Catawba Valley Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Hickory, North Carolina. It enrolls 2,741 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.
Good
61/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes42
Value48
Affordability41
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Catawba Valley 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 Catawba Valley 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 $10,528 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,528
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
0%
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)
$2,427
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,803
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,734
Books & Supplies
$1,870
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$12,794
Total Cost of Attendance
$20,446
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
$9,170
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,639
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,129
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,469
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.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,00025%percentile
$4,938Medianpercentile
$9,50075%percentile
$14,37590%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 $5,500
↑ $562
No Pell $3,616
↓ $1,322
Dependent students $3,668
↓ $1,270
Independent students $6,875
↑ $1,937
Female students $5,450
↑ $512
Male students $4,750
↓ $188
What this means:
28% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
25% of full-time students who enrolled at Catawba Valley Community College graduate within six years, and 67% 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
67%
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 Catawba Valley Community College earn a median of $36,977 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,977
Earning > $25K
63%
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
$28,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$35,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,200, about 20% 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 ↑
25.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Catawba Valley Community College is home to 2,741 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 50% are first-generation college students, 64% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
2,741
Part-Time
64%
First-Generation
50%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 60.6%1,662
Hispanic 17.4%478
Black 8.7%237
Asian 6.9%189
Other 3.7%101
International 1.4%37
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Catawba Valley Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityHickory, North Carolina
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
15%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Catawba Valley Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
38 distinct programs across
16 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 Catawba Valley Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,102
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$5.0M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$55,225
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
124 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
124
100%
$55,225
Pros & Cons of Catawba Valley Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Catawba Valley 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
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
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, Catawba Valley 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 Catawba Valley Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Catawba Valley Community College.
Is Catawba Valley Community College hard to get into?
Catawba Valley Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Catawba Valley Community College?
Catawba Valley Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Catawba Valley Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Catawba Valley Community College is $10,528 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Catawba Valley Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $36,977 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,528 per year. That's roughly 3.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Catawba Valley Community College known for?
Catawba Valley 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 Catawba Valley Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Catawba Valley Community College are $36,977, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Catawba Valley Community College accredited?
Yes. Catawba Valley Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Catawba Valley Community College?
Catawba Valley Community College enrolls 2,741 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Catawba Valley Community College?
Catawba Valley Community College graduates 25% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Catawba Valley Community College a public or private college?
Catawba Valley Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Catawba Valley Community College located?
Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory, North Carolina.
What programs does Catawba Valley Community College offer?
Catawba Valley Community College offers 38 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Catawba Valley Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Catawba Valley Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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