Southwest Virginia Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 45% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $34,221 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $6,005 A
- 65% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 1,651
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 31.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $31.9 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $31.9 over 20 years. Net gain: $742,928.
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 45% — 21% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $31.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Southwest Virginia Community College
Southwest Virginia 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 College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 1,651
- Setting
- Rural
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Precision Production, Business & Marketing
Why students choose Southwest Virginia 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 $6,005 a year after grants and scholarships — 65% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $34,221 ten years after enrolling — 16% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 32% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.91 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Southwest Virginia Community College is a solid choice for students looking to jumpstart their careers in practical fields. With 1,651 students, it’s a place where you can find a community feel while diving into programs like Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, and Precision Production. The focus here is on hands-on learning and skills that really matter in the job market.
Looking at what happens after graduation, the average earnings after ten years is $34,221. That’s a reasonable figure that reflects the realities of many entry-level positions. For students who manage their finances well, the affordability factor plays a significant role—46% of students receive Pell Grants, which can ease the financial burden. This means that many graduates can find their footing without carrying a heavy debt load, which is vital in today’s economy.
When it comes to costs, the net price after aid is about $6,005, making it accessible for many. While we don’t have specific debt figures, the focus on affordability and practical training suggests that students who thrive here are those looking for a direct path to employment. If you're ready to work hard and take advantage of the resources available, this could be a great fit for starting your career journey.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Southwest Virginia 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 Southwest Virginia Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Cedar Bluff, Virginia, Southwest Virginia Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 45%.
- Retention Rate
- 61%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 41%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,252
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 19:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.19
- First-Gen Students
- 53%
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 Southwest Virginia Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Southwest Virginia Community College is $11,513, 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 $6,005. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,800 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,075
- Out-of-State
- $11,513
- Avg Net Price
- $6,005
- Pell Grant Rate
- 46%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,800
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,430
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,391
- Family Income $110K+
- $7,863
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 Southwest Virginia 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 Southwest Virginia Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Southwest Virginia Community College report median earnings of $34,221, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $30,954
- 8 Years
- $32,672
- 10 Years
- $34,221
- Earning > $25K
- 41%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (67)
- 20%
- 100% (67)
- 20%
- 100% (67)
- 20%
- 100% (67)
- 20%
How Southwest 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 Southwest Virginia Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Southwest Virginia Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,005/year ($24,020 total). Graduates earn $34,221 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $766,948 in total earnings — a net gain of $742,928 (31.9× your investment).. With a 45% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $24,020
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $766,948
- Net Return
- $742,928
- ROI Multiple
- 31.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,005
- Graduation Rate
- 45%
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 Southwest Virginia Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Southwest Virginia Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.86%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 27.2% 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 6.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $44,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.86%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 6.8%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 27.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $61,003
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,133,055
- Federal Grants
- $5,480,231
- Investment Income
- $-115,916
Top Programs
The fields Southwest Virginia 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 26%
- Health Professions 25% $65,530 early-career
- Precision Production 8%
- Business & Marketing 6%
- Education 2%
- Computer Science & IT 2%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 2%
- Social Sciences 2%
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 Southwest Virginia 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 Southwest Virginia Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Cedar Bluff, Virginia, Southwest Virginia Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 45%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Southwest Virginia Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Southwest Virginia Community College is $11,513, 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 $6,005. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,800 after need-based grants.
Is Southwest Virginia Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Southwest Virginia Community College report median earnings of $34,221, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Southwest Virginia Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Southwest Virginia Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.86%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 27.2% 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 6.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $44,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Southwest Virginia Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Southwest Virginia Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.91, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Southwest Virginia Community College.
- Ashland Community and Technical CollegeAshland, KY · Close peer55% grad $34,504 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Hopkinsville Community CollegeHopkinsville, KY · Close peer41% grad $36,323 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Bevill State Community CollegeJasper, AL · Close peer41% grad $34,107 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Edgecombe Community CollegeTarboro, NC · Close peer45% grad $33,267 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Madisonville Community CollegeMadisonville, KY · Close peer52% grad $35,733 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeOrangeburg, SC · Close peer37% grad $35,761 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Southwest Virginia Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Southwest Virginia Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.91, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note