With the economic pinch being felt across America due to rising inflation, there has never been a better time to consider the financial benefits of community colleges. Not only is a year of community college nearly three times less expensive than a year at a public four-year college, but the quality of education at these institutions is increasingly being recognized.
The personal-finance experts at WalletHub have taken the time to dive deep into this topic and today, they’ve released a report highlighting the best and worst community colleges of 2023. This isn't just a cursory review. WalletHub compared over 650 community colleges based on 19 key indicators of cost and quality. Factors like in-state tuition fees, student-faculty ratio, and graduation rate were all considered in their analysis.
So, without further ado, let's take a look at the cream of the crop:
Top 20 Community Colleges:
State Technical College of Missouri (MO)
Manhattan Area Technical College (KS)
Northwest Iowa Community College (IA)
Mt. Hood Community College (OR)
Alexandria Technical & Community College (MN)
College of San Mateo (CA)
Clackamas Community College (OR)
Manchester Community College (CT)
Asnuntuck Community College (CT)
Montgomery College (MD)
Mitchell Technical College (SD)
Santa Fe Community College (NM)
Central New Mexico Community College (NM)
Howard Community College (MD)
Pasadena City College (CA)
San Juan College (NM)
St. Cloud Technical and Community College (MN)
Pratt Community College (KS)
Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NE)
Three Rivers Community College (CT)
Now, while individual colleges make a huge difference, the overall quality of a state's community college system is also pivotal. Here’s how the states stack up:
States with the Best Community-College Systems:
New Mexico
Connecticut
Maryland
Oregon
Minnesota
Washington
Wyoming
South Dakota
Colorado
Wisconsin
North Dakota
Iowa
Michigan
Kansas
Tennessee
Hawaii
Nebraska
New York
Massachusetts
California
For those who want a more in-depth look at the data, WalletHub's full reports, including expert commentaries, can be found at the following links:
Whether you're a student planning your next step or a parent guiding your child, it’s time to seriously consider the benefits of community colleges.