South Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College

Comparable Facts

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

South Piedmont Community College is larger than Tri-County Community College based on total student enrollment (4,013 students vs. 1,023 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• South Piedmont Community College is located in Polkton, NC (Distant Rural setting); Tri County Community College is in Murphy, NC (Remote Rural setting).
• South Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tri County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: South Piedmont Community College 19:1; Tri County Community College 13:1.

South Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Piedmont Community College or Tri-County 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 Tri-County Community College ($7,689 vs. $7,905).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Piedmont Community College are 16.6% lower than at Tri County Community College ($14,586 vs. $17,488).
• Tri County Community College is 30.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Piedmont Community College (about $614 more per year; $2,636.00 vs. $2,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 32.4% higher at Tri-County Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (about $2,150 more per year; $8,780.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Tri County Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (76% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tri County Community College students is 30.2% larger than aid received by South Piedmont Community College students ($10,711 vs. $8,227).

South Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College Admissions comparison

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

South Piedmont Community College vs. Tri-County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Piedmont Community College and Tri-County 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 $3,400 more per year than Tri-County Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,000 vs. $23,600), 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.