Home / Worth-It Scores / North Carolina / Southwestern Community
Is Southwestern Community College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Southwestern Community, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Workable
Southwestern Community lands in the workable band for a typical family. Median debt of $10,500 can be carried by median long-run earnings of $34,145, but the margin is not huge. For context, Southwestern Community's net price is about 6% below the typical 2-year, public school. This is the kind of school where your actual aid offer can move the answer meaningfully.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 791 similar 2-year, public schools
This school
$7,131
/yrAverage school like this
$7,555
/yrThis helps your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $424 less per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $2,000 in savings.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$5,207
Median earnings 10 years out
$34,145
Median debt at graduation
$10,500
Graduation rate
53%
At Southwestern Community, a typical graduate carries about $10,500 in student debt and earns roughly $34,145 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $119 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Southwestern Community is a two year school in Sylva, NC. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
2-year
Blue Ridge Community
Flat Rock, NC
Worth-It Score: 62/100
Median net price: $5,756
2-year
Forsyth Technical Community
Winston-Salem, NC
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $7,200
2-year
Pitt Community
Winterville, NC
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $7,337
2-year
Rowan-Cabarrus Community
Salisbury, NC
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $7,981
2-year
Davidson-Davie Community
Thomasville, NC
Worth-It Score: 62/100
Median net price: $8,753
Common questions about Southwestern Community
The median net price at Southwestern Community is $5,207 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at community colleges options in North Carolina? See the most affordable community colleges in North Carolina →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →