Blue Ridge Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Flat Rock, North Carolina. It enrolls 1,758 students (a mid-sized 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.
Strong
77/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes62
Value78
Affordability63
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Blue Ridge 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 Blue Ridge 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 $5,756 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,756
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
35%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
4%
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)
$2,660
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,804
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,826
Books & Supplies
$2,450
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,913
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,274
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
$5,723
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,646
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,581
$75,001 – $110,000
$8,351
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.
$2,40310%percentile
$4,17525%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$15,39675%percentile
$22,93890%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 $9,500
↓ $2,500
No Pell $7,521
↓ $4,479
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $6,500
Independent students $9,500
↓ $2,500
Female students $9,500
↓ $2,500
Male students $8,866
↓ $3,134
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,500, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
24% of full-time students who enrolled at Blue Ridge Community College graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
24%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
72%
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 Blue Ridge Community College earn a median of $36,324 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,324
Earning > $25K
61%
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
$25,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,500, about 33% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$6.3 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Blue Ridge Community College is home to 1,758 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 46% are first-generation college students, 73% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,758
Part-Time
73%
First-Generation
46%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 69.8%1,227
Hispanic 17.6%309
Black 4.8%84
Asian 1.9%33
International 1.1%20
Other 0.7%13
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Blue Ridge Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbFlat Rock, North Carolina
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
28%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Blue Ridge Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
28 distinct programs across
14 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 Blue Ridge Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,161
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$16M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$55,985
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
78 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
78
100%
$55,985
Pros & Cons of Blue Ridge Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Blue Ridge Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Blue Ridge Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Blue Ridge Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Blue Ridge Community College.
Is Blue Ridge Community College hard to get into?
Blue Ridge Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Blue Ridge Community College?
Blue Ridge Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Blue Ridge Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Blue Ridge Community College is $5,756 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Blue Ridge Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $36,324 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,756 per year. That's roughly 6.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Blue Ridge Community College known for?
Blue Ridge Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Accounting. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Blue Ridge Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Blue Ridge Community College are $36,324, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Blue Ridge Community College accredited?
Yes. Blue Ridge Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Blue Ridge Community College?
Blue Ridge Community College enrolls 1,758 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Blue Ridge Community College?
Blue Ridge Community College graduates 24% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Blue Ridge Community College a public or private college?
Blue Ridge Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Blue Ridge Community College located?
Blue Ridge Community College is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina.
What programs does Blue Ridge Community College offer?
Blue Ridge Community College offers 28 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Accounting.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Blue Ridge Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Blue Ridge Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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