Montgomery College secured tenth place in this year’s WalletHub ranking of the Best & Worst Community Colleges, which also named the school the best community college in Maryland.
WalletHub said that Montgomery College, with campuses in Takoma Park/Silver Spring, Rockville, and Germantown and a recently opened East County Education Center in White Oak, stands out “due to high median salaries for graduates, good student retention rates, and the fact that it offers credit for life experiences.”
Behind Montgomery College, Carroll Community College in Westminster ranked second in the state, and Howard Community College in Columbia ranked third. Prince George’s Community College and Cecil College ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
According to the report, Maryland’s state community college system ranked first in the country, followed by New Mexico and Connecticut.
WalletHub analyzed data from 668 community colleges around the U.S. and ranked them based on 19 metrics, including tuition costs, availability of free community college education, transfer rates, and student-loan defaults. All 668 schools in WalletHub’s rankings are members of the D.C.-based American Association of Community Colleges.
Community colleges offer students the opportunity for higher education without as much financial strain. According to the report, tuition and fees for full-time, in-state enrollment at a public two-year college from 2023 to 2024 averaged just $3,990 per year, compared to $11,260 at a public four-year institution and $41,540 at a four-year private school.
Community colleges also offer several other attractive qualities, such as flexible schedules, small class sizes, and rigorous coursework. Some even offer four-year bachelor’s degrees in addition to two-year programs.
“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,” said WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe. “The best colleges also help their students even post-graduation by offering employment services to help them find jobs with good salaries. Finally, many of the best community colleges realize school isn’t the only place people learn, so they offer credit for life experiences.”
The full report is available to view on the WalletHub website.
Photo: “Montgomery College, Takoma Park – Silver Spring 10” by Farragutful is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.