Pamlico Community College Press Release

Pamlico Community College continues to add to its fast-growing list of recent prestigious national recognitions for excellence. SmartAsset, a New York-based personal finance technology company, last week published Best Community Colleges in America-2021 Edition. Using U.S. Department of Education data, SmartAsset honored Pamlico Community College with the prestigious ranking as the No. 2 best community college in America.

Pamlico Community College (PCC) has earned an extensive array of national recognitions in recent years. For example, the college is the nation’s premiere community college in earning an unprecedented number of SmartAsset elite top-3 rankings, having been ranked in the top 3 or better four times in most recent years while no other college has achieved this more than twice.  

SmartAsset’s 2021 rankings were based on 2019-20 federal data from 820 community colleges across America. The company reviewed the colleges’ graduation/transfer rates, student-to-teacher ratios and cost over two academic semesters to compile its rankings.

PCC received outstanding scores for its graduation/transfer rate of its students of 76 percent, its student-instructor ratio of 9-to-1; and its exceptionally low cost and affordability for in-state students, according to SmartAsset.

PCC President Dr. Jim Ross said he was humbled and extremely pleased with the No. 2 ranking among the nation’s best community colleges, and he credited the “extraordinary” work of PCC employees as the reason for the national recognition.

“Our college is greatly blessed to have dedicated and caring employees who are selflessly committed to the noble goal to make lives better,” Ross said, “and they make lives better day in and day out as they work tirelessly to make our college the best it can possibly be in serving our students and our community. “

News of PCC’s No. 2 national ranking by SmartAsset comes amid multiple other state and national honors Pamlico Community College has received in recent years.

One of the most important, Ross said, is being ranked by WalletHub as the No. 1 community college in the nation in student success. To arrive at its ranking, WalletHub used U.S. Department of Education data for graduation rates, transfer-out rates, degree and certificates awarded per 100 full-time-equivalent students, student-faculty ratios, share of full-time faculty, dual enrollment or distance education programs, and other data for community colleges across America.

“To be ranked No. 1 among all the outstanding community colleges in the nation in student success is an extremely important achievement for our employees that our college cherishes because we care so very much about helping our students succeed,” Ross said. 

PCC also is ranked this year as North Carolina’s best community college in providing online instruction by Affordable Colleges Online. In addition, the Aspen Institute named PCC to its 2018-19 prestigious list of 150 elite community colleges in America.

Topping the SmartAsset rankings for 2021 was Brunswick Community College. In addition to Brunswick at No. 1 and Pamlico at No. 2, other North Carolina community colleges ranked in the top 10 included Carteret (3), Montgomery (4), Sampson (5), College of the Albemarle (6), Catawba Valley (8) and Randolph (9).

News of PCC’s No. 2 national ranking by SmartAsset comes less than a month before registration for the Fall 2021 semester gets underway at PCC. For more information about enrolling at Pamlico Community College, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3001.