A-B Tech vs. CVCC

Deciding between Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College and Catawba Valley Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • A-B Tech Asheville, NC
  • CVCC Hickory, NC
  • Setting
  • A-B Tech Small City
  • CVCC Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • A-B Tech 6,510
  • CVCC 4,904
  • Type
  • A-B Tech Public 2 Year
  • CVCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • A-B Tech -
  • CVCC -
  • Status
  • A-B Tech Non-profit
  • CVCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • A-B Tech $2,882
  • CVCC $2,427
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • A-B Tech $9,026
  • CVCC $7,803
  • Room & Board
  • A-B Tech $12,000
  • CVCC $12,734
  • Average Net Price
  • A-B Tech $11,602
  • CVCC $10,996
  • Average Grant Aid
  • A-B Tech $5,970
  • CVCC $9,775
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • A-B Tech 100%
  • CVCC 53%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • A-B Tech -
  • CVCC -
  • Admitted
  • A-B Tech -
  • CVCC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • A-B Tech Open
  • CVCC Open
  • Enrolled
  • A-B Tech Open
  • CVCC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC
  • Typical ACT score
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC
  • Average High School GPA
  • A-B Tech -
  • CVCC 2.73
  • Typical High School Grades
  • A-B Tech -
  • CVCC B-
  • Admissions Standards
  • A-B Tech Unavailable
  • CVCC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC
  • ACT Range
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC
  • SAT Range
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • A-B Tech Open admission
  • CVCC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • A-B Tech
  • CVCC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • A-B Tech 13:1
  • CVCC 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • A-B Tech
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (24%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (8%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • CVCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (27%)
    • Health Professions (19%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
    • Precision Production Trades (11%)
    • Business (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • A-B Tech -
  • CVCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • A-B Tech $31,700
  • CVCC $29,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • A-B Tech 37%
  • CVCC 34%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • A-B Tech $14,500
  • CVCC $7,419
  • Median Loan Payment
  • A-B Tech $149
  • CVCC $76

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • A-B Tech 39%
  • CVCC 45%
  • % Women
  • A-B Tech 61%
  • CVCC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • A-B Tech Low
  • CVCC Medium
  • HBCU
  • A-B Tech No
  • CVCC No
  • % White
  • A-B Tech 77%
  • CVCC 69%
  • % Asian
  • A-B Tech 1%
  • CVCC 9%
  • % Black
  • A-B Tech 7%
  • CVCC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • A-B Tech 7%
  • CVCC 10%
  • % Native American
  • A-B Tech 1%
  • CVCC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • A-B Tech 0%
  • CVCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • A-B Tech 3%
  • CVCC 1%
  • % International
  • A-B Tech 2%
  • CVCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • A-B Tech 3%
  • CVCC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • A-B Tech 98%
  • CVCC 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • A-B Tech 2%
  • CVCC 2%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • A-B Tech No
  • CVCC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • A-B Tech No
  • CVCC No
  • Meal Plan
  • A-B Tech No
  • CVCC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • A-B Tech Yes
  • CVCC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • A-B Tech Yes
  • CVCC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville, NC with Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is larger than CVCC based on total student enrollment (6,510 students vs. 4,904 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is located in Asheville, NC (Small City setting); Catawba Valley Community College is in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College 13:1; Catawba Valley Community College 10:1.

A-B Tech vs. CVCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, A-B Tech or CVCC? 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 Catawba Valley Community College than A-B Tech ($10,996 vs. $11,602).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College are 5.8% lower than at Catawba Valley Community College ($12,000 vs. $12,734).
  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is 18.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than CVCC (about $455 more per year; $2,882.00 vs. $2,427.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 15.7% higher at A-B Tech than at Catawba Valley Community College (about $1,223 more per year; $9,026.00 vs. $7,803.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (100% vs. 53%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 63.7% larger than aid received by Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College students ($9,775 vs. $5,970).

A-B Tech vs. CVCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, A-B Tech or CVCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CVCC and A-B Tech.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: A-B Tech - Open admission; CVCC - Open admission.

A-B Tech vs. CVCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for A-B Tech and CVCC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Graduates from Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than CVCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $29,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Catawba Valley Community College graduates have a $7,081 lower median loan debt than A-B Tech graduates ($7,419 vs. $14,500).
  • Among borrowers, CVCC graduates have an estimated $73 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than A-B Tech graduates ($76 vs. $149).
  • More A-B Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CVCC students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 34%)

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.