Mountain Empire Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. It enrolls 1,282 students (a small, tight-knit 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
68/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes53
Value51
Affordability61
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Mountain Empire 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 Mountain Empire 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 $8,852 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,852
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
43%
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)
$5,007
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,445
Room & Board (off-campus)
$6,030
Books & Supplies
$1,780
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,438
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,605
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
$8,148
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,064
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,770
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,741
What this means:
Aid reaches a meaningful share of the student body: 43% of students receive Pell grants. If your family qualifies for Pell, the real cost to you could be substantially lower than the average.
Graduation Rate & Retention
31% of full-time students who enrolled at Mountain Empire Community College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
31%
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 Mountain Empire Community College earn a median of $32,622 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$32,622
Earning > $25K
55%
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
$22,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$36,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,800, about 38% 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:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$3.7 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Mountain Empire Community College is home to 1,282 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 57% are first-generation college students, 44% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,282
Part-Time
44%
First-Generation
57%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 91.8%1,177
Black 2.5%32
Hispanic 2.3%29
Other 2.3%29
Asian 0.5%6
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Mountain Empire Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: DistantBig Stone Gap, Virginia
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
24%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Mountain Empire Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
22 distinct programs across
9 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 Mountain Empire Community College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,789
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$30M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$65,288
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
44 instructional faculty across 5 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
Full Professors
12
27%
$76,281
Associate Professors
10
23%
$70,685
Assistant Professors
9
20%
$60,253
Instructors
11
25%
$55,049
Lecturers
2
5%
$51,314
Pros & Cons of Mountain Empire Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Mountain Empire 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
Tight-knit, close community feel
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Best for:
Based on the data, Mountain Empire 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 Mountain Empire Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Mountain Empire Community College.
Is Mountain Empire Community College hard to get into?
Mountain Empire Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Mountain Empire Community College?
Mountain Empire Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Mountain Empire Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Mountain Empire Community College is $8,852 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mountain Empire Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $32,622 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,852 per year. That's roughly 3.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mountain Empire Community College known for?
Mountain Empire Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Mountain Empire Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Mountain Empire Community College are $32,622, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Mountain Empire Community College accredited?
Yes. Mountain Empire Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Mountain Empire Community College?
Mountain Empire Community College enrolls 1,282 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Mountain Empire Community College?
Mountain Empire Community College graduates 31% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Mountain Empire Community College a public or private college?
Mountain Empire Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Mountain Empire Community College located?
Mountain Empire Community College is located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
What programs does Mountain Empire Community College offer?
Mountain Empire Community College offers 22 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mountain Empire Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mountain Empire Community College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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