Mountain Empire Community College
Mountain Empire Community College is a Public, 2-4 years located in Big Stone Gap, VA. Mountain Empire Community College is accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
- The 2025 tuition & fees of Mountain Empire Community College is $5,007 for Virginia residents and $11,445 for out-of-state residents where the average tuition & fees of all community colleges is $8,737.
- The tuition & fees has increased by 5.33% from last year at MECC.
- Total 2,116 students have enrolled in MECC and, of that, 678 students enrolled online exclusively.
- MECC offers 62 programs and 5 programs are available in online classes.
- The graduation rate of MECC is 48% where the average graduation rate of all community colleges is 40.6%.
2025 Tuition & fees & Increase Rate
The 2025 tuition & fees at Mountain Empire Community College is $5,007 for Virginia residents and $11,445 for out-of-state students. The tuition & fees has increased by 5.33% from last year. The next table shows the 2025 tuition & fees and the tuition trends over last 5 years.
You can check and view more costs information including living costs, books & supplies, and tuition per credit hour at Cost of Attendance page
| Year | Virginia Residents | Out-of-State Students |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $4,710 | $10,713 |
| 2022 | $4,710 | $10,713 |
| 2023 | $4,725 | $10,728 |
| 2024 | $4,863 | $10,866 |
| 2025 | $5,007 | $11,445 |
Offered Degrees and Major Programs
Mountain Empire Community College offers 54 major programs through 1 Year Certificate, 1-2 Years Certificate, Associate, degrees/programs. Of that, 5 programs are offered via distance learning (online classes).
You can view all major programs offered at Mountain Empire Community College at Area of Study & Major Program page with completer and earning after graduation information.
| Number of Programs | Number of Online Programs | |
|---|---|---|
| Associate | 16 | 5 |
| 1-2 Years certificates | 10 | 0 |
| Total | 54 | 5 |
| Program Name | Number of Completers |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (other) | 108 |
| Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training | 15 |
| Dental Assisting/Assistant | 6 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (other) | 6 |
| Welding Technology/Welder | 4 |
| Program Name | Number of Completers |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies | 126 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 47 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians (other) | 19 |
| Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist | 11 |
| Industrial Technology/Technician | 6 |
Student Population
Total 2,116 students have enrolled to Mountain Empire Community College. By gender, there are 819 male and 1,297 female students are attending the school. The male to female ratio is 0.63 to 1.
Mountain Empire Community College offers online degree/certificate programs and 678 students enrolled in online programs. You can check and view more student population by gender, race, age, and online enrollment at enrollment data page
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Asian | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| Black or African American | 46 | 10 | 36 |
| Hispanic | 42 | 15 | 27 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White | 1,959 | 768 | 1,191 |
| Two or More Races | 45 | 14 | 31 |
| Race/Ethnicity Unknown | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| Total | 2,116 | 819 | 1,297 |
Important Academic Statistics
The graduation rate at Mountain Empire Community College is 48% and the transfer-out rate is 5%. The average financial aid amount is $5,738 and 55% of students received grant aid (any source). The next table shows the important statistics at the school.
| Graduation Rate | 48% |
|---|---|
| Transfer-out Rate | 5% |
| Retention Rate | 64% |
| Financial Aid Amount | $5,738 |
| Students to Faculty Ratio | 22 to 1 |
| Number of Faculty (full-time) | 44 |
| Number of Staff (full-time) | 145 |