larger than South Piedmont Community College based on total student enrollment (6,443 students vs. 4,013 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• South Piedmont Community College is located in Polkton, NC (Distant Rural setting); Gaston College is in Dallas, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• South Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Gaston College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: South Piedmont Community College 19:1; Gaston College 17:1.

South Piedmont Community College vs. Gaston College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Piedmont Community College or Gaston 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 Gaston College ($7,689 vs. $8,055).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gaston College are 17.6% lower than at South Piedmont Community College ($12,018 vs. $14,586).
• Gaston College is 57.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Piedmont Community College (about $1,164 more per year; $3,186.00 vs. $2,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 40.7% higher at Gaston College than at South Piedmont Community College (about $2,700 more per year; $9,330.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Gaston College than at South Piedmont Community College (59% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Gaston College students is 3.3% larger than aid received by South Piedmont Community College students ($8,497 vs. $8,227).

South Piedmont Community College vs. Gaston College Admissions comparison

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

South Piedmont Community College vs. Gaston College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Piedmont Community College and Gaston 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 Gaston College earn a median of about $900 more per year than South Piedmont Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,900 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.