Blue Ridge Community College

www.blueridge.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$2,432

2021 Average Net Price

$8,783

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

2.54%

Default Rate

2021 Enrolled Students

5,270

27.8% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

50.3%

170 Graduates

About

Blue Ridge Community College is a higher education institution located in Henderson County, NC. In 2021, the most popular Associates Degree concentrations at Blue Ridge Community College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (155 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (27 degrees), and General Business Administration & Management (14 degrees).

In 2021, 601 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Blue Ridge Community College. 55.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 44.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (476 degrees), 6.7 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (71 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Blue Ridge 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-High Traditional Associates Colleges

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Blue Ridge 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 $8,783.

In 2021, 38% of undergraduate students attending Blue Ridge Community College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 9% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$2,432

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Blue Ridge Community College was $2,432. The cost of tuition at Blue Ridge 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 Blue Ridge Community College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$8,783

2021 Value

10.8%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Blue Ridge Community College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $8,783. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Blue Ridge Community College grew by 10.8%.

This chart compares the average net price of Blue Ridge 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

$9,390

Room and Board

$2,050

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Blue Ridge Community College was of $9,390 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 2.29% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $2,050. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 10.2% during the same period.

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

Financial Aid by Income Level

38%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

38% of undergraduate students at Blue Ridge Community College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 7.32% with respect to 2020, when 41% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Blue Ridge 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.

2.54%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Blue Ridge Community College was 2.54%, which represents 5 out of the 197 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

Blue Ridge Community College had a total enrollment of 5,270 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Blue Ridge Community College is 1,464 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,806. This means that 27.8% of students enrolled at Blue Ridge Community College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Blue Ridge Community College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 73.4% White, 13.2% Hispanic or Latino, 4.97% Black or African American, 1.06% Asian, and 0.569% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Blue Ridge Community College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (41.9%), followed by White Male (32.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (7.79%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

27.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Blue Ridge Community College in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 5,270 students. The full-time enrollment at Blue Ridge Community College is 1,464 and the part-time enrollment is 3,806. This means that 27.8% of students enrolled at Blue Ridge 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 Blue Ridge Community College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

63%

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 Blue Ridge Community College was 63%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (60%), Blue Ridge Community College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

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

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
3,868 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
698 enrolled students
Black or African American
262 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Blue Ridge Community College is 73.4% White, 13.2% Hispanic or Latino, 4.97% Black or African American, 1.06% Asian, and 0.569% American Indian or Alaska Native. 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, 314 students (5.96%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 69 more women than men received degrees from Blue Ridge Community College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Blue Ridge Community College is white (476 degrees awarded). There were 6.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (71 degrees).

The most common Associates Degree concentration at Blue Ridge Community College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (155 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (27 degrees) and General Business Administration & Management (14 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Blue Ridge Community College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Precision Production (59 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (33 degrees), and Engineering Technologies (24 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Blue Ridge Community College are Elementary & middle school teachers (103,299 people), Other managers (92,751 people), Postsecondary teachers (49,511 people), Secondary school teachers (42,636 people), and Software developers (41,608 people).

The most specialized majors at Blue Ridge Community College in 2021 are Precision Production (59 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (33 degrees), Engineering Technologies (24 degrees), Liberal Arts & Humanities (158 degrees), and Mechanical Technologies (26 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 Blue Ridge Community College are Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, Nurse anesthetists, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Blue Ridge Community College are Precision Production (59 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (33 degrees), Engineering Technologies (24 degrees), Liberal Arts & Humanities (158 degrees), and Mechanical Technologies (26 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Blue Ridge Community College are Elementary & secondary schools (210,570 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (113,740 people), Computer Systems Design (76,024 people), Construction (61,667 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (59,653 people).

Majors Awarded

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

Most Common (2021)

Liberal Arts & Sciences
155 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
27 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
14 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common associates degree concentration at Blue Ridge Community College was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 155 degrees awarded.

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

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

266

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

335

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 266 degrees were awarded to men at Blue Ridge Community College, which is 0.794 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (335).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 63 degrees were awarded to men at Blue Ridge Community College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.685 times less than the 92 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 92 degrees were awarded to men at Blue Ridge Community College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 1.46 times more than the 63 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

24%

100% Completion Time

53%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 24% of students graduating from Blue Ridge Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 53% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 56% 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 (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Blue Ridge Community College is Female and Asian (100% 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, 1.18% of graduates (2 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
476 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
71 degrees awarded
Black or African American
18 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Blue Ridge Community College is white (476 degrees awarded). There were 6.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (71 degrees).

2.66% of degree recipients (16 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
262 degrees awarded
White Male
214 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
43 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Blue Ridge Community College is white female (262 degrees awarded). There were 1.22 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (214 degrees).

Operations

Blue Ridge Community College has an endowment valued at nearly $17M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 10.7k (0.063%) compared to the 1.65% average return (87.6k on 5.29M) across all Associates Colleges.

In 2021, Blue Ridge Community College had a total salary expenditure of 28M. Blue Ridge Community College employs 136 No academic ranks. Most academics at Blue Ridge Community College are Female No academic rank (80), and Male No academic rank (56).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Blue Ridge Community College are: Management, with 70 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 42 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 26 employees.

Endowment

$17M

2021 Endowment

18.6%

growth from 2020

Blue Ridge Community College has an endowment valued at about $17M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Blue Ridge Community College grew 18.6% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $11.7M higher than than the median endowment of Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Blue Ridge 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-High Traditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$17.4M

2021 Salaries

2.62%

growth from 2020

In 2021, Blue Ridge Community College paid a median of $17.4M in salaries, which represents 62.4% of their overall expenditure ($28M) and a 2.62% growth from the previous year.

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

Instructional Salaries

$7.89M

Instructional Salaries

136

Number of Employees

In 2021, Blue Ridge Community College paid a total of $7.89M to 136 employees working as instructors, which represents 22.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $10.2M (62.3%) for similar Associates Colleges.

Occupations by Share

No academic rank

Most Common Instructor

136 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

70 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Blue Ridge Community College was No academic rank with 136 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Blue Ridge Community College were Management with 70 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 42 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 26 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 Blue Ridge Community College was Female No academic rank with 80 employees, and Male No academic rank with 56 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Blue Ridge Community College.