Western Piedmont Community College

www.wpcc.edu

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$2,432

2021 Average Net Price

$5,965

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

11.1%

Default Rate

2021 Enrolled Students

1,670

31% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

50.6%

89 Graduates

About

Western Piedmont Community College is a higher education institution located in Burke County, NC. In 2021, the most popular Associates Degree concentrations at Western Piedmont Community College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (134 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (29 degrees), and Electromechanical Technology (12 degrees).

In 2021, 419 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Western Piedmont Community College. 63.2% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 36.8% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (316 degrees), 7.71 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (41 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Western Piedmont Community College is $2,432, which is $−5,536 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

Associates Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional Associates Colleges

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Western Piedmont Community College is $2,432, which is $−5,536 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $5,965.

In 2021, 53% of undergraduate students attending Western Piedmont Community College received financial aid through grants.

Tuition Costs

$2,432

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Western Piedmont Community College was $2,432. The cost of tuition at Western Piedmont Community College is $−5,536 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Western Piedmont Community College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$5,965

2021 Value

17.1%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Western Piedmont Community College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $5,965. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Western Piedmont Community College grew by 17.1%.

This chart compares the average net price of Western Piedmont Community College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$7,223

Room and Board

$1,400

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Western Piedmont Community College was of $7,223 in 2021. The cost of room and board did not change between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,400. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Western Piedmont Community College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

53%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

53% of undergraduate students at Western Piedmont Community College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2020, when 53% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Western Piedmont Community College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

11.1%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Western Piedmont Community College was 11.1%, which represents 6 out of the 54 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Enrollment

Western Piedmont Community College had a total enrollment of 1,670 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Western Piedmont Community College is 518 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,152. This means that 31% of students enrolled at Western Piedmont Community College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Western Piedmont Community College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 78.1% White, 9.94% Hispanic or Latino, 5.87% Black or African American, 5.27% Asian, 0.24% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.12% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Western Piedmont Community College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (48.1%), followed by White Male (29.3%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.79%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

31%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Western Piedmont Community College in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 1,670 students. The full-time enrollment at Western Piedmont Community College is 518 and the part-time enrollment is 1,152. This means that 31% of students enrolled at Western Piedmont Community College are enrolled full-time compared with 32.5% at similar Associates Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Western Piedmont Community College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

58%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Western Piedmont Community College was 58%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (60%), Western Piedmont Community College had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Western Piedmont Community College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,305 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
166 enrolled students
Black or African American
98 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Western Piedmont Community College is 78.1% White, 9.94% Hispanic or Latino, 5.87% Black or African American, 5.27% Asian, 0.24% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.12% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Associates Colleges is 44.1% White, 26.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.5% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0 students (0%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 111 more women than men received degrees from Western Piedmont Community College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Western Piedmont Community College is white (316 degrees awarded). There were 7.71 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (41 degrees).

The most common Associates Degree concentration at Western Piedmont Community College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (134 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (29 degrees) and Electromechanical Technology (12 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Western Piedmont Community College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Communication Technologies (7 degrees awarded), Engineering Technologies (32 degrees), and Precision Production (14 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Police officers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Piedmont Community College are Police officers (130,695 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (113,307 people), Other managers (110,938 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (55,180 people), and Software developers (46,346 people).

The most specialized majors at Western Piedmont Community College in 2021 are Communication Technologies (7 degrees awarded), Engineering Technologies (32 degrees), Precision Production (14 degrees), Protective Services (35 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Humanities (135 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Piedmont Community College are Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Physicians, Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Western Piedmont Community College are Communication Technologies (7 degrees awarded), Engineering Technologies (32 degrees), Precision Production (14 degrees), Protective Services (35 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Humanities (135 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Justice, public order, & safety activities

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Piedmont Community College are Justice, public order, & safety activities (321,356 people), Elementary & secondary schools (239,328 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (112,090 people), Computer Systems Design (92,378 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (73,355 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Western Piedmont Community College.

Most Common (2021)

Liberal Arts & Sciences
134 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
29 degree-majors awarded
Electromechanical Technology
12 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common associates degree concentration at Western Piedmont Community College was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 134 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Western Piedmont Community College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

154

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

265

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 154 degrees were awarded to men at Western Piedmont Community College, which is 0.581 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (265).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Western Piedmont Community College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 40 degrees were awarded to men at Western Piedmont Community College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.426 times less than the 94 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 94 degrees were awarded to men at Western Piedmont Community College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 2.35 times more than the 40 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

23%

100% Completion Time

41%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 23% of students graduating from Western Piedmont Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 41% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 43% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (66.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Western Piedmont Community College is Female and Asian (66.7% graduation rate). Across all Associates Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.25% of graduates (2 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
316 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
41 degrees awarded
Asian
33 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Western Piedmont Community College is white (316 degrees awarded). There were 7.71 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (41 degrees).

0% of degree recipients (0 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
194 degrees awarded
White Male
122 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
30 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Western Piedmont Community College is white female (194 degrees awarded). There were 1.59 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (122 degrees).

Operations

Western Piedmont Community College has an endowment valued at nearly $4.12M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 219k (5.33%) compared to the 1.65% average return (87.6k on 5.29M) across all Associates Colleges.

In 2021, Western Piedmont Community College had a total salary expenditure of 22.7M. Western Piedmont Community College employs 67 No academic ranks. Most academics at Western Piedmont Community College are Female No academic rank (39), and Male No academic rank (28).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Piedmont Community College are: Management, with 27 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 20 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 14 employees.

Endowment

$4.12M

2021 Endowment

19.5%

growth from 2020

Western Piedmont Community College has an endowment valued at about $4.12M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Western Piedmont Community College grew 19.5% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.18M lower than than the median endowment of Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Western Piedmont Community College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$9.67M

2021 Salaries

1.15%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Western Piedmont Community College paid a median of $9.67M in salaries, which represents 42.6% of their overall expenditure ($22.7M) and a 1.15% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Associates Colleges is 16.4M (41.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$3.42M

Instructional Salaries

Number of Employees

In 2021, Western Piedmont Community College paid a total of $3.42M to 67 employees working as instructors, which represents 35.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $5.1M (31.2%) for similar Associates Colleges.

Occupations by Share

No academic rank

Most Common Instructor

67 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

27 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Western Piedmont Community College was No academic rank with 67 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Piedmont Community College were Management with 27 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 20 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 14 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Female No academic rank
Male No academic rank

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Western Piedmont Community College was Female No academic rank with 39 employees, and Male No academic rank with 28 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Western Piedmont Community College.