Somerset Community College vs Mountain Empire Community College (MECC)

Somerset Community College and Mountain Empire Community College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences tailored to diverse student aspirations. Somerset, with its open admissions policy, welcomes a broader range of students, while Mountain Empire's selective admissions process ensures a highly competitive academic environment. While Somerset boasts a larger student body, Mountain Empire's smaller class sizes foster personalized attention. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further distinctions, including popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic goals and preferences.
Mountain Empire Community College logo

Mountain Empire Community College

Somerset Community College logo

Somerset Community College

Overview

Location Big Stone Gap, Virginia Somerset, Kentucky
Campus setting Town: Distant Town: Remote
College type 2 year 2 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 68.0% 59.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission Open Admission
Application fees
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required Not required
High school GPA N/A N/A
Recommendation letters N/A N/A
High school transcript N/A N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $14,385

Out of state: $20,388
In state: $16,142

Out of state: $26,894
Average net price $8,803 $5,179
Tuition
In state: $4,620

Out of state: $9,918
In state: $4,296

Out of state: $15,048
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $5,590
97.0%
Average amount $7,466
Students receiving federal student loan 0.0%
Average amount $0
18.0%
Average amount $4,428
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $3,006
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,079
Men 37.3% Women 62.7%
5,014
Men 37.4% Women 62.6%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 1.0% N/A
International students 0.1% 0.1%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity N/A N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Virginia Tennessee Florida Ohio

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Liberal Arts
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Construction Trades
  • Health Professions
  • Automotive Technology
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • Construction Trades
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 44.1% 34.0%
Dropout rate 45.6% 49.4%
Transferred out 3.7% 7.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,999
  • Year 2: $50,161
  • Year 3: $52,521
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,541
  • Year 2: $36,166
  • Year 3: $41,849
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $30,771
  • Year 3: $30,684
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $15,964
  • Year 3: $21,826
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $18,788
  • Year 2: $19,508
  • Year 3: $21,200
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,719
  • Year 2: $35,600
  • Year 3: N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,449
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,047
  • Year 2: $20,824
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,971
  • Year 2: $56,641
  • Year 3: $57,298
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,425
  • Year 2: $52,607
  • Year 3: $55,356
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,045
  • Year 2: $44,356
  • Year 3: $45,875
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,880
  • Year 2: $37,896
  • Year 3: $40,117
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,636
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $28,066
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $27,307
  • Year 3: $26,994
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,086
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $23,937
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,308
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $22,882
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,663
  • Year 2: $19,592
  • Year 3: $22,506
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,264
  • Year 2: $23,486
  • Year 3: $19,851

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