Community College vs. University: Where Should You Go?
As you go through high school, you may find yourself questioning more and more on what lies beyond graduation. After all, there are so many options to choose from! Two of the most popular options for life after high school will involve comparing the two most common institutions of higher education: community college vs. university.
You might be wondering how you could possibly even think about worrying over this when you’re just trying to survive high school. Even so, it’s well known that having a degree can help open up more doors. In fact, average salary has been found to increase as education increases; for example, those with one of the highest forms of education, a doctorate degree, might find themselves making on average $99,290 per year, while those with less than a high school diploma on average make $32,565. That’s a difference of $66,725!
Even a small increase in education - equivalent to two years of study - can lead to a significant increase in salary, as shown by an average salary of $50,093 with an Associate’s degree compared to $69,381 with a bachelor’s degree – a 39% increase! Unemployment rates also seem to decrease as the level of education rises, yet another incentive for pursuing higher education.
Although there are quite a few variations in the type of undergraduate degree you can get or the type of institution you can attend to earn your degree (for example, nursing school or vocational school), all undergraduate institutions – whether public or private - are meant to award you a degree or certificate that you can use to advance your career. Let’s take a look at the two most common options.
What is a Community College?
The term “college” actually refers to multiple types of colleges, such as community colleges, technical schools, and liberal arts colleges, but for the purpose of this blog we’ll mainly focus on community colleges (CC’s).
On that note, a community college is an undergraduate institution that awards certificates and associate degrees. Universities and colleges are both considered institutes of higher education, but whereas universities typically take 4 years of full-time study to complete a bachelor’s degree, it takes 2 years of full-time study at a CC to finish an associate degree.
At the moment, there are 1,050 community colleges in the U.S.
What is a University?
A university is an educational institution that awards undergraduate and graduate degrees. An undergraduate degree from a university will most commonly be in the form of a bachelor's degree, which will typically take 4 years to complete.
Keep in mind, though, that there are multiple types of institutions/programs that award bachelor’s degrees (such as 4-year colleges). There are some other differences between colleges and universities that I’ll address later on, but note that whenever I refer to the importance of bachelor’s degrees, I use the term “universities” to mean any institution that awards a bachelor’s degree.
There are currently 2,832 four-year colleges/universities in the U.S., but this number can definitely change with time.
What Can You Do with an Associate Degree?
After receiving their associate degree, it’s common for students to continue their education to the level of a bachelor's degree, which means studying for another 2 years at a university. This is understandable, considering that the transition from an associate to a bachelor's degree can bring in a significant improvement in salary and a reduction in unemployment rates.
Still, quite a few associate degree holders decide to jump into the career force with just that. Some examples of high-paying jobs you can get with just an associate degree include the following:
Web developer
Dental hygienist
Registered nurse
Diagnostic imaging worker
Radiographers and MRI technologists
Respiratory Therapist
Occupational therapy assistant
Computer network support specialist
Paralegal and legal assistant
Real estate agent
What Can You Do with a Bachelor’s Degree?
Bachelor’s degrees happen to be the more popular choice when it comes to associate vs. bachelor’s, for a number of reasons; after all, 49.8% of all college graduates in 2020 were awarded bachelor’s degrees, while 24.9% of all college graduates in 2020 earned associate degrees.
In general, a bachelor’s degree means lower rates of unemployment, higher salary, more expansive career options, and the potential to increase your education to an even higher level – which would mean even more benefits! Career potential is often affected by the type of bachelor’s you earn, but here are some examples of high-paying jobs you may be able to get with a bachelor’s degree:
Software developers
Registered nurses
Financial managers
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors
Project management specialists
Market research analysts and marketing specialists
Medical and health service managers
Perks of Attending a Community College
If you’re wondering why community colleges exist when students can simply go directly to a university, here are the wonderful perks of attending a community college (CC):
Accessibility
Unlike universities, CC’s accept virtually everyone. All that’s needed is a simple and quick application to the CC of your choice, and soon after you’ll be able to get started on the process of enrolling in courses. If you decide to move on to a university afterwards in order to complete your bachelor’s degree, you can always apply to transfer and make sure you’re a competitive applicant - although, you should keep in mind that in 2022 only 40% of CC students who planned to transfer to a 4-year university were able to do so.
Transferring to a university from a CC is a more complex process than you might think, so you’ll definitely have to work with your advisor if this is your goal! Regardless, you can always have peace of mind knowing you’re set with your associate degree and all of the career paths it opens up for you!
Affordability
One of the first things to consider in applying to CC’s and universities is the cost of your education. You may have heard that CC’s are the more affordable option; the truth is that CC’s can be more cost-efficient than universities, but it varies from school to school. For example, many universities offer partial or full scholarships/financial aid that can cover the entire tuition for your degree, especially for students that demonstrate financial need or exemplary academic achievements.
On the other hand, the tuition for a CC is in general much lower, and they provide financial assistance as well. To put this in perspective, and assuming we’re only considering public in-state institutions, the average annual cost of tuition at a 4-year is $9,377; at a CC, tuition amounts to $3,501. (In this case, 4-year refers “to any 4-year postsecondary institution that offers an undergraduate degree program” – meaning universities and 4-year colleges).
When it comes to cost of attendance (COA), which includes “the total cost of tuition and fees, books and supplies, as well as room and board for those students living on campus”, the average COA for a 4-year is calculated as $25,707 while the COA for a CC adds up to $15,862.
However, considering the fact that there’s so much variation in the amount of financial aid an individual student can receive, you need to remember that these averages are likely not what you’ll pay.
You can find a more accurate depiction of average annual cost of education for students enrolled in Title IV institutions from the National Center for Education Statistics. According to the statistics for the academic year 2020-2021, the average grant/scholarship aid awarded to students with a family income of $0-30,000 amounted to $11,386 for a public 4-year and $7,360 for a public 2-year.
Compared to the average cost of attendance for their respective institutions, this adds up to a net price (the amount you/your family is expected to pay) of $9,110 for the 4-year and $6,347 for the 2-year. This could be a small difference to some and an expensive no-brainer to others, but we can all agree on the convenience of saving money!
In the end, these averages shouldn’t control your decision by any means. Rather, you should take all of this advice with a grain of salt and consider the many factors that play into how much your education will cost. For instance, how many credits will you be taking? Will you be part-time or full-time? Are you interested in getting a job while you’re a student?
When are you planning to graduate? After all, only 38.9% of students studying towards a bachelor’s degree actually graduate within 4 years. Although CC’s are often cited as being the more affordable option, look into the institutions you’re interested in and make sure you are up to speed with all of the potential costs and financial aid associated with each individual institution.
Classes
Although it’s certainly debatable, the general consensus is that CC courses may be easier for students to do well in than university courses. This isn’t necessarily because CC courses are easier; there are multiple factors that contribute to it.
For example, CC courses are for the most part smaller than most courses at universities, so students are able to interact and connect more with professors and possibly even with fellow classmates. Additionally, although a potentially controversial view, CC professors might be more focused on teaching their classes compared to university professors, who may receive more incentive to focus their attention on research rather than teaching.
There are some universities that also feature small class sizes, and plenty more with professors focused on teaching, but these may be a bit harder to find. Just something to consider!
Returning to Education
For students who decide to pursue other paths right after high school graduation, such as work, attending a community college can help ease them back into the game. This is made true by factors like how flexible CC courses are and how students can easily enroll in nearby community colleges – an incredible perk when it comes to staying close to friends and family.
It’s also easier tostudy part-time – a common option for students – and maintain agood life-work-study balance at a CC, which can help make the transition back into education even easier.
Associate Degree
Of course, there’s always the fact that you may just want an associate degree rather than a bachelor’s. This is a viable option as well, so don’t underestimate it!
Perks of Attending a University
On the other hand, there are some considerable advantages to matriculating to a 4-year institution right away. Just a few of them are included in the following:
Guarantee
If you’re debating whether or not you should even apply to universities in the first place, this can potentially be a big factor in your decision. As many benefits as there are to community college, it means that you’ll have to risk transferring to a university while you are a CC student. If you’re entirely confident in your ability to maintain good grades - and possibly extracurriculars as well - as a CC student, this might not be too much of a concern for you.
You might even be able to enroll in a program that will help or even guarantee your transfer for your bachelor’s degree! However, you should keep in mind that the transition from high school to college or even just life circumstances can be debilitating for some, and grades can suffer as a result. With this dip in grades comes the potential of a lower chance of admission – which means you may not be able to earn your bachelor’s in the end, even after spending two years in community college.
For reference, here you can see statistics for the average GPA of admitted transfer students to campuses in the University of California system, but you should always check for yourself what the average/competitive GPA is for universities you’re interested in. There’s always the possibility that a student can stay at a CC longer in order to improve their GPA, but there’s never a guarantee. As aforementioned, in 2022 only 40% of CC students with the intention to transfer to a 4-year university actually achieved that goal. In the end, even with all of the benefits of community college, this risk might not be worth it for someone with a bachelor’s degree in mind.
Not to mention, applying to a university as a high school student means there are no losses as long as you remain until you earn your bachelor’s degree. Trying to transfer to a university as a CC student means you can lose 2 years’ worth of time and money if you’re not accepted. Although an associate degree can certainly be helpful, this is a risky route if a bachelor’s degree is ultimately your end goal.
Safety
This point actually connects back to guarantee, but it’s incredibly important to keep in mind. Although this may seem backward, if you’re unsure of your academic ability in completing a bachelor's degree, then it could be more beneficial to try and attend a university directly out of high school rather than spend the first 2 years at a CC. Like I said above, it might be true that CC's are easier to adjust to.
But if there’s a chance you could score less than pleasant grades in your classes, it's the safer route to skip CC and go on straight to a university. If you were already enrolled in a university, you would need genuinely abysmal grades (generally below 2.0) in order to not receive your bachelor's degree. If you were at a CC, however, even just moderately unpleasant grades (say, in between 2.0 and 3.0) could decrease your chances of transferring to a 4-year - meaning a decreased chance of completing your bachelor's degree. Again, if a bachelor's degree is your end goal but you're unsure of your academic ability, consider skipping community college.
Of course, you should also consider whether you’ll be able to handle matriculating to a university right out of high school. For example, a GPA that’s too low, which is typically somewhere below 2.0, could result in academic probation, the loss of your financial aid, and the possibility of being kicked out of – or, “disqualified” from - your university. In this case, if there’s the potential you could get a much higher GPA - or a passable GPA - by attending a CC instead, definitely consider it.
Overall, if you’re not confident about your academic performance but also don’t think you could handle a direct transition to a university, evaluate your options and ability and don’t be afraid to consider a CC.
Variety
Owing to their size, universities typically have more expansive course and program offerings. However, you might find that you do not need this variety, so this option is entirely up to preference!
Transition
Moving from high school directly to a university would be a big transition, but it would mean transitioning from the end of one degree/diploma to the beginning of another – a clean transition. On the other hand, spending 2 years at a CC and then moving to a 4-year means transitioning to a new environment halfway through your studies.
For some, this could be an even larger disruption. CC’s and universities may be - arguably - relatively similar in course material and intensity, but there are multiple factors that could make universities more difficult to adapt to, like larger class sizes, decreased flexibility, and professors that are more focused on research.
Opportunities
Although it depends on the school, universities are likely to have more resources and opportunities available for their students, often owing to their size and emphasis on research. This could be in the form of clubs, extracurricular activities, potential for networking, and other opportunities – all of which can help advance your career!
This is one factor where universities triumph over all, even over four-year colleges (which also offer bachelor’s degrees).
Which Should I Choose: Community College vs. University?
Making the choice between community college or university can be a big decision for some students. Hopefully, the following suggestions can help in making this decision - but keep in mind that there are many other factors that you should also consider, including some that apply only to you.
CC > University if:
You’re worried about leaving high school.
You’re interested in exploring career paths right out of high school.
You’re interested in careers that only require an associate degree.
You haven’t been a student for quite some time.
You’re interested in an associate degree (an obvious point, but I had to put it out there)
You want to stay near home/study in a specific location and there aren’t any universities nearby.
You think your academics are not exactly competitive and don’t want to spend time and money applying to universities. Remember to check in with UPchieve's college coaches if you feel this way!
You don't qualify for financial aid at a university.
You want smaller class sizes/more interactions with more professors (this can definitely vary, but this is generally the case for CC’s).
University > CC if:
You’re dead-set on a bachelor’s degree and don’t want to risk getting a bad GPA in community college.
You’re worried you won’t be able to maintain a competitive GPA (as long as it’s still above a 2.0)
You want to take advantage of opportunities to advance your career.
You’re interested in graduate education.
You don’t want a shift in your environment halfway through your studies.
You qualify/think you may qualify for scholarships.
You’re interested in more variety for course and program options.
You want to be able to study and avoid worrying about being a competitive transfer applicant.
Note that the points above are just based on general assumptions. Take location as one example: I listed this as a perk for community colleges, but there might be a university located near you/wherever you want to study.
Remember that there’s incredible variety among different CC’s and universities – and incredible variety in what students like you want out of their education.
Final Thoughts on Community College vs. University
Unfortunately, some students don’t get the opportunity to choose between community college and a university. But for students who are contemplating where they want to go next in life, there are many things to consider before they make a decision.
There are even some extra steps you can take to find out what path is right for you! For instance, a great idea to invest in before you graduate high school is taking a CC course as well as a course at a university. Taking both will allow you to see how well you might transition into a CC or university, and give you an idea of what you can handle.
Overall, the one thing to remember is this: to each their own. Your own circumstances and preferences will determine what’s right for you. This might seem like an unhelpful bunch of common sense right now, but I can’t emphasize it enough. It may be a certain combination of the factors above or just one that will determine what path you choose. Others may try to persuade you as to which is the better choice, but only you know what your circumstances are, what you prefer, and – ultimately - what’s right for you.
If you’re understandably still unsure of which choice might be best for you, consider signing up for free to seek help from one of UPchieve’s college counselors!