Community Colleges a More Affordable Path to a Bachelor’s Degree: Report
Credit: Vladimir Vladimirov / Getty Images- Community colleges are increasingly expanding into offering bachelor’s degrees.
- A new report analyzes the published tuition and fees from community colleges nationwide.
- A bachelor’s degree costs less at a community college than at a four-year institution. In some states, it can be half the price.
- This can benefit historically underrepresented students who are more likely to attend community colleges, according to the report.
Community colleges have long been considered a cheaper and faster way for students to earn their degrees and enter the workforce. New research further proves this.
A report from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington shows that students who get their bachelor’s degree from a community college pay less for it than those who attend a four-year college or university.
For in-state students, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a community college averages $5,176 per year, according to the report. At public four-year schools, the cost is almost $10,000, and a bachelor’s program at private schools costs $19,000 per year on average. Degrees at private, for-profit colleges were found to be over three times as expensive as community college bachelor’s degrees.
“Community college baccalaureate programs can be a more affordable path to a bachelor’s degree, especially for lower-income and marginalized students who prioritize tuition costs when deciding where to enroll,” researchers wrote in the report.
“This is particularly important for community college students who are often concerned with the sticker price they see rather than the net price they might end up paying after securing financial aid and scholarships.”
Cheapest States to Earn a Community College Bachelor’s Degree
The report compared community college tuition between states. The researchers found that annual tuition and fees for community college bachelor’s programs were least expensive in Texas and most expensive in Michigan.
Some colleges charge more for upper division courses than for lower division courses.
According to the report, a student in Texas can finish a bachelor’s degree at a community college in four years for $12,000 in tuition and fees. The researchers focused on comparing published tuition and fees, as they found this is what students consider above all over types of costs.
The report said: “Lower-income and working adult learners may be especially drawn to this opportunity, given their preference to keep college costs low and remaining living at home and in their community.”
Increasing Access to Community Colleges
Community colleges typically enroll higher numbers of students from historically excluded populations, like students of color and first-generation students. And they have been touted as a method of diversifying university student bodies through two-year to four-year transfer pipelines.
Since the 1960s, one year’s worth of college tuition and fees has tripled. In 2022, the cost of tuition and fees for one year was around $14,690, and the total cost for a year of college — including room and board, books, and supplies — was just under $28,000.
Four-year public colleges saw the steepest price hike from 2002 to 2022, increasing 39% during that span. In comparison, two-year college costs jumped 30% from 2002 to 2022.
Attending a two-year college is on average less expensive than attending a four-year college, and this is particularly true for in-state, public schools. In some states, students are eligible to attend community college for free.
Community colleges tend to charge the least per credit hour on average at $120. Online schools also tend to charge less compared to in-person classes.