Community Colleges Work

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One male and two female students walk along the exterior of Ariel Hall in conversation with each other.

As we celebrate April as Community College Month, we’d like to share some facts about why community colleges work.

1. Creating Value

Community colleges create value. An associate degree increases lifetime earnings over a high school diploma by 25%, according to a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Two-year degree holders earn a median of $2 million during their lifetimes, averaging $50,000 annually.

Besides the numerical value, community colleges connect students with careers they want to work in. Connecting your passion with a purpose makes for a rewarding career experience. At COTC we offer over 50 degrees and certificates, designed to connect students with in-demand careers.

2. Return on Investment

With affordable and low tuition prices — like the price of an associate’s degree at COTC: $10,032 — and the ability to get you into a career quickly, community college’s offer students a maximum return on their investment.

According to the Education Data Initiative, an associate degree offers a 10-Year return on investment of 97.8% and a lifetime return on investment of 1200.8%.

When compared to higher level degrees, associate degrees have the highest ROI over a lifetime.

3. Support

Community colleges are colleges for the people, and they serve the most demographically and socioeconomically diverse students. Many offer a wide array of support services to increase student success. At COTC, we offer many free support services, both academic and personal, for our students. One example is our Student Success Center that provides one-on-one support services for students like tutoring and personal coaching.

Your degree is more than a piece of paper.

At COTC we value our students. We know that degrees represent many sacrifices and countless hours of hard work. We’ve done everything we can to create an environment where you can be successful, and we will have your back every step of the way.

If you’re ready to take the next steps, please fill out the form.