Mountain Empire Community College
A good fit for families who need the lowest possible cost and students who want small classes and close faculty access. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 1,282 students.
About This School
Mountain Empire Community College is a public institution located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia with approximately 1,282 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $8,852 per year. The graduation rate is 51%, and the typical graduate earns $28,300 within 10 years of enrollment.
Mountain Empire Community College is a public community college in unincorporated Wise County, Virginia, near Big Stone Gap. It is one of the 23 schools in the Virginia Community College System. The college serves residents of Dickenson, Lee, Scott, and Wise counties, as well as the City of Norton. The first classes were offered in the Fall of 1972. Dr. Kristen Westover became the college's seventh president in July 2017.
This is a solid, affordable option for students in Southwest Virginia looking to minimize debt, with a net price of just $7,226 per year — well below the national average for community colleges. However, the median earnings of $28,300 a decade after enrollment are modest, so it's worth thinking carefully about which program you choose and whether it leads to a credential with strong local or regional demand. Best suited for students pursuing vocational, technical, or transfer pathways who plan to stay in the region or move to a four-year school to boost long-term earning potential.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 30% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 126 | $37,452 | $44,125 | −$6,673 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 47 | $69,922 | $80,813 | −$10,891 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 15 | $58,843 | $65,389 | −$6,546 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 13 | $43,752 | $46,706 | −$2,954 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 11 | $52,159 | $73,593 | −$21,434 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1,282 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
Mountain Empire Community College
3441 Mountain Empire Road
Big Stone Gap, VA 24219
Official Links
Schools Like This in Virginia
Danville Community College
Danville, VA · Public
University of Virginia's College at Wise
Wise, VA · Public
Virginia Highlands Community College
Abingdon, VA · Public
Wytheville Community College
Wytheville, VA · Public
Patrick & Henry Community College
Martinsville, VA · Public
Rappahannock Community College
Glenns, VA · Public
See How Colleges Compare
Mountain Empire Community College is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Mountain Empire Community College cost?
The average net price at Mountain Empire Community College is about $8,852 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Mountain Empire Community College?
Mountain Empire Community College has a graduation rate of 51%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
All school names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this page is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement or affiliation with CollegeHelpGuide.