West Virginia Northern Community College vs. Valley College-Beckley

Comparable Facts

Compare West Virginia Northern Community College in Wheeling, WV with Valley College Beckley in Beckley, WV on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

West Virginia Northern Community College is larger than Valley College-Beckley based on total student enrollment (1,525 students vs. 165 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• West Virginia Northern Community College is located in Wheeling, WV (Small City setting); Valley College Beckley is in Beckley, WV (Distant Town setting).
• West Virginia Northern Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Valley College Beckley is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: West Virginia Northern Community College 11:1; Valley College Beckley 24:1.

West Virginia Northern Community College vs. Valley College-Beckley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, West Virginia Northern Community College or Valley College-Beckley? 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 West Virginia Northern Community College than Valley College-Beckley ($5,560 vs. $25,149).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia Northern Community College are 26.1% lower than at Valley College Beckley ($8,744 vs. $11,840).
• Valley College Beckley is 217.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than West Virginia Northern Community College (about $10,219 more per year; $14,925.00 vs. $4,706.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.5% higher at Valley College-Beckley than at West Virginia Northern Community College (about $2,227 more per year; $14,925.00 vs. $12,698.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Valley College Beckley than at West Virginia Northern Community College (100% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia Northern Community College students is 2.3% larger than aid received by Valley College Beckley students ($7,498 vs. $7,332).

West Virginia Northern Community College vs. Valley College-Beckley Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, West Virginia Northern Community College or Valley College-Beckley? 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 Valley College-Beckley and West Virginia Northern Community College.

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

West Virginia Northern Community College vs. Valley College-Beckley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for West Virginia Northern Community College and Valley College-Beckley? 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 West Virginia Northern Community College earn a median of about $8,200 more per year than Valley College-Beckley graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,000 vs. $20,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, West Virginia Northern Community College graduates have a $597 lower median loan debt than Valley College-Beckley graduates ($8,903 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers, West Virginia Northern Community College graduates have an estimated $6 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Valley College-Beckley graduates ($92 vs. $98).
• More West Virginia Northern Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Valley College-Beckley students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 27%)

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.