Southwestern Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Sylva, North Carolina. It enrolls 1,249 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.
Strong
79/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes66
Value81
Affordability67
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Southwestern 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 Southwestern 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 $5,207 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,207
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
5%
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)
$4,112
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$13,184
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,050
Books & Supplies
$2,232
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,925
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,856
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
$4,982
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,423
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,494
$75,001 – $110,000
$7,592
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.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$14,00075%percentile
$20,95490%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 $9,229
↓ $1,271
No Pell $4,813
↓ $5,687
Dependent students $4,600
↓ $5,900
Independent students $9,500
↓ $1,000
Female students $8,314
↓ $2,186
Male students $5,000
↓ $5,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
29% of full-time students who enrolled at Southwestern Community College graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
29%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
73%
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 Southwestern Community College earn a median of $34,145 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$34,145
Earning > $25K
56%
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
$26,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$30,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
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 ↑
19.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 71% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Southwestern Community College is home to 1,249 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 44% are first-generation college students, 58% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,249
Part-Time
58%
First-Generation
44%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 73.4%917
Hispanic 12.2%152
Other 9.5%119
Black 1.8%23
Asian 0.9%11
International 0.6%8
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southwestern Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: DistantSylva, North Carolina
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
26%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Southwestern Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
35 distinct programs across
13 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 Southwestern Community College is 11:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$14,348
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$6.1M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$57,412
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
72 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
72
100%
$57,412
Pros & Cons of Southwestern Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Southwestern 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
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Southwestern 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 Southwestern Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Southwestern Community College.
Is Southwestern Community College hard to get into?
Southwestern Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Southwestern Community College?
Southwestern Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Southwestern Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Southwestern Community College is $5,207 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southwestern Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $34,145 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,207 per year. That's roughly 6.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Southwestern Community College known for?
Southwestern Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Allied Health Diagnostic. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Southwestern Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Southwestern Community College are $34,145, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Southwestern Community College accredited?
Yes. Southwestern Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Southwestern Community College?
Southwestern Community College enrolls 1,249 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern Community College?
Southwestern Community College graduates 29% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Southwestern Community College a public or private college?
Southwestern Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Southwestern Community College located?
Southwestern Community College is located in Sylva, North Carolina.
What programs does Southwestern Community College offer?
Southwestern Community College offers 35 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Allied Health Diagnostic.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Southwestern Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southwestern Community College is 11:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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