Southwest Virginia vs. VHCC

Comparable Facts

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

Southwest Virginia Community College is larger than VHCC based on total student enrollment (2,364 students vs. 2,082 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southwest Virginia Community College is located in Cedar Bluff, VA (Distant Rural setting); Virginia Highlands Community College is in Abingdon, VA (Town Fringe setting).
• Southwest Virginia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Virginia Highlands Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwest Virginia Community College 20:1; Virginia Highlands Community College 17:1.

Southwest Virginia vs. VHCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southwest Virginia or VHCC? 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 Virginia Highlands Community College than Southwest Virginia ($6,065 vs. $6,275).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Highlands Community College are 53.9% lower than at Southwest Virginia Community College ($4,150 vs. $9,000).
• Southwest Virginia Community College is 1.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than VHCC (about $53 more per year; $5,075.00 vs. $5,022.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.5% higher at Southwest Virginia than at Virginia Highlands Community College (about $53 more per year; $11,513.00 vs. $11,460.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwest Virginia Community College than at Virginia Highlands Community College (94% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Virginia Community College students is 7.2% larger than aid received by Virginia Highlands Community College students ($7,232 vs. $6,749).

Southwest Virginia vs. VHCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southwest Virginia or VHCC? 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 VHCC 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; VHCC - Open admission.

Southwest Virginia vs. VHCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Southwest Virginia and VHCC? 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 Southwest Virginia Community College earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than VHCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,100 vs. $27,700), 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.