Southwest Virginia vs. Tidewater Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwest Virginia Community College in Cedar Bluff, VA with Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Tidewater Community College is larger than Southwest Virginia based on total student enrollment (16,884 students vs. 2,364 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southwest Virginia Community College is located in Cedar Bluff, VA (Distant Rural setting); Tidewater Community College is in Norfolk, VA (Midsize City setting).
• Southwest Virginia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tidewater Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwest Virginia Community College 20:1; Tidewater Community College 22:1.

Southwest Virginia vs. Tidewater Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southwest Virginia or Tidewater 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 Southwest Virginia Community College than Tidewater Community College ($6,275 vs. $11,876).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Virginia Community College are 41.8% lower than at Tidewater Community College ($9,000 vs. $15,452).
• Tidewater Community College is 10.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southwest Virginia (about $513 more per year; $5,588.00 vs. $5,075.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.8% higher at Tidewater Community College than at Southwest Virginia Community College (about $783 more per year; $12,296.00 vs. $11,513.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwest Virginia Community College than at Tidewater Community College (94% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tidewater Community College students is 5.8% larger than aid received by Southwest Virginia Community College students ($7,648 vs. $7,232).

Southwest Virginia vs. Tidewater Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southwest Virginia or Tidewater 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 Tidewater Community College and Southwest Virginia.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Southwest Virginia - Open admission; Tidewater Community College - Open admission.

Southwest Virginia vs. Tidewater Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Southwest Virginia and Tidewater 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 Tidewater Community College earn a median of about $5,200 more per year than Southwest Virginia graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,300 vs. $29,100), 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.