Best Community Colleges in Pennsylvania

From the main campus in Butler and five additional locations, Butler County Community College offers college-transfer programs and career certificates. BC3's popular transfer programs confer an associate degree and qualify students for transfer to a four-year college or university. Through partnerships with four-year colleges, BC3 also offers degree-completion programs.

BC3 offers two-year associate degrees in business, humanities and social sciences, nursing and healthcare, and STEM. The college also offers AA and AS transfer degrees in areas such as education, business administration, computer science, social work, and engineering. Students may also train for immediate employment with two-year AAS degrees in computer information systems, emergency services, and industrial technology. Career programs include one-year certificates in areas such as machine tool technology, hospitality management, and medical coding.

BC3 offers on-campus, online, hybrid, and iTV (video conferencing) classes.

With three locations near Philadelphia in Newtown, Bristol, and Perkasie, Bucks County Community College offers more than 90 programs, including two-year associate-transfer degrees, occupational training, and career certificates. The school also provides continuing education and workplace training.

Bucks offers 40 transfer-associate degree programs in the arts, business, STEM fields, social sciences, and health sciences. These include cybersecurity, journalism, secondary education, and business administration. The school also offers occupational majors designed to prepare graduates to enter the workforce in fields like accounting, emergency management, nursing, and event planning. Certificate programs lasting two years or less train students for jobs in bookkeeping, early childhood education, culinary arts, and more.

Students may complete more than 20 programs at Bucks entirely online. Many others involve some online and hybrid classes. Residents of Bucks County qualify for the lowest tuition rates.

Based on a 186-acre campus outside Philadelphia in Blue Bell, Montgomery County Community College operates a second campus in Pottstown, a culinary arts institute, a police academy, and a virtual campus for online learning. The college offers more than 100 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as continuing education for community members.

Montco's associate degrees prepare graduates to transfer to a four-year school or enter the workforce. The school offers two-year degrees in business, creative arts, culinary arts and hospitality, education, engineering and technology, health, liberal studies, science and math, and public and social services. Less common program offerings include degrees in baking and pastry, electrical engineering, game and simulation design, and gerontology.

Students can take on-site, online, and hybrid classes and complete some programs completely online. The school offers free in-person tutoring and 24/7 online tutoring.

Located in eastern Pennsylvania, Northampton Community College enrolls more than 35,000 students each year in credit and noncredit programs. The college operates three locations: a 240-acre main campus in Bethlehem, a branch campus in the heart of the Pocono Mountains, and a center in the former headquarters of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

NCC offers associate degrees, specialized certificates, and diplomas in more than 100 areas of study. Learners may complete many courses online. Associate degrees in areas such as education, liberal arts, and scientific fields including chemistry qualify for transfer to a four-year college. NCC also offers several bachelor's degrees in partnership with Bloomsburg University and East Stroudsburg University. Career training programs at NCC prepare graduates for jobs in trades such as hospitality, healthcare, construction, automotive services, and public safety.

NCC offers on-campus housing and study abroad programs, and full-time students can benefit from a flat tuition rate.

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College serves residents of Pennsylvania's Southern Alleghenies. Penn Highlands offers diplomas, certificates, and associate degrees in business, computer systems, education, healthcare, liberal arts, social sciences, and professional studies.

The college's two-year program offerings include AA, AS, and AAS degrees. In many cases, students may earn a professional diploma or certificate as they complete an associate degree in their chosen area of study. Many of the school's programs emphasize technology training. Programs in the health professions include AAS degrees in histotechnology, radiologic technology, and medical assisting technology. Penn Highlands' cybersecurity program features faculty working in cybersecurity positions within local technology companies.

Penn Highlands offers seven online programs, including an AA transfer program in liberal arts and sciences. Residents of Cambria County qualify for the lowest tuition rate.

Lehigh Carbon Community College serves more than 10,000 students through more than 90 programs. The college operates a 153-acre main campus just north of Allentown in Schnecksville along with five other locations, including an airport site and an art school.

LCCC offers AA, AS, and AAS degrees in addition to certificates and diplomas in the arts, business, computer science, education and public services, healthcare, manufacturing, and science and engineering. Program offerings include AA degrees in fashion design and music/sound production, AS degrees in computer forensics and environmental science, and AAS degrees in hotel/resort management and geospatial technology. LCCC offers 10 fully online associate degrees and seven online certificates and diplomas. Students wishing to transfer may take advantage of articulation agreements with more than 50 colleges and universities.

LCCC student benefits include several honors programs; a food pantry; full-time, flat-rate tuition; and no-cost childcare.

Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, the Community College of Beaver County offers academic programs in the arts and sciences, business, and healthcare, among other fields. Specialized training centers include an aviation academy and a police academy. CCBC also offers more than 100 self-paced, online career certificate programs.

CCBC's AAS degrees prepare graduates for direct entry into careers in the building trades, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship. Additional career training opportunities include a diploma in practical nursing and certificates in nanotechnology and web design. The college offers associate-transfer degrees in the arts and sciences, business, criminal justice, engineering, and education. CCBC's aviation academy offers training programs to learners, preparing them for careers as pilots and air traffic controllers.

CCBC features an open admissions policy and is a tobacco-free campus.

Situated in northeastern Pennsylvania, Luzerne County Community College operates a 167-acre main campus and 11 satellite campuses. The college offers academic programs in a variety of areas, including applied technology, exercise science, business, and health sciences. LCCC offers 11 fully online associate degrees and many online and hybrid classes through distance education.

Applied technology programs at LCCC train students for jobs in nanotechnology manufacturing, mechatronics, and sustainable energy technology. Business students may complete a one-semester diploma, two-semester certificate, or two-year associate degree. Students may pursue a variety of two-year transfer degrees in general studies or subjects such as psychology or biology.

LCCC's dental hygiene program provides free dental care to students. Full-time students may take advantage of flat-rate tuition for 12 or more credits, and all students may make monthly tuition payments.

Delaware County Community College serves more than 28,000 students each year at five major locations in Delaware and Chester counties. The college offers 33 associate degrees, 17 transfer degrees, and 33 certificates as well as noncredit community education and professional development courses. The school's Marple campus hosts a police academy.

DCCC offers AA, AS, AFA, and AAS degrees as well as career training certificates. The college offers nine associate degrees that can be completed mostly or completely online and a bachelor's degree completion program in partnership with four area colleges. Program offerings include creative writing, game development, and neurodiagnostic technology. Students may also prepare for careers in skilled trades such as welding, plumbing, and carpentry.

Residents of the college's sponsoring school districts qualify for the lowest tuition rates. The school's foundation awards about $300,000 in scholarships each year.