Posted by: Richie Bernardo

Cost is often a major consideration when choosing a college. And with tuition rates continuing to rise every year — not to mention all the other expenses related to attendance — many would-be students are unable to afford a university education.

Community colleges offer students the ability to get higher education without having as much financial strain. During the 2017 to 2018 academic year, tuition and fees for full-time, in-state enrollment at a public two-year college averaged $3,570 per year versus $9,970 at a public four-year institution and $34,740 at a four-year private school. Students who earn their general-education credits at a community college before transferring to an in-state public four-year university can potentially save a lot of money.

Other than serving as an affordable, and in some cases free, option for education, community colleges have a number of attractive qualities. They often provide more flexible schedules, smaller class sizes and rigorous coursework. Some even go beyond two-year programs to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees. These qualities advantages appeal especially to students who need to balance their studies with other commitments, such as family and work.

Individual community colleges, however, vary in quality and affordability. To determine where students can receive the best education at the lowest price, WalletHub compared more than 700 community colleges across 17 key indicators of cost and quality. Our data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio to graduation rate. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology. In addition to this ranking, we also conducted a state-level analysis of the Best & Worst Community College Systems.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Rankings by State
4. Methodology
5. Resources

Main Findings Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/15076/geochart-community-colleges.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2L8aFUQ>

 

Best Community Colleges in the U.S.

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	Community College	Total Score	‘Cost & Financing’ Rank	‘Education Outcomes’ Rank	‘Career Outcomes’ Rank
1	Arkansas State University-Mountain Home	66.13	39	22	40
2	Stella and Charles Guttman Community College	65.28	1	145	N/A
3	State Technical College of Missouri	64.71	421	1	2
4	Alexandria Technical & Community College	64.16	124	62	31
5	Northland Community and Technical College	64.07	107	31	61
6	Minnesota State Community and Technical College	63.38	118	113	28
7	Mitchell Technical Institute	63.04	606	2	6
8	Miles Community College	61.82	89	136	37
9	Southern Arkansas University Tech	61.50	38	7	569
10	North Hennepin Community College	61.34	115	363	22
11	Lake Area Technical Institute	60.79	614	8	5
12	Columbia Gorge Community College	60.68	7	177	535
13	St Cloud Technical and Community College	60.63	142	264	33
14	South Central College	60.54	106	189	36
15	South Arkansas Community College	60.51	24	26	501
16	Madisonville Community College	60.24	54	34	296
17	North Arkansas College	60.24	22	37	346
18	Ozarka College	60.16	32	78	261
19	Lake Superior College	60.13	130	270	44
20	Manhattan Area Technical College	60.08	649	10	3
21	Black River Technical College	60.04	14	77	461
22	Chief Dull Knife College	60.02	5	19	705
23	Arkansas State University-Beebe	60.00	84	67	249
T-24	Hopkinsville Community College	59.76	125	89	156
T-24	Columbia-Greene Community College	59.76	50	186	135
26	Dawson Community College	59.29	188	91	63
27	Ridgewater College	59.28	109	132	159
28	Hennepin Technical College	59.20	117	104	171
29	Helena College University of Montana	59.19	74	263	81
30	Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture	59.17	336	90	1
31	Tillamook Bay Community College	58.90	48	205	322
32	University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville	58.82	52	86	398
33	Southeast Arkansas College	58.46	42	81	459
34	Southwestern Oregon Community College	58.43	33	70	513
35	College of the Ouachitas	58.37	86	39	512
36	Pratt Community College	58.36	370	80	7
37	Rochester Community and Technical College	58.20	129	336	87
38	Walters State Community College	58.17	44	209	216
39	CUNY Queensborough Community College	58.15	59	436	56
40	Blackfeet Community College	58.15	2	14	711
41	Southwest Wisconsin Technical College	58.10	269	3	90
42	Aaniiih Nakoda College	57.90	9	82	690
43	Moorpark College	57.86	200	616	8
44	Central Lakes College-Brainerd	57.85	98	164	215
45	Century College - MN	57.74	143	411	69
46	Hibbing Community College	57.73	34	95	391
47	University of Arkansas Community College-Hope	57.57	20	59	606
48	Great Falls College Montana State University	57.56	36	237	288
49	CUNY Kingsborough Community College	57.50	45	396	113
50	Hudson Valley Community College	57.49	131	397	83
51	San Joaquin Delta College	57.41	70	504	94
52	Coastline Community College	57.35	193	612	15
53	San Jacinto Community College	57.30	233	157	20
54	Pulaski Technical College	57.17	157	120	217
55	Itasca Community College	57.15	94	193	242
56	SUNY Westchester Community College	57.10	40	604	52
57	Cochise County Community College District	57.07	317	84	14
58	CUNY LaGuardia Community College	56.89	51	611	93
59	Arkansas Northeastern College	56.86	4	106	558
60	Roane State Community College	56.80	28	361	233
61	CUNY Hostos Community College	56.79	12	598	144
62	Vermilion Community College	56.79	132	339	99
63	Minnesota West Community and Technical College	56.76	198	113	132
64	Rainy River Community College	56.59	72	245	307
65	Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas	56.42	8	85	674
66	Fulton-Montgomery Community College	56.37	37	338	270
67	Mesabi Range College	56.13	65	141	408
68	Jefferson Community College	56.11	112	474	125
69	Truckee Meadows Community College	56.11	82	314	245
70	Columbia State Community College	56.08	100	550	109
71	North Dakota State College of Science	56.04	437	54	25
72	West Kentucky Community and Technical College	55.95	122	45	498
73	Hazard Community and Technical College	55.84	29	60	659
74	Nassau Community College	55.68	126	382	170
75	Normandale Community College	55.64	161	553	76
76	Riverland Community College	55.62	108	169	354
77	Saddleback College	55.60	191	434	77
78	Maysville Community and Technical College	55.59	87	41	640
79	Elizabethtown Community and Technical College	55.59	137	151	339
80	Herkimer County Community College	55.58	101	342	238
81	Grossmont College	55.51	190	532	62
82	Rend Lake College	55.49	515	18	43
83	Gateway Community and Technical College	55.47	110	38	536
84	Lakeshore Technical College	55.45	216	9	293
85	Henderson Community College	55.43	62	74	532
86	Ohlone College	55.42	140	386	168
87	Oregon Coast Community College	55.41	10	398	493
88	Owensboro Community and Technical College	55.15	113	122	546
89	Orange Coast College	55.14	171	541	84
90	Western Technical College - WI	55.10	254	21	92
91	Genesee Community College	55.09	79	401	254
92	Northwest Iowa Community College	55.01	539	52	4
93	Northcentral Technical College	54.98	245	5	326
94	Mohawk Valley Community College	54.90	75	350	311
95	Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College	54.88	152	97	528
96	Rockland Community College	54.88	81	564	180
97	Walla Walla Community College	54.83	461	36	41
98	Arkansas State University-Newport	54.76	187	211	145
99	Irvine Valley College	54.74	189	500	91
100	Suffolk County Community College	54.68	73	651	150
101	Jamestown Community College	54.66	58	388	318
102	Motlow State Community College	54.40	119	657	114
103	SUNY Broome Community College	54.29	92	433	281
104	Erie Community College	54.22	76	534	246
105	Pellissippi State Community College	54.19	69	393	333
106	Ventura College	54.15	192	493	103
107	Monroe Community College	54.15	67	537	252
108	Los Medanos College	54.07	182	248	271
109	Lee College	54.00	314	25	123
110	Little Big Horn College	53.96	3	174	710
111	Corning Community College	53.91	104	320	365
112	Northern Oklahoma College	53.79	387	229	23
113	SOWELA Technical Community College	53.78	580	63	12
114	Santa Rosa Junior College	53.76	185	268	264
115	Adirondack Community College	53.75	121	371	315
116	Orange County Community College	53.70	53	495	336
117	Citrus College	53.69	166	241	334
118	Sheridan College	53.61	221	153	106
119	Volunteer State Community College	53.28	114	645	184
120	Mt Hood Community College	53.27	68	512	334
121	Northwest College	53.15	212	101	155
122	National Park Community College	53.11	66	387	419
123	Morgan Community College	52.96	350	33	141
124	Portland Community College	52.91	35	555	376
125	Butte College	52.90	25	421	486
126	Community College of Rhode Island	52.86	102	418	373
127	Pamlico Community College	52.80	206	13	670
128	Dutchess Community College	52.77	64	605	319
129	Sierra College	52.72	176	391	272
130	East Arkansas Community College	52.72	15	266	672
131	Chaffey College	52.69	144	540	268
132	Panola College	52.68	476	254	24
133	Pierce College-Puyallup	52.68	599	11	80
134	Alvin Community College	52.67	366	170	49
135	Jefferson Community and Technical College	52.65	133	343	476
136	Umpqua Community College	52.64	16	561	547
137	CUNY Bronx Community College	52.61	17	607	428
138	Central Oregon Community College	52.57	97	374	431
139	Kauai Community College	52.48	213	108	187
140	Lake Region State College	52.43	445	16	192
141	Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College	52.42	239	12	424
142	Somerset Community College	52.40	95	172	645
143	Jackson State Community College	52.35	60	668	275
144	Schenectady County Community College	52.35	61	648	314
145	Cleveland State Community College	52.28	80	501	404
146	Palomar College	52.19	159	588	227
147	Pasadena City College	52.18	173	381	320
148	Western Dakota Technical Institute	52.16	436	98	78
149	Golden West College	52.11	169	469	285
150	Shoreline Community College	52.09	478	138	55
151	Tompkins Cortland Community College	52.07	83	408	460
152	Clackamas Community College	52.01	30	578	453
153	Iowa Lakes Community College	51.98	496	23	143
154	College of San Mateo	51.97	186	417	284
155	Northeast State Community College	51.95	78	533	470
156	Nashville State Community College	51.93	111	650	278
157	Mohave Community College	51.93	279	330	50
158	Blue Mountain Community College	51.92	96	219	559
159	Chippewa Valley Technical College	51.86	270	47	250
160	Riverside City College	51.82	149	575	289
161	Taft College	51.80	18	705	337
162	Ashland Community and Technical College	51.80	195	48	633
163	Lane Community College	51.73	6	355	608
164	Allan Hancock College	51.64	168	452	332
165	Flathead Valley Community College	51.60	120	332	508
166	Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College	51.52	23	143	701
167	South Puget Sound Community College	51.43	491	115	82
168	Casper College	51.43	225	134	239
169	Indian Hills Community College	51.42	409	240	47
170	Vernon College	51.42	422	221	51
171	Treasure Valley Community College	51.38	76	225	584
172	Las Positas College	51.31	145	490	380
173	Big Bend Community College	51.30	310	69	193
174	Itawamba Community College	51.27	262	112	194
175	Imperial Valley College	51.22	41	427	680
176	Mesalands Community College	51.19	207	29	632
177	Hutchinson Community College	51.18	410	265	46
178	Mt San Antonio College	51.14	148	516	371
179	Fox Valley Technical College	51.14	234	35	405
180	Mid-State Technical College	51.10	260	15	420
181	American River College	51.04	181	404	368
182	San Diego Miramar College	50.99	174	707	112
183	Moraine Park Technical College	50.98	298	28	310
184	Cloud County Community College	50.97	483	65	142
185	Rich Mountain Community College	50.93	11	308	676
186	Ulster County Community College	50.92	99	453	505
187	Glendale Community College - CA	50.89	154	691	139
188	North Iowa Area Community College	50.88	477	158	79
189	Dyersburg State Community College	50.87	21	666	468
190	Hillsborough Community College	50.86	370	567	21
191	Contra Costa College	50.79	150	549	379
192	Grayson College	50.75	321	349	65
193	Paradise Valley Community College	50.67	294	310	88
194	Northeast Community College	50.67	397	116	64
195	Barstow Community College	50.66	153	712	97
196	El Camino Community College District	50.65	136	558	448
T-197	De Anza College	50.64	199	446	269
T-197	Lower Columbia College	50.64	324	109	181
199	Chemeketa Community College	50.63	57	527	527
200	Big Sandy Community and Technical College	50.63	43	299	684
201	Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College	50.56	395	30	273
202	Honolulu Community College	50.55	209	150	341
203	Galveston College	50.54	280	159	178
204	Minneapolis Community and Technical College	50.54	141	529	432
205	Fort Scott Community College	50.50	396	294	67
206	NorthWest Arkansas Community College	50.46	156	536	394
207	Saint Paul College	50.30	138	510	458
208	Kaskaskia College	50.29	573	61	128
209	Lamar Institute of Technology	50.28	440	203	85
210	Linn-Benton Community College	50.27	55	631	495
211	Gwinnett Technical College	50.22	362	144	70
212	Mesa Community College	50.21	291	399	74
213	Patrick Henry Community College	50.13	428	100	124
214	Clatsop Community College	50.12	13	461	610
215	San Bernardino Valley College	50.09	172	689	223
216	CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College	50.08	63	677	429
217	Columbia College - CA	50.02	127	471	623
218	Germanna Community College	49.93	627	286	26
219	Mt San Jacinto Community College District	49.92	164	642	321
220	Kapiolani Community College	49.92	378	233	104
221	Lassen Community College	49.81	134	569	464
222	Chattanooga State Community College	49.81	71	538	544
223	Sacramento City College	49.70	177	638	328
224	Coffeyville Community College	49.64	267	126	229
225	Scottsdale Community College	49.63	620	281	29
226	Folsom Lake College	49.62	194	482	357
227	Trinidad State Junior College	49.61	382	43	323
228	Wharton County Junior College	49.59	680	268	17
229	Gateway Technical College	49.59	222	4	622
230	Southeast Community College Area	49.58	452	171	127
231	Diablo Valley College	49.57	196	444	369
232	Northeast Wisconsin Technical College	49.52	241	123	342
233	City College of San Francisco	49.50	49	426	595
234	Porterville College	49.49	93	610	611
235	Moreno Valley College	49.48	158	680	118
236	Los Angeles Pierce College	49.46	184	476	446
237	Chandler-Gilbert Community College	49.29	386	542	38
238	Victor Valley College	49.15	85	697	444
239	Oxnard College	49.12	159	584	465
240	College of the Siskiyous	49.10	31	636	621
241	Central Community College	49.07	287	42	442
242	Kansas City Kansas Community College	49.06	235	125	389
243	Arapahoe Community College	49.04	447	579	30
244	Northern Virginia Community College	49.02	612	570	13
T-245	Los Angeles Valley College	49.01	162	593	452
T-245	Rogue Community College	49.01	19	556	605
247	College of Southern Maryland	48.95	609	275	48
248	GateWay Community College - AZ	48.88	281	133	277
249	Laramie County Community College	48.86	242	277	240
250	Northwestern Connecticut Community College	48.85	247	305	136
251	Northeast Iowa Community College	48.84	426	195	160
252	Onondaga Community College	48.84	47	675	533
253	Wytheville Community College	48.83	528	146	154
254	North Lake College	48.78	369	674	27
255	Washington County Community College	48.74	218	49	602
256	Leech Lake Tribal College	48.74	27	435	709
257	White Mountains Community College	48.57	632	127	98
258	Aims Community College	48.56	205	238	443
259	Stanly Community College	48.53	354	139	236
260	Coastal Carolina Community College	48.53	451	117	234
261	East Los Angeles College	48.48	175	635	425
262	North Central Missouri College	48.32	697	207	32
263	Everett Community College	48.29	485	187	169
264	Raritan Valley Community College	48.29	590	467	34
265	Olney Central College	48.28	708	6	190
266	Burlington County College	48.27	618	647	11
267	College of Southern Idaho	48.26	345	293	173
268	Amarillo College	48.22	341	271	188
269	Colby Community College	48.22	674	147	73
270	Frederick Community College	48.09	635	284	53
271	Seward County Community College and Area Technical School	48.00	332	236	131
272	Northeast Alabama Community College	47.99	487	325	110
273	Northeast Mississippi Community College	47.97	379	222	210
274	Montgomery Community College	47.94	285	50	578
275	Washington State Community College	47.94	514	256	134
276	Lake Land College	47.89	654	20	282
277	Meridian Community College	47.80	361	292	186
278	New Mexico Junior College	47.76	228	255	350
279	Central New Mexico Community College	47.74	275	289	274
280	Mid-Plains Community College	47.69	265	87	481
281	Los Angeles Harbor College	47.69	165	609	525
282	Yuba College	47.65	135	383	614
283	Central Ohio Technical College	47.63	523	288	129
284	Front Range Community College	47.57	403	429	111
285	Athens Technical College	47.55	372	73	410
286	Piedmont Community College	47.44	249	51	598
287	Salt Lake Community College	47.42	509	606	45
288	Wayne Community College	47.39	255	32	574
289	Brunswick Community College	47.38	288	24	650
290	Cape Cod Community College	47.36	427	239	204
291	West Hills College-Lemoore	47.32	197	521	554
292	Naugatuck Valley Community College	47.31	293	416	191
293	Johnston Community College	47.25	309	66	491
294	El Paso Community College	47.24	311	562	116
295	Dodge City Community College	47.23	313	231	214
296	Harford Community College	47.14	616	267	100
297	Bates Technical College	47.13	418	76	416
298	Hawkeye Community College	47.11	494	344	147
T-299	Temple College	47.09	365	335	95
T-299	Carroll Community College	47.09	588	149	198
301	Manchester Community College - CT	47.08	355	502	35
302	Cowley County Community College	47.08	468	354	151
303	Richland Community College	47.05	550	44	403
304	Del Mar College	46.97	240	333	348
305	Surry Community College	46.95	357	183	329
T-306	Los Angeles Mission College	46.93	155	664	529
T-306	Ocean County College	46.93	593	478	66
308	River Valley Community College	46.92	576	198	19
309	College of Marin	46.91	103	462	634
310	Central Wyoming College	46.87	217	259	467
311	Fullerton College	46.80	147	624	573
312	Woodland Community College	46.80	178	656	647
313	Murray State College	46.80	463	419	133
314	Tohono O'Odham Community College	46.79	208	385	N/A
315	Eastern Arizona College	46.78	211	414	384
316	George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville	46.73	414	165	251
317	Western Iowa Tech Community College	46.72	473	250	225
318	Iowa Central Community College	46.66	527	458	96
319	Mott Community College	46.61	300	119	473
320	El Centro College	46.55	327	554	158
321	North Central Texas College	46.49	508	597	75
322	Allegany College of Maryland	46.48	592	166	218
323	Cerritos College	46.48	170	620	557
324	Moberly Area Community College	46.48	602	548	54
325	Randolph Community College	46.45	351	56	592
326	San Jose City College	46.41	105	571	620
327	NHTI-Concord's Community College	46.38	642	352	9
328	James A Rhodes State College	46.34	546	105	260
329	Central Maine Community College	46.34	677	389	42
330	Victoria College	46.31	389	301	276
331	Kirkwood Community College	46.23	431	505	140
332	Kellogg Community College	46.19	412	432	177
333	Manchester Community College - NH	46.15	660	280	16
334	Northeastern Junior College	46.13	688	46	146
335	Milwaukee Area Technical College	46.08	227	366	392
336	Danville Area Community College	46.08	625	99	280
337	Lamar Community College	46.06	323	309	330
338	Garden City Community College	46.05	424	258	294
339	College of Alameda	46.02	179	683	515
340	Barton County Community College	46.01	482	298	243
341	Western Piedmont Community College	46.01	290	155	488
342	Los Angeles Trade Technical College	45.97	146	595	663
343	Highland Community College - Freeport, IL	45.97	368	75	545
344	Alamance Community College	45.96	308	228	385
345	Kennebec Valley Community College	45.91	655	243	119
346	Odessa College	45.87	377	328	292
347	Crowder College	45.85	510	402	166
348	Cuyamaca College	45.84	183	685	517
349	University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus	45.84	220	706	58
350	BridgeValley Community & Technical College	45.82	407	182	89
351	Montgomery College	45.81	657	362	10
352	Hagerstown Community College	45.80	598	140	291
353	Nicolet Area Technical College	45.79	223	17	678
354	Houston Community College	45.78	340	526	196
355	Delta College	45.77	390	321	298
356	Cumberland County College	45.76	507	302	240
357	Mid-South Community College	45.75	26	272	706
358	Waukesha County Technical College	45.74	263	192	503
359	Columbus Technical College	45.72	385	102	511
360	San Juan College	45.69	219	322	509
361	Massachusetts Bay Community College	45.65	622	574	57
362	Bay Mills Community College	45.65	304	57	667
363	Brookhaven College	45.62	432	654	18
364	Cerro Coso Community College	45.61	128	711	576
365	Evergreen Valley College	45.58	201	679	438
366	Glendale Community College - AZ	45.57	296	456	167
367	Howard College	45.56	441	210	279
368	William Rainey Harper College	45.51	646	217	165
369	Craven Community College	45.48	338	232	418
370	Southwest Tennessee Community College	45.47	56	695	635
371	West Virginia Northern Community College	45.44	446	313	290
372	Pima Community College	45.42	283	552	265
373	Pearl River Community College	45.38	420	129	463
374	Clovis Community College - NM	45.35	252	161	580
375	University of New Mexico-Valencia County Campus	45.31	250	687	58
376	Middlesex Community College - MA	45.28	549	466	39
377	North Shore Community College	45.27	548	356	203
378	Lorain County Community College	45.21	333	412	308
379	Hill College	45.20	286	582	122
380	Sauk Valley Community College	45.20	705	27	305
381	Butler Community College	45.19	406	491	213
382	Clarendon College	45.19	665	160	86
383	Lincoln Land Community College	45.18	411	107	510
384	Illinois Central College	45.15	636	167	248
385	San Diego City College	45.15	139	708	553
386	Jefferson State Community College	45.11	536	577	115
387	Marion Technical College	45.11	578	317	219
388	Tulsa Community College	45.09	375	494	235
389	Klamath Community College	45.09	46	622	673
390	Piedmont Virginia Community College	45.07	596	296	208
391	Carl Sandburg College	45.06	336	185	482
392	Edgecombe Community College	45.02	329	257	435
393	College of the Desert	45.00	88	699	607
T-394	West Hills College-Coalinga	44.99	202	479	596
T-394	Bay de Noc Community College	44.99	458	142	457
396	Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus	44.94	322	358	302
397	Central Virginia Community College	44.92	565	216	312
398	Eastern Maine Community College	44.90	486	455	207
399	Jefferson Davis Community College	44.90	479	135	449
400	Davidson County Community College	44.88	318	103	561
401	Catawba Valley Community College	44.85	352	188	478
402	James Sprunt Community College	44.85	274	83	641
403	McLennan Community College	44.82	320	223	480
404	Santa Fe Community College	44.80	214	370	541
405	Morton College	44.75	623	400	137
406	Rose State College	44.72	513	619	130
407	Fletcher Technical Community College	44.68	583	92	382
408	Phoenix College	44.67	264	431	411
409	George C Wallace State Community College-Dothan	44.67	404	176	466
410	New Mexico State University-Alamogordo	44.65	261	566	220
411	Labette Community College	44.64	450	618	172
412	Richland College	44.63	416	660	148
413	Marshalltown Community College	44.62	617	130	361
414	Western Nebraska Community College	44.59	203	274	609
415	Mercer County Community College	44.57	438	515	224
416	Belmont College	44.52	553	110	456
417	East Mississippi Community College	44.50	306	88	586
418	East Central Community College	44.48	359	200	492
419	Thomas Nelson Community College	44.47	529	589	152
420	Rock Valley College	44.46	648	179	256
421	Lone Star College System	44.45	465	640	153
422	Navarro College	44.40	500	678	105
423	Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute	44.32	236	162	689
424	Greenfield Community College	44.31	457	156	490
425	Gogebic Community College	44.30	480	247	327
T-426	Laney College	44.29	167	673	601
T-426	Northwest Vista College	44.29	662	318	164
428	Pitt Community College	44.28	331	420	367
429	Southeastern Community College - Burlington, IA	44.27	339	224	507
430	Jefferson College	44.24	572	442	197
431	Hocking College	44.22	554	204	388
432	John Tyler Community College	44.21	582	644	101
433	Blue Ridge Community College - Weyers, VA	44.17	597	219	209
434	Carteret Community College	44.16	328	40	624
435	Middlesex County College	44.13	600	629	102
436	Laredo Community College	44.11	429	249	436
437	Monroe County Community College	44.11	474	278	317
438	New Mexico State University-Dona Ana	44.10	292	560	220
439	Blue Ridge Community College	44.06	358	152	564
440	Estrella Mountain Community College	44.06	319	457	283
441	Capital Community College	44.05	257	539	400
442	Norwalk Community College	44.04	419	632	71
443	Southern Maine Community College	44.03	531	583	175
444	Howard Community College	44.02	586	422	205
T-445	State Fair Community College	44.01	534	528	201
T-445	Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College	44.01	367	197	N/A
447	Quinsigamond Community College	43.89	575	487	199
448	Brookdale Community College	43.87	651	499	108
449	Wake Technical Community College	43.83	442	202	485
450	Virginia Highlands Community College	43.82	540	359	262
451	Glen Oaks Community College	43.81	352	234	520
452	Hawaii Community College	43.80	248	178	636
453	Rowan College at Gloucester County	43.79	563	667	107
454	Cape Fear Community College	43.78	471	196	479
455	Hinds Community College	43.76	334	154	563
456	Southeastern Community College - Whiteville, NC	43.73	268	71	681
457	Asnuntuck Community College	43.71	273	367	504
458	Allen County Community College	43.70	561	481	231
459	Leeward Community College	43.70	434	337	409
460	San Antonio College	43.69	621	311	267
461	Tunxis Community College	43.68	344	581	309
462	Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso Campus	43.68	231	662	302
463	Western Wyoming Community College	43.65	297	364	477
464	McHenry County College	43.65	684	246	200
465	Richmond Community College	43.64	303	93	627
466	Community College of Aurora	43.62	326	626	306
467	Jones County Junior College	43.61	433	279	455
468	Warren County Community College	43.60	571	403	120
469	Sandhills Community College	43.59	464	319	415
470	Lanier Technical College	43.58	439	118	570
471	Windward Community College	43.54	243	428	522
472	Macomb Community College	43.53	562	649	149
473	Johnson County Community College	43.53	347	445	401
474	Elgin Community College	43.52	669	181	295
475	Kishwaukee College	43.46	637	379	195
476	Central Georgia Technical College	43.46	349	64	671
477	West Shore Community College	43.44	246	218	594
478	Albany Technical College	43.40	299	55	643
479	Massasoit Community College	43.30	559	614	182
480	Zane State College	43.29	498	282	437
481	GateWay Community College	43.28	346	602	185
482	Dakota College at Bottineau	43.28	501	545	126
T-483	College of Lake County	43.21	633	284	297
T-483	Wilkes Community College	43.21	289	128	613
485	Anne Arundel Community College	43.19	673	290	230
486	Holmes Community College	43.18	640	348	237
487	Lincoln Trail College	43.18	700	124	174
488	Southside Virginia Community College	43.17	505	175	524
489	John Wood Community College	43.17	628	173	406
490	St Clair County Community College	43.15	568	314	263
491	Mount Wachusett Community College	43.12	379	415	426
492	Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College	43.10	373	242	534
T-493	Springfield Technical Community College	43.09	524	316	413
T-493	Lakeland Community College	43.09	474	439	355
495	Georgia Piedmont Technical College	43.08	278	79	642
496	Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College	43.07	460	137	560
497	St Charles Community College	43.05	552	568	228
498	Cosumnes River College	43.04	180	671	625
499	El Camino College-Compton Center	42.99	123	694	651
500	Bristol Community College	42.98	573	522	244
501	North Idaho College	42.97	469	261	489
502	Housatonic Community College	42.96	251	625	433
503	Clark State Community College	42.95	530	373	363
504	Augusta Technical College	42.93	383	58	631
505	Mississippi Delta Community College	42.90	253	326	581
506	Texarkana College	42.90	392	454	412
507	Bergen Community College	42.88	647	513	162
508	Luzerne County Community College	42.83	641	613	121
509	Montcalm Community College	42.77	506	262	450
510	Washtenaw Community College	42.75	393	273	530
511	Yavapai College	42.73	237	190	630
512	Lurleen B Wallace Community College	42.72	455	180	555
513	Paris Junior College	42.72	664	437	183
514	Southeastern Illinois College	42.71	703	72	356
515	Salem Community College	42.71	543	212	462
516	Fresno City College	42.67	116	700	657
517	Halifax Community College	42.61	307	53	664
518	Southern State Community College	42.59	472	559	324
519	New Mexico State University-Carlsbad	42.59	282	676	220
520	Cincinnati State Technical and Community College	42.58	521	451	353
521	Waubonsee Community College	42.57	639	458	212
522	Greenville Technical College	42.53	544	425	360
523	Mountwest Community and Technical College	42.53	393	235	579
524	South Mountain Community College	42.48	238	253	617
525	Tarrant County College District	42.44	384	535	407
526	Mayland Community College	42.43	259	206	656
527	Berkshire Community College	42.42	312	303	562
528	Eastern Wyoming College	42.41	224	331	612
529	Northern Essex Community College	42.37	516	580	299
530	Sussex County Community College	42.35	661	472	189
531	Southwest Virginia Community College	42.35	454	378	427
532	Louisiana Delta Community College	42.35	581	184	342
533	Holyoke Community College	42.34	462	392	445
534	St Philip's College	42.30	634	276	362
535	Reedley College	42.30	91	627	694
536	Kankakee Community College	42.29	675	121	454
537	Haywood Community College	42.26	301	163	616
538	Lansing Community College	42.25	518	357	447
539	George C Wallace State Community College-Selma	42.22	330	227	644
540	Central Arizona College	42.21	232	463	575
541	River Parishes Community College	42.20	711	596	68
542	Butler County Community College	42.19	613	519	258
T-543	Missouri State University-West Plains	42.16	448	395	396
T-543	Spartanburg Community College	42.16	360	406	471
545	Los Angeles City College	42.16	163	672	665
546	Enterprise State Community College	42.14	456	405	374
547	Angelina College	42.11	615	599	138
548	Delaware County Community College	42.08	666	572	161
549	Ivy Tech Community College	42.04	453	424	383
T-550	John A Logan College	42.04	492	591	331
T-550	Seminole State College	42.04	644	213	313
552	Columbus State Community College	42.03	488	438	430
553	Sinclair Community College	42.02	335	351	552
554	Lewis and Clark Community College	42.02	656	230	375
555	Eastern Iowa Community College District	41.99	522	380	351
556	Camden County College	41.96	470	684	232
557	Cedar Valley College	41.93	356	646	370
558	Lamar State College-Orange	41.92	535	407	421
559	East Central College	41.82	489	365	487
560	Mountain View College	41.79	391	702	247
561	Blinn College	41.79	587	652	211
562	Roxbury Community College	41.77	302	496	516
563	Community College of Beaver County	41.76	707	506	117
564	Kirtland Community College	41.74	638	111	537
565	Virginia Western Community College	41.64	584	633	253
566	Ozarks Technical Community College	41.64	567	440	393
567	Palo Alto College	41.62	626	483	304
568	Spoon River College	41.61	676	194	414
569	College of the Mainland	41.60	605	260	472
570	Northwest State Community College	41.57	499	468	439
571	Gaston College	41.52	342	148	654
572	Bucks County Community College	41.50	681	441	226
573	North Central State College	41.49	415	634	378
574	Metropolitan Community College Area	41.47	376	659	255
575	Oklahoma City Community College	41.46	557	703	176
576	Cecil College	41.44	603	497	179
577	Kalamazoo Valley Community College	41.44	402	563	451
578	Trident Technical College	41.37	556	341	496
579	Mineral Area College	41.31	555	551	366
580	Bunker Hill Community College	41.28	570	663	257
T-581	Snead State Community College	41.26	686	300	338
T-581	Long Beach City College	41.26	151	704	669
583	Los Angeles Southwest College	41.25	90	557	703
584	York County Community College	41.25	495	511	440
585	H Councill Trenholm State Technical College	41.22	425	191	668
586	Vance-Granville Community College	41.19	271	96	683
587	Wor-Wic Community College	41.18	589	304	499
T-588	Midlands Technical College	41.17	542	615	340
T-588	Eastfield College	41.17	423	696	286
590	Bossier Parish Community College	41.16	503	643	347
591	Coahoma Community College	41.12	230	282	704
T-592	South Piedmont Community College	41.01	256	297	652
T-592	J Sargeant Reynolds Community College	41.01	558	544	396
594	Atlanta Technical College	40.89	374	68	677
595	Savannah Technical College	40.88	399	94	662
596	Durham Technical Community College	40.86	316	375	583
597	Forsyth Technical Community College	40.85	388	244	604
598	Paul D Camp Community College	40.83	484	475	475
599	Saint Louis Community College	40.72	466	586	344
600	Gadsden State Community College	40.71	315	334	615
601	Northampton County Area Community College	40.69	659	637	202
602	New River Community College	40.61	497	693	301
603	Highland Community College - Highland, KS	40.60	517	628	259
604	Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City	40.60	595	480	300
605	Oakton Community College	40.58	695	329	349
606	Southwestern Michigan College	40.54	533	201	588
607	Danville Community College	40.50	520	345	551
608	College of DuPage	40.50	668	443	325
609	Community College of Allegheny County	40.36	658	587	266
610	The Community College of Baltimore County	40.34	601	585	359
611	Sampson Community College	40.28	611	131	649
612	Tidewater Community College	40.27	594	576	377
613	Berkeley City College	40.25	229	692	548
614	Triton College	40.13	689	665	163
615	Black Hawk College	40.08	624	360	484
616	Louisiana State University-Eunice	40.05	560	477	500
617	Edison State Community College	40.04	566	498	386
618	Guilford Technical Community College	40.02	305	422	599
619	Piedmont Technical College	40.02	459	324	587
620	Eastern Shore Community College	39.99	417	327	648
621	Mitchell Community College	39.93	343	413	600
622	Bevill State Community College	39.89	489	473	539
623	Fayetteville Technical Community College	39.84	400	168	658
624	Prince George's Community College	39.79	579	639	387
625	Blue Ridge Community and Technical College	39.75	537	372	540
626	Northeast Texas Community College	39.72	519	409	543
627	Moraine Valley Community College	39.69	694	460	157
628	Cuyahoga Community College District	39.67	272	543	597
629	Baltimore City Community College	39.67	210	621	655
630	North Central Michigan College	39.62	687	199	519
631	Oakland Community College	39.57	564	507	506
632	Chesapeake College	39.57	480	287	619
633	Rowan-Cabarrus Community College	39.47	325	347	628
634	Tri-County Technical College	39.47	541	525	523
635	College of the Albemarle	39.45	277	251	675
T-636	Heartland Community College	39.43	683	346	441
T-636	Pierpont Community and Technical College	39.43	413	353	696
638	University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus	39.41	401	714	58
639	York Technical College	39.34	493	518	531
640	Tri-County Community College	39.24	284	214	700
641	Quinebaug Valley Community College	39.21	276	376	666
642	James H Faulkner State Community College	39.15	532	608	417
643	Rio Salado College	39.07	430	710	358
644	Aiken Technical College	38.98	524	450	565
645	Shawnee Community College	38.97	610	208	637
646	Stark State College	38.92	504	590	494
647	Montgomery County Community College	38.91	713	486	72
648	Delgado Community College	38.85	547	508	550
649	Westmoreland County Community College	38.84	685	600	316
650	Williamsburg Technical College	38.81	512	291	679
651	Coconino Community College	38.78	449	690	345
652	Grand Rapids Community College	38.77	577	601	395
653	Central Piedmont Community College	38.65	398	530	590
654	Coastal Bend College	38.62	526	686	434
655	Harrisburg Area Community College-Harrisburg	38.56	630	658	381
656	Terra State Community College	38.49	538	516	549
657	Dabney S Lancaster Community College	38.40	667	410	399
658	Mid Michigan Community College	38.38	591	641	469
659	Wilson Community College	38.36	348	394	639
660	Northwest-Shoals Community College	38.36	692	520	390
661	Southwestern Illinois College	38.34	679	306	538
662	Prairie State College	38.31	653	465	497
663	Palo Verde College	38.28	204	713	653
664	Nash Community College	38.01	381	447	629
665	New River Community and Technical College	37.98	408	514	646
666	South Louisiana Community College	37.90	604	485	352
667	Chattahoochee Valley Community College	37.89	663	384	483
668	Atlantic Cape Community College	37.81	607	603	518
669	Joliet Junior College	37.77	698	546	402
670	Central Alabama Community College	37.73	645	307	585
671	Union County College	37.65	691	630	364
672	Owens Community College	37.64	585	524	567
673	Muskegon Community College	37.60	629	565	526
674	Cleveland Community College	37.58	266	295	698
675	Martin Community College	37.55	215	594	691
676	Northland Pioneer College	37.46	226	484	695
677	Florence-Darlington Technical College	37.39	405	669	566
678	Garrett College	37.30	693	252	568
679	Frontier Community College	37.21	706	464	287
680	Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College	37.18	671	449	474
681	Lenoir Community College	37.08	295	377	693
682	Community College of Vermont	36.90	715	226	502
683	Wayne County Community College District	36.86	467	655	582
684	Community College of Philadelphia	36.81	699	369	542
685	Parkland College	36.80	690	312	577
686	Iowa Western Community College	36.76	710	547	422
687	Shelton State Community College	36.60	551	488	626
688	Austin Community College District	36.52	702	661	372
689	Mountain Empire Community College	36.49	511	430	661
690	Northeastern Technical College	36.38	502	503	685
691	J F Drake State Community and Technical College	36.17	364	509	682
692	Ranger College	36.03	704	653	206
693	Essex County College	35.95	643	688	423
694	Sisseton Wahpeton College	35.92	435	670	618
695	Baton Rouge Community College	35.74	545	701	556
696	Passaic County Community College	35.71	569	681	571
697	College of the Muscogee Nation	35.67	619	523	N/A
698	Bishop State Community College	35.67	444	448	688
699	Robeson Community College	35.57	258	323	702
700	Rappahannock Community College	35.54	701	531	514
701	Alabama Southern Community College	35.41	608	215	692
702	Southern University at Shreveport	35.35	443	698	593
703	Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College	35.30	631	390	638
704	South Suburban College	35.16	696	368	591
705	Lawson State Community College-Birmingham Campus	35.12	363	592	686
706	Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College	34.60	650	340	707
707	Roanoke-Chowan Community College	34.15	244	623	697
708	Pennsylvania Highlands Community College	33.86	681	617	589
709	Reading Area Community College	32.90	652	682	603
710	Wabash Valley College	32.36	714	573	521
711	Bladen Community College	32.33	672	489	687
712	Denmark Technical College	30.35	678	492	699
713	Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College	29.92	670	470	708
714	Hudson County Community College	27.72	712	715	572
715	Eastern Gateway Community College	27.21	709	709	660

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Rankings by State

Ask the Experts

With college costs rising and more Americans pursuing degrees, community-college proves to be an attractive option for many students. For advice on improving the U.S. community-college system, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. Do you think that making community college tuition-free will increase enrollment and graduation rates?
2. What can policymakers do to improve the quality of education and training at community colleges and the career prospects of graduates?
3. Should community colleges focus more on preparing graduates for the workforce through career and technical education or on preparing graduates to move to a four-year college?
4. In evaluating the best and worst community college systems, what are the top five indicators?

< >

• Ron Flowers Department Head and Associate Professor, Department of Leadership and Counseling, Eastern Michigan University
• Molly Martin Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University
• Jason DeSousa Ed.D., Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership & Policy Studies, Howard University
• Deborah L. Floyd Professor of Higher Education Leadership, Educational Leadership & Research Methodology, Florida Atlantic University
• Carla Paciotto Professor, Western Illinois University
• Oscar Jiménez-Castellanos Ph.D., Associate Professor & Director of Educational Leadership, School of Education and Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the best community colleges in the U.S., WalletHub first selected a sample of 715 schools from the list of member institutions in the American Association of Community Colleges. However, some schools were excluded from our sample due to data limitations. Please note that the AACC is not affiliated whatsoever with WalletHub and was used strictly as an informational resource.

We evaluated the schools based on three key dimensions, including: 1) Cost & Financing, 2) Education Outcomes and 3) Career Outcomes. We constructed the three dimensions using 17 total metrics, each grouped with related metrics in the appropriate category and listed below with its corresponding weight. We graded each metric on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the best community college.

Finally, we determined each school’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Cost & Financing – Total Points: 33.33

• Cost of In-State Tuition & Fees: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Presence of Free Community-College Education: Triple Weight (~10.00 Points)Note: This metric considers the presence or absence of legislation to provide free community-college education or if such legislation is currently under consideration.
• Average Amount of Grant or Scholarship Aid Received: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Availability of Employment Services for Students: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of “activities intended to assist students in obtaining part-time employment as a means of defraying part of the cost of their education,” as described by the National Center for Education Statistics.
• Per-Pupil Spending: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• School Spending Efficiency: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing per-pupil spending by the cost of in-state tuition and fees.
• Faculty Salary: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the local cost of living.

Education Outcomes – Total Points: 33.33

• First-Year Retention Rate: Full Weight (~6.06 Points)
• Graduation Rate: Full Weight (~6.06 Points)
• Transfer-Out Rate: Half Weight (~3.03 Points)
• Credentials Awarded per 100 Full-Time-Equivalent Students: Full Weight (~6.06 Points)Note: “Credentials” refer to degrees and certificates.
• Student-Faculty Ratio: Full Weight (~6.06 Points)
• Share of Full-Time Faculty: Full Weight (~6.06 Points)

Career Outcomes – Total Points: 33.33

• Return on Educational Investment: Double Weight (~13.33 Points)Note: This metric measures the ratio of starting salary for graduates to cost of education.
• Student-Loan Default Rate: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Median Salary after Attending: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: This metric measures the median earnings — 10 years after entering the school.
• Share of Former Students Earning Above the Average Earnings of a High School Graduate: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: This metric measures the percentage of former students earning more than $25,000, or about the average earnings of a high school graduate aged 25 to 34, six years after they first enrolled.

 

Resources:

• Summary video with V/O
• Summary video without V/O

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the National Center for Education Statistics, US News, U.S. Department of Education, Council for Community and Economic Research and College Measures.

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