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According to EducationData.org, as of August 2023, Americans owe $1.766 trillion in student loan debt. That is how profound the student debt problem in the U.S. has become. To put it in even more perspective, that is about $686 billion more than the total credit card debt in the U.S. of $1.08 trillion. The average student borrower has, on average, roughly $40,499 in debt, which affects 45.3 million Americans.
Benefits of Community College
Community college provides students with several options for career training and degrees. Here are some benefits of community college:
Lower Fees and Tuition
Regardless of your major or the college you attend, the first couple of years will primarily consist of the same type of general education or core classes.
For instance, each freshman and sophomore will take:
By attending a two-year community college for basic and introductory classes, you can save a substantial amount of money.
For example, Ivy Tech Community College's website shows they have an in-state tuition of just over $4,911 for the 2023-24 academic year.
That compares to $11,790 for Indiana University (Bloomington) and $8,688 for Ball State University, the two largest state colleges, and $62,693 for tuition at the University of Notre Dame, a private college.
Going down the community college path will decrease how much money you will need to borrow when transferring to a four-year college. You will still be able to apply for financial aid and scholarships for community college, further lowering your attendance cost.
Lower Living Costs
After heading off to college, the costs you will need to consider will not be just tuition. You will also need to think about the additional costs of things like:
- Living expenses
- Car maintenance
- Gas
If your school is in a different state, you will need to budget for a dorm room or apartment.
By attending a local community college near your home you could save hundreds of dollars every month in utilities and rent expenses by not having to rent an apartment or dorm.
Greater Flexibility
Going to a community college allows you to see how it goes for a little bit at a much lower expense than going to a four-year university. Many students explore various fields or classes before deciding which major suits them best. Community colleges allow students the flexibility to explore these options at a lower cost while deciding which course of study to pursue.
Going to a community college allows you to see how it goes for a little bit at a much lower expense than going to a four-year university. Explore various fields or classes to decide if your chosen major is really the one you want to pursue after all.
How Do You Save Money?
Saving for college will require some time and budgeting. Here are some additional ways to help you bring costs down and save money:
- You could save a portion of your job earnings and put it into a 529 plan. The 529 plan earnings grow tax-free. You might also qualify for an extra state tax credit or state income tax deduction for your contributions.
- Start to look and apply for scholarships. Around 12.7% (one in eight students) in Bachelor's degree programs pay their costs using private scholarships.
- Ask family and friends for contributions to your 529 plan instead of holidays, birthdays and graduation.
- On October 1, the year before attending college, fill out a FAFSA. Every year, millions of students fail to complete FAFSA, and they could have qualified for financial aid.
- If required, take out student loans in a reasonable amount. You should borrow no more than what you expect your first year on the job out of college salary will be.
Transferring to a University
An associate's degree from a community college may be sufficient for you to pursue your chosen career. However, in many cases you will need to further your education and obtain a bachelor's and maybe even a master's degree.
Going to a community college for a couple of years and then transferring to a university has benefits for any education plan. The costs of tuition and other fees are substantially lower for community colleges than those of private and public universities.
If you have a target university in mind, make sure to research course requirements and whether the course work you take at the community college level is transferrable to that University. Most state higher education systems offer clearly defined transfer routes from a community college to a state university. Make sure your community college course work meets their transfer criteria.
Takeaway
Community college can be the ideal choice if you are looking to save money and decrease your dependence on a student loan. It is also a great way of easing you into college life and building successful learning strategies before you transfer to a more costly university.
