Community College Tuition Changes by State
While community colleges are always a cheaper option for getting a degree than 4-year universities, their tuition and associated costs have been rising at a similar rate over the last 5 years.
Nationwide, there are 922 2-year accredited community colleges where associate degrees are available for students. The average tuition at these colleges in 2017 was $2,749 per year, with total costs (tuition + living expenses) averaging $5,746 per year. These costs have risen slower than bachelor degrees at 4-year universities, but still at a rate that makes it difficult for some students to get out from under debt after entering the workforce.
Our analysis shows that over a 5-year period ending in 2017, tuition at community colleges rose in every state across the US. These increases ranged from a paltry 2% in Florida to a much higher 32% in Mississippi. Compare those statistics to the slightly higher range at public 4-year universities where their tuition increased anywhere between 7-34% over the same 5-year period.
| Community Colleges | 5-Year Public Tuition Change | 5-Year Public Tuition Change Rank | Annual Tuition | Annual Total Costs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 52 | 2% | #1 | $2,991 | $10,505 |
| Minnesota | 31 | 4% | #2 | $5,367 | $11,288 |
| North Carolina | 59 | 6% | #3 | $2,437 | $7,217 |
| Washington | 15 | 7% | #4 | $0 | $0 |
| Wisconsin | 18 | 7% | #5 | $0 | $0 |
| Arizona | 23 | 7% | #6 | $2,182 | $7,163 |
| Maine | 7 | 8% | #7 | $3,699 | $9,043 |
| Ohio | 79 | 8% | #8 | $4,391 | $10,486 |
| New Hampshire | 7 | 9% | #9 | $7,317 | $15,783 |
| New Mexico | 19 | 12% | #10 | $1,878 | $6,401 |
| Georgia | 25 | 12% | #11 | $2,820 | $4,616 |
| Idaho | 5 | 12% | #12 | $3,036 | $9,752 |
| Vermont | 1 | 12% | #13 | $0 | $0 |
| Utah | 9 | 13% | #14 | $0 | $0 |
| Alabama | 26 | 14% | #15 | $4,567 | $5,821 |
| Delaware | 1 | 15% | #16 | $4,848 | $8,597 |
| Hawaii | 6 | 15% | #17 | $3,084 | $7,692 |
| Virginia | 29 | 15% | #18 | $0 | $0 |
| New York | 65 | 16% | #19 | $5,198 | $8,045 |
| Louisiana | 15 | 16% | #20 | $3,925 | $9,226 |
| Maryland | 16 | 16% | #21 | $3,824 | $8,401 |
| Colorado | 16 | 16% | #22 | $3,983 | $9,600 |
| Indiana | 1 | 16% | #23 | $4,255 | $7,025 |
| Connecticut | 15 | 17% | #24 | $4,313 | $6,388 |
| West Virginia | 27 | 17% | #25 | $0 | $0 |
| Tennessee | 39 | 18% | #26 | $4,150 | $6,929 |
| Nebraska | 9 | 18% | #27 | $3,496 | $8,570 |
| Arkansas | 24 | 18% | #28 | $3,025 | $6,678 |
| Illinois | 50 | 18% | #29 | $3,976 | $6,209 |
| Michigan | 28 | 18% | #30 | $3,970 | $5,970 |
| New Jersey | 24 | 18% | #31 | $4,532 | $8,484 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 19% | #32 | $4,564 | $6,575 |
| Kansas | 26 | 19% | #33 | $3,970 | $9,088 |
| North Dakota | 5 | 19% | #34 | $4,420 | $9,485 |
| Montana | 11 | 20% | #35 | $3,244 | $8,172 |
| Texas | 62 | 20% | #36 | $0 | $0 |
| Pennsylvania | 48 | 20% | #37 | $5,705 | $9,600 |
| Iowa | 16 | 21% | #38 | $5,082 | $9,909 |
| Kentucky | 16 | 22% | #39 | $4,096 | $5,670 |
| Missouri | 37 | 23% | #40 | $4,294 | $9,225 |
| South Dakota | 5 | 23% | #41 | $5,947 | $12,351 |
| Oregon | 17 | 23% | #42 | $4,780 | $8,804 |
| Massachusetts | 28 | 24% | #43 | $5,063 | $10,237 |
| South Carolina | 21 | 26% | #44 | $4,936 | $7,075 |
| Oklahoma | 56 | 29% | #45 | $4,116 | $7,801 |
| Nevada | 1 | 31% | #46 | $3,075 | $7,190 |
| Mississippi | 15 | 32% | #47 | $3,141 | $4,996 |
| Wyoming | 7 | 54% | #48 | $0 | $0 |
