Wilkes Community College Tuition & Completion (2026)
Wilkes Community College is a public community college in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, enrolling about 1,355 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $-264 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $2,572. Student demographics in federal data include White (75.9%) and Hispanic or Latino (17.2%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $2,572
- 2024 Average Net Price: $-264 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 1,355 52.4% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 55.36%
- Carnegie Classification: Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
- First-Generation Students: 48.4%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 0.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 102.6% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 20.7%
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,288
- Room & Board: $12,291 annual estimate
Wilkes Community College: what the data shows
Common questions about Wilkes Community College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Wilkes Community College?
Wilkes Community College is located in Wilkesboro, NC (ZIP 28697).
NCES locale classification: Town distant.
Is Wilkes Community College public or private?
Wilkes Community College is a Public institution.
How much does Wilkes Community College cost?
Published tuition: $2,572 in-state, $8,716 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $-264.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $-1,444 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $-992 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $1,679 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $4,528 |
| $110,001+ | $6,653 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $10,288.
How big is Wilkes Community College?
Total enrollment: 1,355 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,288 students.
About 52% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Wilkes Community College?
150%-time completion rate: 55.36%.
First-year retention: 68.7%.
What do graduates of Wilkes Community College earn?
Median earnings: $32,842 six years after entry; $34,728 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $7,625.
45.46% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Wilkes Community College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business Administration and Management, General (178 completions)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies (157 completions)
- Welding Technology/Welder (86 completions)
- Information Technology (59 completions)
- Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician (57 completions)
- Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Other (54 completions)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (49 completions)
- Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production (45 completions)
- Early Childhood Education & Teaching (41 completions)
- Criminal Justice/Police Science (38 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Wilkes Community College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 55.36%; median earnings $34,728 at 10 years; net price $-264. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$2,572
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Wilkes Community College was $2,572.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$-264
2024 Value
In 2024 Wilkes Community College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $-264.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$-1,056 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$-264 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$10,288 4-Year In-State Tuition
$34,864 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
$12,291 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$702 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$15,565 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$62,260 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Wilkes Community College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
45.46% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
0.00% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Wilkes Community College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Wilkes Community College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $2,418 | $8,562 | $5,441 |
| 2014 | $2,444 | $8,588 | $4,985 |
| 2015 | $2,508 | $8,620 | $5,431 |
| 2016 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $5,644 |
| 2017 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $4,249 |
| 2018 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $4,585 |
| 2019 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $2,520 |
| 2020 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $2,323 |
| 2021 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $2,316 |
| 2022 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $1,084 |
| 2023 | $2,572 | $8,716 | $-28 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Wilkes Community College reported total enrollment of about 1,355 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 39% male and 61% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (75.9%), Hispanic or Latino (17.2%), and Black or African American (2.8%). About 45.46% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 48.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
52.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Wilkes Community College in 2024 is 1,355 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,288 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
68.7%
2024 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.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 75.9%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
55.36% 100% Completion Time
55.36% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 55.36% of students graduating from Wilkes Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 39% male / 61% female
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 42% male / 58% female
- Welding Technology/Welder: 93% male / 7% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Wilkes Community College.
Return on Investment
$7,625 Median Student Debt
$34,728 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
21.96% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
2.2 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Wilkes Community College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 32 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business Administration and Management, General: 178 completions
2. Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 157 completions
3. Welding Technology/Welder: 86 completions
4. Information Technology: 59 completions
5. Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician: 57 completions
6. Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Other: 54 completions
7. Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 49 completions
8. Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production: 45 completions
9. Early Childhood Education & Teaching: 41 completions
Most popular programs at Wilkes Community College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Wilkes Community College graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Wilkes Community College from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 20.7%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $6,310
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,165
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Wilkes Community College is a public institution located in Wilkesboro, NC, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Business Administration and Management, General, Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, Welding Technology/Welder. Enrollment is approximately 1,355 students. Student body composition includes White (75.9%), Hispanic or Latino (17.2%), Black or African American (2.8%). The 150%-time completion rate is 55.36%. Approximately 45.46% of students receive Pell Grants. About 48.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Public
Carnegie Classification: Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Location
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Region: Southeast
Insights and Analysis
Wilkes Community College provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Wilkes Community College located?
Wilkes Community College is located in Wilkesboro, NC.
How much does Wilkes Community College cost?
Reported tuition is $2,572 and average net price is $-264 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,291 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Wilkes Community College?
Wilkes Community College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,288 students, White (75.9%), Hispanic or Latino (17.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Wilkes Community College?
About 48.4% of students at Wilkes Community College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Wilkes Community College earn?
Median earnings are $32,842 six years after entry and $34,728 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Wilkes Community College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 55.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Wilkes Community College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $7,625.
Is Wilkes Community College public or private?
Wilkes Community College is a public institution located in Wilkesboro, NC.
Is Wilkes Community College an HBCU?
No. Wilkes Community College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Wilkes Community College a tribal college?
No. Wilkes Community College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Wilkes Community College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Wilkes Community College does not meet that proxy (reported share 17.2%).
Is Wilkes Community College religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Wilkes Community College in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- North Carolina college costs
- North Carolina colleges by ROI
- North Carolina trade schools profile
- Southeast regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in North Carolina
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.