As a graduate of Wenatchee Valley College, I’m a big supporter of community colleges.
Coming from a farm family with a modest income, I was able to get started with my college career there.
After graduating with honors, I transferred to Washington State University in Pullman. It was my first of four college degrees.
You family can save a lot of money if your kids can spend their first two years attending a community college. The tuition is lower, and they can continue to live at home.
Families need to do everything they can to reduce college costs and this is one great way to do it.
Another exciting opportunity is some students can take community college classes while attending high school. It’s a program I highly recommend.
During the 2025 to 2026 academic year, tuition and fees for full-time, in-state enrollment at a public two-year college averaged $4,150 per year. Compare that to $11,950 at a public four-year institution and $45,000 at a four-year private school.
Community colleges also have a number of other qualities. They often provide flexible schedules and small class sizes. Some even offer four-year bachelor’s degrees.
WalletHub, a personal finance website, compared more than 610 community colleges on 18 indicators of cost and quality. The data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to the student-faculty ratio and graduation rate.
Top 10 Community Colleges
1. State Technical College of Missouri – Missouri
2. Manhattan Area Technical College – Kansas
3. Mesalands Community College – New Mexico
4. Mitchell Technical College – South Dakota
5. Pratt Community College – Kansas
6. Saddleback College – California
7. Gogebic Community College – Mississippi
8. Colby Community College – Kansas
9. Clackamas Community College – Oregon
10. Alexandria Technical & Community College – Minnesota
Bottom 10 Community Colleges
604. Tohono O’odham Community College – Arizona
605. Bishop State Community College – Alabama
606. Angelina College – Texas
607. Coahoma Community College – Mississippi
608. Lanier Technical College – Georgia
609. Leech Lake Tribal College – Minnesota
610. Essex County College – New Jersey
611. Mississippi Delta Community College – Mississippi
612. Little Big Horn College – Montana
613. Chief Dull Knife College – Montana
“A good community college minimizes costs for students while also providing an enriching learning experience that leads to high student retention and high graduation rates,” Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst, said in the report. “The best colleges also help their students even post-graduation by offering employment services to help them find jobs with good salaries.”
Lupo said many of the best community colleges also offer credit for life experiences.
Photo: Student Council, Lance, Wenatchee Valley College, 1961
