loading 6,000+ schools…
Hickory, NC · Sanford, NC
| Catawba Valley Community College | Central Carolina Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $10,528/yr | $5,446/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $9,170/yr | $4,326/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $4,938 | No data reported |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $9,639/yr | $4,660/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $13,129/yr | $6,961/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $15,469/yr | $8,936/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | No data reported | $12,542/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $52/mo | No data reported |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,734/yr | $9,643/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | No data reported |
| Books & supplies | $1,870/yr | $1,470/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $20,446/yr | $14,901/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $2,427/yr | $2,711/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $7,803/yr | $8,855/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 28% | 26% |
| Students taking federal loans | 0% | 0% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 35% | 43% |
| Freshmen who come back | 65% | 73% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $36,977/yr | $33,525/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $21,101–$53,434 | $17,814–$48,995 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 35% | 42% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $32,508/yr | $29,774/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 51% | 44% |
| Graduate on time | 4.7% | 27% |
| First-gen students who finish | 25% | 20% |
| Low-income students who finish | 22% | 18% |
| Students who transfer out | 33% | 16% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $35,885/yr | $31,317/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 40% · Health Professions 12% · Precision Production 10% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 26% · Health Professions 13% · Culinary & Personal Services 10% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 40% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 26% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 12% of degrees | Health Professions — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Precision Production — 10% of degrees | Culinary & Personal Services — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Construction Trades — 9% of degrees | Precision Production — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 7% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | No data reported | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $70,579/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 9.1% | 11% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 2,741 | 3,237 |
| Students per professor | 10 : 1 | 12 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $6,426/mo | $6,427/mo |
| Full-time professors | 22% | 27% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $22,585 | $19,822 |
| Setting | City (small) | Town (distant) |
| Location | Hickory, NC | Sanford, NC |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1958 | 1961 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Nontraditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1.4% | 0% |
| Men | 45% | 36% |
| Women | 55% | 64% |
| White students | 61% | 49% |
| Black students | 8.6% | 19% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 17% | 24% |
| Asian students | 6.9% | 1.1% |
| Two or more races | 3.4% | 4.7% |
| Other / not reported | 1.6% | 2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 50% | 46% |
| Part-time students | 64% | 62% |
| Students age 25+ | 15% | 19% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $8,662/yr | $7,241/yr |
| Endowment | $5.7M | $7.0M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | No — no campus housing |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | No |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | No |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division II | NJCAA Division II |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 6 | 4 |
| Student athletes | 124 | 25 |
| Athletic scholarships | $59,219 | $2,000 |
| Athletics budget | $671,675 | $126,270 |
| Athletics revenue | $671,675 | $126,270 |
| Recruiting spend | $2,320 | $2,000 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.