6 Underrated Facts About Community College

Community colleges typically award associate degrees. While traditionally perceived as more cost-effective options than four-year universities, the line between the two institution types is gradually fading.

Community colleges now offer many of the same opportunities as traditional, four-year colleges, including the ability to get a bachelor’s degree and live on campus. Further, online community colleges serve as flexible, accessible pathways for transferring to a four-year school.

Read more to find out some underrated facts about community colleges.

According to a 2023 BestColleges survey on students’ top factors in college choice and admissions, students voted affordability as their number one factor. Community college is cheaper than most four-year schools, but how much does it cost?

Broken down by cost-per-credit hour, two-year public schools charged just under $120 on average, while four-year private nonprofit colleges charged around $1,200 in 2022.^{Note Reference [1]}

According to 2020 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, students who attended at least some community college paid $9,770 in non-tuition expenses per year. In comparison, students who didn’t attend any community college paid $13,810 per year.^{Note Reference [2]}

Community colleges also typically have a wider age range of students. The average community college enrollee was 27 in 2019, while the average four-year college enrollee (who never attended community college) was 22.2.^{Note Reference [2]}

According to 2023 data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 30% of students at two-year, public universities and Primarily Associate Degree Granting Baccalaureate Institutions (PABs) were 25 years old and older. These institutions also include bachelor’s degree-granting community colleges.^{Note Reference [4]}

As of 2024, 187 community colleges in 24 states are authorized to award bachelor’s degrees.^{Note Reference [3]} Among these are a bachelor of applied science degree in accounting at the Everett Community College in Washington and a bachelor of applied science degree in cybersecurity at the Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon, according to the Community College Baccalaureate Association.

The state of Florida had the greatest number of community college programs granting bachelor’s degrees, with 192.^{Note Reference [3]} Almost half of all of these programs are in Florida and Washington.

While most community colleges don’t offer on-campus housing, the number of schools that do is far from zero. The list below includes some examples, but is non-exhaustive:

The cost of room and board at community colleges varies by school. SUNY Broome Community College in Binghamton, New York, for example, charges $5,230 per semester for a single room and $4,385 for a double.^{Note Reference [5]} At the College of Southern Idaho, single-occupancy dorm rooms cost $1,500 per semester.^{Note Reference [6]} According to its website, the co-ed residence hall can house 128 women and 118 men.

Many states have taken the initiative to make community college free for qualifying students. So far, the states with free college tuition programs include:

Another 20 states have free college tuition programs with income, merit, geographical, or programmatic limitations.

Free community college has been a key aspect of President Joe Biden’s budget proposals, a decision that aligns well with First Lady Jill Biden’s background as a community college educator.

President Biden’s original free community college proposal failed in Congress in 2021 due to a lack of Democratic support. Biden’s 2024 budget proposal, however, also includes two years of free community college, which would be covered by a federal-state alliance.^{Note Reference [7]}

According to a previous BestColleges survey, the majority of students believe racial/ethnic diversity improves both the social experience (62%) and learning environment (59%) of schools.

Community colleges have historically attracted more diverse student populations than their four-year counterparts due to their affordability and extensive range of programs, which include but are not limited to vocational career pathways.

According to recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, public two-year colleges boast a higher percentage of underrepresented students, especially Hispanic students.^{Note Reference [4]}