Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education
This year at Mountain Empire Community College, we project that on average students will pay $9,108, while the advertised price of attendance is $20,604. That’s a difference of $11,496.
| Year | Net in-state price at Mountain Empire Community College | In-state sticker price at Mountain Empire Community College | Out-of-state sticker price at Mountain Empire Community College |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-26 | $9,108 | $20,604 | $26,861 |
| 24-25 | $8,726 | $19,738 | $25,868 |
| 23-24 | $8,359 | $18,909 | $24,912 |
| 22-23 | $7,900 | $17,871 | $23,874 |
| 21-22 | $6,331 | $14,385 | $20,388 |
| 20-21 | $8,803 | $14,385 | $20,388 |
| 19-20 | $5,805 | $14,110 | $20,113 |
| 18-19 | $6,427 | $14,110 | $20,038 |
| 17-18 | $6,688 | $13,998 | $19,926 |
| 16-17 | $6,752 | $13,878 | $19,776 |
| 15-16 | $6,460 | $13,765 | $19,603 |
| 14-15 | $6,485 | $12,736 | $17,406 |
| 13-14 | $4,959 | $11,792 | $16,462 |
How much a student actually pays usually depends, at least in part, on their family's household income. At Mountain Empire Community College this year, we project students with incomes between $75K and $110K will pay around $10,014, while students with incomes below $30K will pay around $8,088. That's a difference of $1,927.
| Income bracket | Projected net price at Mountain Empire Community College |
|---|---|
| <$30K | $8,088 |
| $30K-$48K | $8,102 |
| $48K-$75K | $9,233 |
| $75K-$110K | $10,014 |
| >$110K | No data |
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At Mountain Empire Community College, over the last five years 43% of students earned their associate’s degree within four years of enrolling.
Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at Mountain Empire Community College.
| Demographic category | Graduation rate at Mountain Empire Community College | National average |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0% | 24% |
| Asian | 33% | 38% |
| Black | 54% | 26% |
| Hispanic | 50% | 34% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 21% | |
| White | 43% | 41% |
| Multiple races | 30% | 29% |
| Unknown race | 27% | 29% |
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at Mountain Empire Community College, about 64% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree.
The size and demographic makeup of a school’s student body can have a large impact on a student’s experience. Mountain Empire Community College has 2,631 students, which puts it in the {SIZE_PERCENTILE} percentile of public, 2-year schools.
About 61% of students are female.
And about 92% of students are white.