McDowell Technical Community College
Marion, North Carolina · Website
$33,035
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$33,035
median earnings, 10 years after starting
McDowell Technical Community College is a public 2-year college in Marion, North Carolina with 608 undergraduates. Its average net price after grants is $7,784 a year (tuition and fees $2,032 in-state, $6,640 out-of-state). 48% of students finish within 3 years. Former students earn a median $33,035 a year 10 years after they started.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$7,784
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$2,032
Out-of-state $6,640
Admission rate
Open
Completion rate
48%
Within 3 years, US 58%
Median debt
-
Earnings at 10 years
$33,035
Rank 3,707 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $7,784
- Tuition in-state
- $2,032
- Tuition out-of-state
- $6,640
- Cost of attendance
- $18,783
- Students with a need-based grant
- 27%
- Students with federal loans
- 0%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $7,084
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $7,478
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $9,301
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $13,766
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $1,776 in 2015-16 to $2,032 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- Open admission
- Undergraduates
- 608
- Part-time students
- 73%
- Women
- 65%
- Students per teacher
- 8
- Completion rate
- 48%
- Retention rate
- 80%
- Highest degree
- Associate's degree
- Programs
- 45
- Endowment
- $1.38M
- Other
- Open admission
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 3,707 of 5,094 US colleges and 108 of 147 in North Carolina (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | NC median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $7,784 | $14,086 | $7,702 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $2,032 | $6,906 | $4,656 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | - | 75% | 79% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 48% | 48% | 38% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 80% | 72% | 64% | 75% |
| Median debt | - | $20,000 | $10,417 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $33,755 | $31,569 | $33,563 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $33,035 | $36,048 | $38,555 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 2-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 25% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 55% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
45 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's | Associate's | 103 | Withheld | Withheld | $42,366 | $44,125 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCertificate | Certificate | 28 | Withheld | $51,299 | $58,008 | $56,073 |
| Precision Metal WorkingCertificate | Certificate | 27 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,702 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 24 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 20 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $26,307 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's | Associate's | 14 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,733 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Certificate | Certificate | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,148 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 12 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | Withheld | $62,167 | $75,207 | $80,813 |
| Homeland SecurityCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $62,995 |
| Security Science and TechnologyCertificate | Certificate | 10 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $47,440 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsCertificate | Certificate | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $34,631 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $73,046 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $58,424 |
| Design and Applied ArtsCertificate | Certificate | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's | Associate's | 5 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $37,656 |
| Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's | Associate's | 5 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $56,451 |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming ServicesAssociate's | Associate's | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $27,014 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansCertificate | Certificate | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $65,202 |
| Homeland SecurityAssociate's | Associate's | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersCertificate | Certificate | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $53,078 |
| Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersAssociate's | Associate's | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $70,808 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Marion and North Carolina on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in North Carolina
- Homes: Homes for sale in North Carolina
Questions and answers
How much does McDowell Technical Community College cost?
$7,784 a year is the average net price at McDowell Technical Community College after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $2,032 for in-state students and $6,640 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $18,783. Families earning under $30,000 pay $7,084 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at McDowell Technical Community College?
McDowell Technical Community College has open admission: it accepts students who meet its basic requirements, such as a high school diploma.
How much do McDowell Technical Community College graduates earn?
$33,035 a year is the median pay of former McDowell Technical Community College students who work, 10 years after they started ($33,755 after 6 years). That ranks 3,707 of 5,094 US colleges and 108 of 147 in North Carolina. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's) at $62,167.
What is the graduation rate at McDowell Technical Community College?
48% of first-time, full-time students at McDowell Technical Community College finish within 3 years. 80% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 2-year colleges is 38%.
What are the most popular majors at McDowell Technical Community College?
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (103 associate's graduates), Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (28 certificate graduates), Precision Metal Working (27 certificate graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 45 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.