A-B Tech vs. Rockingham Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is larger than Rockingham Community College based on total student enrollment (6,510 students vs. 1,803 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is located in Asheville, NC (Small City setting); Rockingham Community College is in Wentworth, NC (Distant Rural setting).
• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rockingham Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College 13:1; Rockingham Community College 12:1.

A-B Tech vs. Rockingham Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, A-B Tech or Rockingham 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 Rockingham Community College than A-B Tech ($3,158 vs. $11,602).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rockingham Community College are 36.7% lower than at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College ($7,600 vs. $12,000).
• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is 46.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rockingham Community College (about $916 more per year; $2,882.00 vs. $1,966.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 37.3% higher at A-B Tech than at Rockingham Community College (about $2,452 more per year; $9,026.00 vs. $6,574.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College than at Rockingham Community College (100% vs. 75%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Rockingham Community College students is 27.9% larger than aid received by Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College students ($7,638 vs. $5,970).

A-B Tech vs. Rockingham Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, A-B Tech or Rockingham Community College? 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 Rockingham Community College 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; Rockingham Community College - Open admission.

A-B Tech vs. Rockingham Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for A-B Tech and Rockingham Community College? 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 $2,700 more per year than Rockingham Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $29,000), 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.