Western Piedmont Community College

1001 Burkemont Ave
Morganton, NC 28655-4511
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Tel: (828)438-6000
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School Highlights
  • Western Piedmont Community College serves 2,056 students (48% of students are full-time).
  • The college's student:teacher ratio of 13:1 is lower than the state community college average of 19:1.
  • Minority enrollment is 18% of the student body (majority Asian and Black), which is less than the state average of 38%.
  • Western Piedmont Community College is the only community colleges within Burke County, NC.
  • The nearest community college to Western Piedmont Community College is Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (14.8 miles away).

Top Placements

Western Piedmont Community College places among the top 20% of community colleges in North Carolina for:

School Overview

  • The teacher population of 164 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Western Piedmont Community College(NC) Community College Avg.
Institution LevelAt least 2 but less than 4 yearsAt least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution ControlPublicPublic
Total Faculty164 staff139 staff
This chart display total faculty of Western Piedmont Community College and community college average number of faculty in NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.

Student Body

  • The student population of Western Piedmont Community College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
  • The student:teacher ratio of 13:1 has stayed the same over five years.
  • The Western Piedmont Community College diversity score of 0.32 is less than the state average of 0.56. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment2,056 students2,380 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Western Piedmont Community College and community college average number of enrollment of NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio13:119:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Western Piedmont Community College and community college average student staff ratio of NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
# Full-Time Students997 students1,019 students
This chart display the total number of Full-Time students enrollment of Western Piedmont Community College and average number of community college Full-Time students enrollment of NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
# Part-Time Students1,059 students1,361 students
This chart display the total number of Part-Time students enrollment of Western Piedmont Community College and average number of community college Part-Time students enrollment of NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
1%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Western Piedmont Community College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Asian
9%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Western Piedmont Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Hispanic
3%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Western Piedmont Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Black
5%
21%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Western Piedmont Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% White
82%
62%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Western Piedmont Community College and the percentage of White community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Non Resident races		-
1%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Western Piedmont Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2011-12 school year data.
Diversity Score0.320.56
This chart display the diversity score of Western Piedmont Community College and the community college average diversity score of NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
College Completion Rate
19%
16%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of Western Piedmont Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of NC by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)$28,200$27,500
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Western Piedmont Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of NC by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Finances and Admission

  • The public in-state tuition of $2,417 is less than the state average of $3,911. The in-state tuition has grown by 12% over four years.
  • The public out-state tuition of $8,561 is less than the state average of $9,514. The out-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees$2,417$3,911
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Western Piedmont Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees$8,561$9,514
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Western Piedmont Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid84%78%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Western Piedmont Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in NC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates$5,250$10,500
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Western Piedmont Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in NC by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts$3,500$6,000
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Western Piedmont Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in NC by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS

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Quick Stats (2020)
  • Students: 2,056 students
  • In-state tuition: $2,417
  • Out-state tuition: $8,561
  • Student:teacher ratio: 13:1
  • Minority enrollment: 18%
Related College Videos
Western Piedmont Community College Class 97-02 part 1 33:14

Western Piedmont Community College Class 97-02 part 1

Western Piedmont Community College Police Academy 7:52

Western Piedmont Community College Police Academy

Western Piedmont Community College 2017 Afternoon Graduation Ceremony 11:55

Western Piedmont Community College 2017 Afternoon Graduation Ceremony

Ropes & Climbing Course - Team Building at Western Piedmont Community College 1:48

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Related School News

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Did You Know?
For North Carolina public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $3,911 per year for in-state students and $9,514 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $16,515 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in North Carolina is 69%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

North Carolina community colleges have a diversity score of 0.56, which is lower than the national average of 0.65. The most diverse community college in North Carolina is Fayetteville Technical Community College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.
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