The Best Community Colleges in America

McFatter Technical College ranks as one of the best community colleges in America. It is among 34 two-year higher learning institutions to receive a B+ or higher grade from Niche, based on its academics, admissions, finance, and student life.

McFatter Technical College is one of the most expensive community colleges in America. The average net price of McFatter is $12,150, 32nd highest out of the more 400 community colleges for which there is data. For context, the average price of a four-year public college is just under $14,000. Most community colleges for which there are data cost under $8,000 per year.

One of the main ways to evaluate the quality of a higher learning institution is by assessing the financial success of former students. Southeast Technical Institute ranks as one of America’s best community colleges in part because just 7.7% of its former students are unemployed — one of the lowest rates of any community college.

The largest share of degrees STI awards are in health professions and related programs, a field that produces such in-demand workers as nurses, home health aides, physical therapists, and more.

Of the best community colleges in America, State Technical College of Missouri is the only one that awards more associate’s degrees in mechanic and repair technologies fields than in any other field. State Tech offers programs that teach students how to become utilities workers, mechanics, welders, construction workers and more.

Niche ranks community colleges on a number of factors, including alumni earnings. A decade after starting school, State Tech former students earn an average of $44,400 annually — one of the 30 highest averages among community colleges. Alumni also have a relatively low unemployment rate 10 years after beginning classes compared to other two-year schools, at 9.5%.

Harper College is located in Palatine, Illinois, about 30 miles northwest of Chicago. The school earned a B+ overall grade from Niche, with a B+ grade for its diversity, and an A grade for its student life.

Professors earn an average salary of more than $90,000 per year, the highest of any community college on this list. Being able to attract top professors to improve overall quality helps make Harper College one of the top community colleges, according to Niche.

The O C Collins Career Center ranks as one of the 30 best community colleges in America, per Niche. It offers its over 300 students programs in health, cosmetology, and trade and industry fields.

One of the aspects that led Niche’s rank of the OCCCC as one of America’s top community colleges is its 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio. For the typical college, the ratio is 15:1. A smaller student-to-teach ratio allows more individualized attention, which benefits student education. Students may be better able to have their questions answered and issues addressed by professors. They can also form closer relationships with fellow students, like study groups, which can benefit their grades.

One of the 30 best community colleges in America, Wallace Community College in Dothan, Alabama, is also one of the 10 least expensive two-year schools in the country, with an average net price of under $2,400 per year. Most community colleges reviewed have an average net price of over $7,700.

Wallace Community College ranks on this list in large part thanks to the quality of education its professors provide. In a Niche survey, 94% of students said professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes, and 78% said the workload of classes at the school is manageable.

Southwest Mississippi Community College ranks as one of the best community colleges in America in large part because of its value. Niche gave the school a B+ grade for value, as its average net price of under $5,000 is lower than the vast majority of community colleges ranked by Niche.

SMCC’s education is valuable not just because of the relatively low price, but because the professors are viewed favorably as well. The faculty received a B+ grade based on their accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and more factors. In a Niche survey, 89% of students said professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes, and 75% said the workload was easy to manage.

University of South Carolina – Sumter is one of two community colleges in the University of South Carolina System to rank among the best community colleges in America. The school’s academics are highly rated in part because the school is relatively selective. Most community colleges accept all applicants, but USC – Sumter’s acceptance rate is 82%.

USC – Sumter has relatively highly-rated faculty, according to a Niche evaluation of their accomplishments, salary, and student reviews.

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is one of just 34 different two-year higher learning institutions with a grade of B+ or higher from college data platform Niche.

Like the vast majority of community colleges on this list, SWTC awards more degrees in health professions and related programs than any others. There are dozens of jobs in the health care industry that require an associate’s degree rather than a four-year bachelor’s degree, like dental hygienist, medical assistant, and more.

Florida Panhandle Technical College is one of five Florida community colleges to rank among the 34 best two-year schools in the country. FPTC students benefit from a relatively low student-to-teacher ratio, at 10:1. The typical school has a ratio of 15:1. This smaller class size gives students a better chance of having their questions answered and to get individualized attention they may need if they are struggling.

Though the school ranks among the top 25 community colleges, its students tend to struggle after leaving school compared to those from other two-year schools. More than a quarter of former students are unemployed a decade after first enrolling in FPTC, and they earn an average income of just $27,400 — one of the lowest average incomes among all community colleges considered.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College ranks as one of the nation’s top community colleges, earning B+ grades from Niche for its diversity and its value.

Like most schools on this list, MSCTC awards more associate’s degrees in health professions and related fields than any other category. But the school offers a number of other programs, including sport management, business administration, environmental science, and more.

Holmes Community College is located in Goodman in central Mississippi. It ranks as one of the least expensive community colleges in the country, with an average net price of less than $5,000 per year.

Many aspects of the school are highly rated by Niche. The school’s student life received an A, its safety earned an A+, and its professors received an A-. In a Niche survey, 86% of students said professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes, and 81% the professors assigned a manageable workload.

While Marion Technical College – Florida has several positive attributes, the one that stands out the most is its student-to-teacher ratio, which is just 6:1 — tied for the lowest on this list and one of the lowest among all American community colleges. This low ratio can be extremely beneficial to a student’s education, helping them receive individualized attention.

MTC is one of five Florida community colleges to rank among the best in America. While most schools on this list tend to set up their students for career success, alumni of the Florida community colleges on this list tend to struggle. A decade after entering, former students report high unemployment rates and low incomes, relative to other schools, and MTC is no different. A decade after entering MTC, 24.5% of former students are unemployed and those who are working report an average earnings of $23,800 — among the lowest among all community colleges considered.

Northwest Vista College is one of 34 community colleges to receive a B+ overall grade or higher from school data platform Niche. Located in San Antonio, Texas, the school earned an A+ for its student life, and A grades for its safety and its location.

NVC is one of the largest community colleges not just on this list, but the entire country, with an enrollment eclipsing 18,000. The school offers a number of educational options that many other community colleges do not, including evening degree programs and study abroad opportunities. Niche also named the school as one of the country’s best Hispanic-serving institutions.

San Jacinto College is by far the largest community college to rank among the country’s best, according to Niche. It educated nearly 32,500 students as of the fall of 2019. The next largest two-year school has a little over 18,000 students.

While larger schools can have many advantages, including more amenities, there can also be some drawbacks. The school has a 22:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Having large class sizes as the norm can make it difficult for students to get individualized attention. Despite the high enrollment, three-quarters of students said it was easy to get into the classes they want to take, and over 80% said professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.

Marion Military Institute is one of two military schools to rank among the best community colleges in America, according to Niche. It is one of four military junior colleges in the U.S. that allow students to earn an associate’s degree and become a commissioned officer in the Army Reserves once they finish their two years in school. In order to serve as an officer on active duty, the students must go on to earn a degree at a four-year college.

The school, located in central Alabama, is one of the most selective community colleges in the country. While most accept all applicants, MMI admits less than 60% of those who apply. The school’s academics and professors are highly rated, helping MMI earn its high marks among two-year schools.

Mountainland Technical College, about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City in Lehi, Utah, ranks as one of America’s top community colleges. Niche gave the school A+ grades for its value and its safety, as well as an A- for its student life.

Like most of the top community colleges in America, the most commonly awarded degree fields at MTC are in health professions and related programs. The school also offers programs in cosmetology, culinary arts, welding, manufacturing, and more.

Ridgewater College is one of just 34 community colleges to receive a B+ or better grade from school data platform Niche. In addition to its well-reviewed academics, professors, and value, the college earned an A grade for its student life.

Ridgewater College offers its students over a dozen different areas of study, including education, health care, information technology, business, marketing, automotive trades, and more. Just 9.2% of former students are unemployed a decade after first entering Ridgewater College, one of the lowest rates among all community colleges.

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College has a total enrollment of about 3,000 students as of the fall semester of 2019. This small enrollment can be a benefit, as the school has a student-to-teach ratio of 8:1, roughly half of the typical ratio. This allows students more personalized attention, which can benefit their education.

WITC also ranks as one of the country’s top community colleges because students tend to view many aspects of the school favorably. More than 80% said professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes and that the workload was easy to manage.

Western Technical College – Wisconsin in La Crosse is one of four community colleges in the state to rank among the nation’s best two-year higher-learning institutions in the country. Located just to the east of the Mississippi River, the school earned A grades for its student life and location. WTC – Wisconsin also earned B+ grades for its value and safety.

Another reason that WTC – Wisconsin ranks so highly is its small student-to-teacher ratio of 9:1, which allows students to receive more individualized attention and benefits their education.

North Central Kansas Technical College is one of America’s top community colleges for a number of reasons. Niche gave it an A+ grade for its safety and A grades for its student life and value.

NCK Tech offers students two-year associate’s degree programs in fields like business technology, construction, health, and transportation technology. Nearly half of all students earn degrees in health professions and related programs.

Manatee Technical Institute is one of the least expensive community colleges in America, with an average net price under $4,300. This is due in part to the fact that 84% of students receive some amount of financial aid, well above the rate of 65% nationwide.

This relatively low cost helped MTI earn an A grade from Niche for its value. The school also earned an A- grade for its student life, contributing to its overall grade of B+. MTI is one of just 34 community colleges with a B+ grade or better in the country.

Charlotte Technical Center – Adult Education ranks as the best of the five Florida community colleges on this list and one of the best dozen community colleges in America. The school is rated so highly largely because of the A grades it earned from Niche for its student life and its value.

CTC has done a much better job of retaining students than the vast majority of other community colleges. The school’s 89% full-time retention rate is relatively high, and its graduation rate of 93% is well above the nationwide rate of 49%.

Mitchell Technical Institute in southeastern South Dakota ranks as one of America’s best community colleges largely because of its value. Niche gave the school an A grade for its value, because even though its average net price of over $11,000 per year is relatively high, its associate’s degrees appear to be set up for relative future success.

South Dakota is in a construction boom, and MTI is the only one of the best community colleges in America to award more associate’s degrees in construction trades than any other field. A decade after entering, the school’s former students reported a 10.2% unemployment rate and an average income of $45,400. Both figures rank among the best for all American community colleges.

White Mountains Community College in Berlin, New Hampshire, ranks as one of the 10 best community colleges in America in large part because its professors are fairly highly rated, receiving an A- grade from Niche.

The school also ranks as one of the best in part because of its very low student-to-faculty ratio, with just seven students for every teacher. Smaller class sizes allow students to receive more individualized attention.

Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture ranks as one of Niche’s top community colleges in large part because the school seems to set students up to earn relatively high wages in the future. It is one of only a few community colleges in which a student earns an average income of more than $50,000 per year. Former students average an income of $52,700, third highest of all community colleges considered.

NCTA is also one of the smallest community colleges in America, with just 331 students as of the fall semester of 2019. Most community colleges considered have more than 3,000 students.

As you may expect from the name, the vast majority of associate’s degrees The Ohio State University – Agricultural Technical Institute awards are in agriculture or related fields.

The school’s 8.7% unemployment rate for former students 10 years after entry is one of the lowest rates among all community colleges. Students also average an income of $53,600 a decade after starting at the school — the second highest average income of the more than 400 two-year schools considered. These are some of the reasons why The Ohio State University – Agricultural Technical Institute is one of the top 10 best community colleges in America, per Niche.

With high marks in a number of important aspects, Indian Capital Technology Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma, ranks as a top-10 community college. Niche gave the school A grades for its student life, value, and safety.

ICTC is relatively inexpensive, with a $7,113 average net price, yet it outperforms most other two-year schools in a number of key measures. For instance, its 73% graduation rate is much higher than the nationwide graduation rate of under 50%.

Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kansas, ranks as one of the best community colleges in America. More than 43% of the degrees CCCC awards are in the liberal arts and sciences category, which include anthropology, geography, sociology, psychology, criminal justice, and more.

In a Niche survey, 92% of Cloud County Community College students said it was easy to get the classes they wanted and that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. The school received an A grade from Niche for its student life and an A- grade for its value.

Fox Valley Technical College is the best of Wisconsin’s four community colleges on this list, and one of the five best community colleges in America. Though FVTC is a relatively large school with over 12,000 students, it has a relatively low student-to-teacher ratio at 11:1. This can benefit students by providing them with more individualized attention.

In a Niche survey, 83% of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes. The school can attract top-tier professors, as its faculty earn an average of $81,621, one of the highest averages among community colleges. FVTC has a relatively high retention rate for full-time students, at 74%.

With an average net price of around $7,700, the cost of attending Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City ranks towards the middle of the more than 400 community colleges considered. Yet the school ranks among the five best two-year schools, receiving A grades from Niche for both its diversity and its student life.

Like many other schools on this list, Western Iowa Tech Community College awards more degrees in health care fields than in any other field. The school also offers programs in agriculture, construction, architecture, business, education, hospitality, and other fields.

Lake Area Technical College is one of three South Dakota community colleges to rank among the best in the country. One of the indicators of a good community college is the career success of its former students. A decade after first enrolling in LATC, just 7.2% of former students in the labor force were unemployed, one of the lowest rates among all community colleges in the country.

The quality of a college is not solely defined by its academics, though. LATC received A+ grades from Niche for its student life and safety, indicating that students like the campus, the surrounding area, and the programs the school offers.

University of South Carolina – Lancaster is one of just two community colleges to receive an overall A- grade from Niche, which ranked the two-year college on characteristics like its academics, professors, value, student life, and more.

USC – Lancaster is a part of the University of South Carolina system, one of its four regional campuses. The school received B+ grades from Niche for its professors, diversity, and value. Its net price is less than $10,000 per year, and former students average nearly $54,000 in annual income, one of the very highest among community colleges.

With rigorous academics and a history of setting up students for career success, New Mexico Military Institute ranks as the very best community college in America. It is one of four military junior colleges, which prepare students to become officers in the Army Reserves while they earn associate’s degrees.

NMMI’s academics received an A- grade from Niche, based on acceptance rate, quality of professors, student reviews, and more. This is among the highest grades any community college in the nation has received. NMMI students tend to go on to earn relatively high wages, averaging an income of $48,200 a decade after first entering the school.