Catawba Valley Community College
#2 Best Online Computer Science Programs in North Carolina- Graduation Rate
- 35% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $36,977 C-
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $10,528 B
- 39% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 2,741
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 20.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $20.4 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Online Computer Science Programs in North Carolina.
Every $1 spent returns $20.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $817,601.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 35% — 38% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $20.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Catawba Valley Community College
Catawba Valley Community College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 2,741
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Precision Production, Construction Trades
Why students choose Catawba Valley Community College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $10,528 a year after grants and scholarships — 39% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $36,977 ten years after enrolling — 9% below the typical college, against $4,938 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 95% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.70 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Catawba Valley Community College is a solid choice for students looking to gain practical skills in fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Construction Trades. With an enrollment of around 2,741, the college creates a close-knit environment where students can receive personalized attention. It stands out for its focus on hands-on training, making it a great fit for those who prefer a more applied approach to their education.
Life after graduation can be promising, especially considering the average earnings of $36,977 within ten years of completing a program. While the graduation rate sits at 35%, many students still find pathways to success, often moving into stable careers right after earning their degrees. Affordability is also a key factor here; with a net price of $10,528, students can pursue their studies without incurring significant debt.
Speaking of debt, the median student debt at Catawba Valley is just $4,938, which is quite manageable compared to many other institutions. This financial accessibility allows students to focus on their studies and jumpstart their careers without feeling overwhelmed by loans. Those who thrive here are often those who appreciate a hands-on learning environment and are motivated to gain skills that lead directly to employment.
Rankings
- #2 Best Online Computer Science Programs in North Carolina
- #3 Best Online Nursing Programs in North Carolina
- #3 Best Online Education Programs in North Carolina
- #3 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in North Carolina
- #4 Best Online Business Programs in North Carolina
- #19 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in North Carolina
- #20 Best Online Engineering Programs
- #20 Best Online Mechanical Engineering Programs
Can I Get In?
How selective Catawba Valley Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Catawba Valley Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Catawba Valley Community College, located in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
- Retention Rate
- 65%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 22%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,426
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 9:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.59
- First-Gen Students
- 50%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Catawba Valley Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Catawba Valley Community College is $7,803, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,528. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,170 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,938 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $2,427
- Out-of-State
- $7,803
- Avg Net Price
- $10,528
- Median Debt
- $4,938
- Pell Grant Rate
- 28%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,170
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $9,639
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,129
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Catawba Valley Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Catawba Valley Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Catawba Valley Community College report median earnings of $36,977, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $32,508
- 8 Years
- $35,885
- 10 Years
- $36,977
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.13x
- Earning > $25K
- 45%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (139)
- 25%
- 100% (139)
- 25%
- 100% (139)
- 25%
- 100% (139)
- 25%
How Catawba Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Catawba Valley Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Catawba Valley Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $10,528/year ($42,112 total). Graduates earn $36,977 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $859,713 in total earnings — a net gain of $817,601 (20.4× your investment). The median debt is $4,938, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 35% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $42,112
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $859,713
- Net Return
- $817,601
- ROI Multiple
- 20.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $10,528
- Median Debt
- $4,938
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 35%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Catawba Valley Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Catawba Valley Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.57%, a more modest figure. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $63,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.57%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 4.7%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 12.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $86,682
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $4,580,692
- Investment Income
- $5,712
Top Programs
The fields Catawba Valley Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 40%
- Health Professions 12% $56,989 early-career
- Precision Production 10%
- Construction Trades 9%
- Business & Marketing 7% $33,550 early-career
- Criminal Justice 5% $39,121 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 3%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Catawba Valley Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Catawba Valley Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Catawba Valley Community College, located in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Catawba Valley Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Catawba Valley Community College is $7,803, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,528. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,170 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,938 in federal student loans.
Is Catawba Valley Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Catawba Valley Community College report median earnings of $36,977, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Catawba Valley Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Catawba Valley Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.57%, a more modest figure. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $63,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Catawba Valley Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Catawba Valley Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.70, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Catawba Valley Community College.
- Porterville CollegePorterville, CA · Close peer32% grad $36,328 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Louisiana State University-EuniceEunice, LA · Close peer16% grad $36,498 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Mohawk Valley Community CollegeUtica, NY · Close peer36% grad $39,850 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- State Fair Community CollegeSedalia, MO · Close peer42% grad $35,562 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Community College of VermontMontpelier, VT · Close peer22% grad $36,234 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Columbia CollegeSonora, CA · Close peer28% grad $39,035 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Catawba Valley Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Catawba Valley Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.70, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note