South Piedmont Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

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

South Piedmont Community College is larger than McDowell Technical Community College based on total student enrollment (4,013 students vs. 1,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• South Piedmont Community College is located in Polkton, NC (Distant Rural setting); McDowell Technical Community College is in Marion, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• South Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. McDowell Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: South Piedmont Community College 19:1; McDowell Technical Community College 8:1.

South Piedmont Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Piedmont Community College or McDowell Technical 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 McDowell Technical Community College ($7,689 vs. $8,024).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDowell Technical Community College are 18.1% lower than at South Piedmont Community College ($11,943 vs. $14,586).
• McDowell Technical Community College is 0.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Piedmont Community College (about $10 more per year; $2,032.00 vs. $2,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.2% higher at McDowell Technical Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (about $10 more per year; $6,640.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at McDowell Technical Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (59% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDowell Technical Community College students is 12.1% larger than aid received by South Piedmont Community College students ($9,220 vs. $8,227).

South Piedmont Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Admissions comparison

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

South Piedmont Community College vs. McDowell Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Piedmont Community College and McDowell Technical 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 South Piedmont Community College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than McDowell Technical Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,000 vs. $25,400), 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.