Southwest Virginia vs. Virginia Western Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Virginia Western Community College is larger than Southwest Virginia based on total student enrollment (6,332 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); Virginia Western Community College is in Roanoke, VA (Small City setting).
• Southwest Virginia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Virginia Western Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwest Virginia Community College 20:1; Virginia Western Community College 23:1.

Southwest Virginia vs. Virginia Western Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southwest Virginia or Virginia Western 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 Virginia Western Community College than Southwest Virginia ($5,492 vs. $6,275).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Western Community College are 22.9% lower than at Southwest Virginia Community College ($6,936 vs. $9,000).
• Virginia Western Community College is 6.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southwest Virginia (about $325 more per year; $5,400.00 vs. $5,075.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.8% higher at Virginia Western Community College than at Southwest Virginia Community College (about $325 more per year; $11,838.00 vs. $11,513.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwest Virginia Community College than at Virginia Western Community College (94% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Virginia Community College students is 20.2% larger than aid received by Virginia Western Community College students ($7,232 vs. $6,017).

Southwest Virginia vs. Virginia Western Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southwest Virginia or Virginia Western 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 Virginia Western 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; Virginia Western Community College - Open admission.

Southwest Virginia vs. Virginia Western Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Southwest Virginia and Virginia Western 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 Virginia Western Community College earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than Southwest Virginia graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,000 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.