How Much Does Community College Cost?

Community college can cost an average of $20,091 a year for in-state students. Find tuition rates, financial aid, and tuition-free programs using our guide.
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Updated on March 1, 2024
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Data Summary

  • Check
    In 2021-2022, the average total cost of attendance at two-year public institutions started at $9,845 a year for in-state students.Note Reference [1]
  • Check
    Out-of-state students paid an average of $4,851 more than in-state students for tuition and other required fees at community colleges in 2022.Note Reference [2]
  • Check
    Over the last 20 years, average tuition costs at community colleges have nearly tripled.Note Reference [3]
  • Check
    Despite rising community college costs, 31 states offer some form of free community college.Note Reference [4]
  • Check
    In 2021, roughly 81% of enrolled community college students were awarded some type of financial aid to pay for school.Note Reference [5]
  • Check
    In 2022, about 43% of full-time community college students also were employed full or part time in the workforce.Note Reference [6]

For those interested in earning a degree, community college is a significantly cheaper option than a public or private four-year institution. But even at community colleges, the cost of education is continuing to rise.

This report explores the average costs community college students can expect and what options they have to pay for that education.

Average Cost of Community College

As of the 2021-2022 academic year, the average total cost of community college in the U.S. ranged from $9,845-$20,091 for in-state students depending on their living arrangements, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).Note Reference [1] Here's what makes up that total cost:

  • The average tuition cost for in-state students as of 2022 was $3,564.Note Reference [3]
  • The average cost of room and board was $8,055.Note Reference [3] For students living off campus and not with family, room and board cost an average of $10,229.Note Reference [1]
  • The average cost for books and other school supplies adds up to $1,442.Note Reference [1]
  • Other costs to cover expenses like laundry, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings amounted to $4,450.Note Reference [1]
  • Commuter costs for community college students during the most recent academic year totaled $1,930.Note Reference [7]

Cost of Community College Over Time

Between 2001 and 2022, the average tuition cost at two-year public institutions increased by about 63% to $3,564 a year. However, in the past five years, when accounting for inflation, tuition costs actually decreased by about 3%.Note Reference [3]

Room and board costs also jumped during the same period at the small subset of two-year public institutions that offer on-campus housing. Between 2001 and 2022, the average cost of room and board more than doubled — from $5,947 in constant 2021-2022 dollars to $8,055 a year.Note Reference [3]

Average Cost of Community College by State

California, New Mexico, and Arizona have the lowest in-state average costs for community colleges in the U.S. For out-of-state students, two-year public institutions in Nebraska, Kansas, and Arkansas have the lowest average costs. On average, out-of-state students paid $4,851 more in tuition and fees than in-state students during the 2021-2022 academic year.Note Reference [2]

Average Tuition and Fees by State, 2021-2022

Sort Results by:
Average Tuition and Fees by State, 2021-2022
State In-State Tuition Out-of-State Tuition
Alabama $4,920 $9,647
Alaska N/A N/A
Arizona $2,182 $7,333
Arkansas $3,486 $4,882
California $1,281 $8,936
Colorado $3,329 $9,530
Connecticut $4,538 $13,494
Delaware N/A N/A
District of Columbia N/A N/A
Florida $2,506 $9,111
Georgia $3,174 $8,538
Hawaii $3,225 $8,378
Idaho $3,327 $8,228
Illinois $4,204 $11,339
Indiana $4,637 $8,927
Iowa $5,455 $7,008
Kansas $3,551 $4,756
Kentucky $4,516 $15,262
Louisiana $4,242 $5,445
Maine $3,866 $6,748
Maryland $4,367 $10,631
Massachusetts $5,559 $10,715
Michigan $3,871 $7,803
Minnesota $5,795 $6,312
Mississippi $3,592 $5,886
Missouri $3,909 $7,289
Montana $3,940 $9,301
Nebraska $3,319 $4,220
Nevada N/A N/A
New Hampshire $7,109 $15,324
New Jersey $4,909 $8,148
New Mexico $1,805 $6,461
New York $5,660 $8,872
North Carolina $2,524 $8,537
North Dakota $5,441 $6,449
Ohio $4,498 $8,097
Oklahoma $4,288 $9,413
Oregon $5,204 $8,865
Pennsylvania $5,549 $12,657
Rhode Island $4,980 $13,260
South Carolina $4,991 $10,330
South Dakota $7,367 $7,211
Tennessee $4,459 $17,209
Texas $2,859 $7,913
Utah $4,086 $12,734
Vermont $6,920 $13,640
Virginia $5,196 $12,094
Washington $4,727 $8,421
West Virginia $4,544 $10,071
Wisconsin $4,585 $6,627
Wyoming $4,071 $9,868
Source: NCESNote Reference [2]

Free Community College by State

President Biden pushed to introduce widespread free community college tuition in his original Build Back Better plan in 2021. However, the initiative struggled to gain congressional support and was ultimately removed from the package by the end of the year.

Despite the loss of this initiative, at least 31 states already offer some form of free community college tuition, either with eligibility requirements or certain limitations, according to the Campaign for Free College Tuition.Note Reference [4]

Table: Free Community College by State

Sort Results by:
Free Community College by State
State Program Status
Alabama No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Alaska No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Arizona No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Arkansas State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
California State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Colorado State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Connecticut Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
Delaware Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
Florida No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Georgia State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Hawaii State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Idaho No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Illinois No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Indiana State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Iowa State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Kansas State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Kentucky State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Louisiana State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Maine State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Maryland Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
Massachusetts State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Michigan Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
Minnesota State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Mississippi No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Missouri State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Montana No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Nebraska No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Nevada Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
New Hampshire No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
New Jersey State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
New Mexico Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
New York State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
North Carolina State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
North Dakota No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Ohio No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Oklahoma State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Oregon Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
Pennsylvania No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Rhode Island Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
South Carolina State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
South Dakota No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Tennessee Statewide free college tuition program enacted with few eligibility limits
Texas No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Utah No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Vermont State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Virginia State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Washington State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
West Virginia State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Wisconsin No statewide free college tuition program that meets the Campaign for Free College Tuition recognition criteria
Wyoming State-sponsored free college tuition program with income, merit, geographical or programmatic limitations
Source: Campaign for Free College TuitionNote Reference [4]

How Students Pay for Community College

Many community college students utilize financial aid and work full or part time to pay for their education.

In 2020-2021, 80.6% of students enrolled at two-year public institutions received some type of financial aid to attend school.Note Reference [5] Aid was received in the form of federal, state, or institutional grants and/or student loans.

  • 60.5% of students who were awarded financial aid in 2020-2021 received it through federal grants.
  • The average amount of federal grant aid awarded to community college students during the 2020-2021 academic year was $4,993.
  • Students were awarded, on average, $2,550 in state/local grants and $2,256 in institutional grants.
  • The average amount in student loans offered to learners was $5,049. This only includes loans made directly to students, meaning Parent PLUS loans or other loans made to parents were excluded.
  • Just 15.4% of community college students were awarded federal student loans.

In 2022, 42.7% of full-time and 79.2% of part-time community college students were also employed full or part time in the workforce.Note Reference [6]

Frequently Asked Questions About the Cost of Community College

How much does two years of community college cost on average?

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In 2021, the average total cost of community college ranged from $9,845 to $20,091 a year for in-state students living off campus without family. Over two years, that's up to $40,182.Note Reference [1]

Because out-of-state students paid, on average, $4,851 more in tuition and fees than in-state students in 2021Note Reference [2], the average total cost for two years of school for these students was about $49,884.

What is the average cost of books for community college students?

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In 2021-2022, books and supplies cost students an average of $1,442. That includes textbooks, e-textbooks, and other course materials.Note Reference [1]

Is community college free anywhere?

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Yes, there are free tuition programs for community college students in at least 31 states. Some states have eligibility requirements like minimum GPA, number of credit hours, or income restrictions.Note Reference [4]

How much has the cost of community college increased?

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Today, the cost of community college is about 21 times greater than it was in 1970. In just the last 20 years, annual tuition costs at two-year public institutions have risen from $2,184 to $3,564.Note Reference [3]


Sources

  1. Average total cost of attendance for first-time, full-time undergraduate students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by control and level of institution, living arrangement, and component of student costs: Selected years, 2010-11 through 2021-22. NCES. November 2022. (back to footnote 1 in content ⤶)
  2. Average undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board charges for full-time students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by control and level of institution and state or jurisdiction: 2020-21 and 2021-22. NCES. May 2023. (back to footnote 12 in content ⤶)
  3. Average undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board rates charged for full-time students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by level and control of institution: Selected years, 1963-64 through 2021-22. NCES. July 2023. (back to footnote 3 in content ⤶)
  4. Campaign for Free College Tuition. 2022. (back to footnote 4 in content ⤶)
  5. First-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by participation and average amount awarded in financial aid programs, and control and level of institution: 2000-01 through 2020-21. NCES. December 2022. (back to footnote 5 in content ⤶)
  6. Percentage of college students 16 to 24 years old who were employed, by attendance status, hours worked per week, and control and level of institution: Selected years, October 1970 through 2022. NCES. June 2023. (back to footnote 6 in content ⤶)
  7. Trends in College Pricing 2023. College Board. November 2023. (back to footnote 7 in content ⤶)