Wilkes Community College
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
About Wilkes Community College
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 findings
- Wilkes Community College charges about 0.5× the national public median tuition ($2,572).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 0.4×.
- Average net price runs below the North Carolina median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 55.36%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $34,728.
Research findings
Finding
Average net price at Wilkes Community College is negative: reported grant aid exceeds reported cost of attendance.
Published tuition is $2,572; average net price is −$264 in the latest Scorecard extract.
Interpretation: Institutional aid and grants compress sticker price into a substantially lower typical undergraduate cost signal.
Limitation: Average net price masks variation by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the campus average.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes Community College | $2,572 | −$264 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| North Carolina (state median) | $6,906 | $6,820 | 133 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Why is average net price negative at Wilkes Community College?
Key findings
- Wilkes Community College's average net price (−$264) is negative, meaning reported grant aid exceeds reported cost of attendance.
- Wilkes Community College charges about 0.5× the national public median tuition ($2,572).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 0.4×.
- Average net price runs below the North Carolina median net price.
Wilkes Community College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $2,572
Finding Wilkes Community College charges about 0.5× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $2,572. That is about 0.5× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the North Carolina median ($6,906), sticker tuition is about 0.4×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Wilkes Community College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Wilkes Community College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Wilkes Community College is −$264.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is −$264 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $7,084 below the North Carolina median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $15,235 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Wilkes Community College, grant aid reported to College Scorecard more than covers reported cost of attendance for the average aided undergraduate, so published tuition ($2,572) badly overstates typical cost.
Wilkes Community College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Wilkes Community College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$2,572
Out-of-state tuition
$8,716
Avg. net price
−$264
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $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. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Wilkes Community College is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General178
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies157
- Welding Technology/Welder86
- Information Technology59
- Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician57
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Wilkes Community College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Wilkes Community College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Wilkes Community College.
Campus
Location
Wilkesboro, NC
City / state
- ZIP
- 28697
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, tuition is about 0.3× the median for Town campuses.
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Size
Enrollment
1,355
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 3,288
- Full-time share
- 52%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$7,625
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 45.46%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Wilkes Community College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
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.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
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
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
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
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Wilkes Community College graduates earn a median of $34,728 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Wilkes Community College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $34,728. Median federal loan debt: $7,625. Average net price used in cost models: −$264.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Wilkes Community College graduates report median earnings of $34,728 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Wilkes Community College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (32 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Wilkes Community College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Wilkes Community College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Wilkes Community College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$5.6M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- North Carolina median 0.47× the median ($12M)
- Southeast median 0.29× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.21× the median ($26.4M)
- North Carolina median 0.42× the median ($8,184)
- Southeast median 0.37× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.29× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 20.7%
- North Carolina median 28.3 pp below median (49.1%)
- Southeast median 38.7 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 37.2 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,310
- North Carolina median near the median ($6,566)
- Southeast median 0.92× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.83× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,165
- North Carolina median 1.4× the median ($8,093)
- Southeast median 1.7× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.5× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Wilkes Community College at a glance
Wilkes Community College
Wilkes Community College is a public institution in Wilkesboro, NC, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralLiberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesWelding Technology/Welder
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian75.9%Hispanic or Latino17.2%Black or African American2.8%
Schools near Wilkes Community College
Other campuses in Wilkesboro, NC when available, plus nearby institutions in North Carolina.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within North Carolina, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Wilkes Community College located?
Wilkes Community College is located in Wilkesboro, NC.
What is Wilkes Community College's tuition?
Wilkes Community College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $2,572 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is −$264 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
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.
Why is Wilkes Community College's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Wilkes Community College, published tuition is $2,572 while average net price is −$264—that is, reported grant aid exceeds reported cost of attendance for the average aided undergraduate. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Wilkes Community College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price (−$264), completion (55.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($34,728). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
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.
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
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 Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.