About Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Asheville, North Carolina. It enrolls 5,110 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
55/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes24
Value43
Affordability48
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $11,602 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$11,602
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
3%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,882
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,026
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,000
Books & Supplies
$2,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,150
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,061
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$11,491
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,720
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,862
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,877
Over $110,000
$12,786
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,50010%percentile
$4,50025%percentile
$15,528Medianpercentile
$18,28575%percentile
$27,12790%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $11,000
↓ $4,528
No Pell $8,752
↓ $6,776
Dependent students $6,500
↓ $9,028
Independent students $12,376
↓ $3,152
Female students $10,500
↓ $5,028
Male students $9,500
↓ $6,028
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,398, less than completers ($15,528), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
25% of full-time students who enrolled at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduate within six years, and 49% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
25%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
49%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College earn a median of $36,048 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,048
Earning > $25K
60%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$29,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$36,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$33,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$36,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,000, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
24.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is home to 5,110 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 39% are first-generation college students, 80% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
5,110
Part-Time
80%
First-Generation
39%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 66.8%3,414
Hispanic 16.2%826
Black 5.3%272
Other 3.2%164
Asian 1.7%89
International 0.5%23
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityAsheville, North Carolina
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
29%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
46 distinct programs across
15 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,090
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$7.3M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$51,928
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
178 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
178
100%
$51,928
Pros & Cons of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Is Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College hard to get into?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is $11,602 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $36,048 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $11,602 per year. That's roughly 3.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College known for?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College are $36,048, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College accredited?
Yes. Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College enrolls 5,110 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduates 25% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College a public or private college?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College located?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is located in Asheville, North Carolina.
What programs does Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College offer?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College offers 46 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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