Community Colleges Offer Affordability, Flexibility

Community colleges provide affordable and flexible options on the path of higher learning.

Students participate in a college fair at Miami Dade College in Florida. Originally established as a community college in 1959, Miami Dade has become one of the largest and most diverse institutions of higher education in the United States.

U.S. community colleges are two-year schools where students can earn associate degrees, receive certificates in technical fields or pursue continuing education. Also known as junior or technical colleges, community colleges traditionally offer technical and vocational programs to the local community.

Increasingly, community colleges provide a gateway to higher education for students who cannot afford to attend a four-year school or who need remedial study before applying to a four-year institution. Students can apply course credits from community colleges toward degrees at four-year institutions, making community colleges attractive to students who want to save money. And community colleges offer courses on campus and online, making community colleges appealing to students who need flexibile schedules.

Community colleges can have multiple campuses in urban areas like Miami-Dade or a single campus in rural areas. While community colleges are everywhere in the United States, the U.S. Northwest boasts some of the country's highest rated community colleges, including Washington state’s Walla Walla Community College, California’s Santa Barbara City College and Utah’s Snow College.