South Piedmont Community College vs. WPCC

Comparable Facts

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

South Piedmont Community College is larger than WPCC based on total student enrollment (4,013 students vs. 1,813 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

South Piedmont Community College vs. WPCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Piedmont Community College or WPCC? 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 Western Piedmont Community College than South Piedmont Community College ($6,448 vs. $7,689).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Piedmont Community College are 35.8% lower than at South Piedmont Community College ($9,370 vs. $14,586).
• Western Piedmont Community College is 31.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Piedmont Community College (about $628 more per year; $2,650.00 vs. $2,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 32.6% higher at WPCC than at South Piedmont Community College (about $2,164 more per year; $8,794.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Western Piedmont Community College than at South Piedmont Community College (78% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Western Piedmont Community College students is 23.9% larger than aid received by South Piedmont Community College students ($10,194 vs. $8,227).

South Piedmont Community College vs. WPCC Admissions comparison

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

South Piedmont Community College vs. WPCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Piedmont Community College and WPCC? 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 Western Piedmont Community College earn a median of about $600 more per year than South Piedmont Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,600 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.