College of the Albemarle vs. A-B Tech

Comparable Facts

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

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is larger than College of the Albemarle based on total student enrollment (6,510 students vs. 2,905 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Albemarle is located in Elizabeth City, NC (Distant Town setting); Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is in Asheville, NC (Small City setting).
• College of the Albemarle is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Albemarle 13:1; Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College 13:1.

College of the Albemarle vs. A-B Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Albemarle or A-B Tech? 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 College of the Albemarle than A-B Tech ($3,931 vs. $11,602).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College are 7.1% lower than at College of the Albemarle ($12,000 vs. $12,913).
• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is 28.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Albemarle (about $640 more per year; $2,882.00 vs. $2,242.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18% higher at A-B Tech than at College of the Albemarle (about $1,374 more per year; $9,026.00 vs. $7,652.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College than at College of the Albemarle (100% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Albemarle students is 33.7% larger than aid received by Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College students ($7,984 vs. $5,970).

College of the Albemarle vs. A-B Tech Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Albemarle or A-B Tech? 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 A-B Tech and College of the Albemarle.

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

College of the Albemarle vs. A-B Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Albemarle and A-B Tech? 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 $6,400 more per year than College of the Albemarle graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $25,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More A-B Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Albemarle students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 22%)

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.