Mountain Empire Community College
Big Stone Gap, VA · Public · offers Associate's degrees
—Acceptance rate
$8,852Average net price / year
48%Graduation rate
$32,622Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
—Median debt at graduation
1,282Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $5,007
- Out-of-state tuition
- $11,445
- Total cost of attendance
- $15,605
- Books & supplies
- $1,780
- Average net price
- $8,852
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $8,148
- $30–48k
- $8,064
- $48–75k
- $10,770
- $75–110k
- $11,741
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- —
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 48%
- First-year retention
- 64%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $30,368
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $32,622
- Median debt (graduates)
- —
- Students with Pell grants
- 43%
- Students with federal loans
- 0%
Programs: what graduates earn
9 of 42 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Undergraduate certificate
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 32 | $35,693 | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | — | $29,551 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 108 | $16,029 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 106 | $42,992 | — |
Associate's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 47 | $62,303 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 15 | $58,346 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 126 | $20,005 | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 11 | $52,159 | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 13 | $43,752 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 1,282
- Part-time
- 44%
- Women / men
- 61% / 39%
- White
- 92%
- Hispanic
- 2%
- Black
- 3%
- Asian
- 0%
- International
- 0%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 22:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $68,355 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 24%
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Website
- www.mecc.edu
- Also known as
- MECC, Mountain Empire
Most popular fields
- Natural Resources & Conservation – 2% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 2% of degrees
- Engineering – 1% of degrees
- Engineering Technologies – 16% of degrees
- Legal Professions – 1% of degrees
- Liberal Arts & General Studies – 27% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
How much does Mountain Empire Community College cost?
The average net price after grants is $8,852 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $5,007 and the full cost of attendance is $15,605.
How much do Mountain Empire Community College graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $32,622 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
48% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.