SmartAsset

1. Gateway Technical College

• Location: Kenosha, WI
• Full-time retention rate: 81%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 8
• Tuition & fees: $4,766

2. Randolph Community College

• Location: Asheboro, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 76%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 9
• Tuition & fees: $2,416

3. Durham Technical Community College

• Location: Durham, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 66%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 6
• Tuition & fees: $2,229

4. Wayne Community College

• Location: Goldsboro, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 80%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 12
• Tuition & fees: $2,524

5. Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas

• Location: Helena, AR
• Full-time retention rate: 76%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• Tuition & fees: $3,500

6. Edgecombe Community College

• Location: Tarboro, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 74%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• Tuition & fees: $2,640

7. Wilkes Community College

• Location: Wilkesboro, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 66%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 7
• Tuition & fees: $2,572

8. North Central Kansas Technical College

• Location: Beloit, KS
• Full-time retention rate: 83%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• Tuition & fees: $8,492

9. Carteret Community College

• Location: Morehead City, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 71%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• Tuition & fees: $2,610

10. Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College

• Location: Minden, LA
• Full-time retention rate: 78%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 12
• Tuition & fees: $4,109

11. James Sprunt Community College

• Location: Kenansville, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 75%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 12
• Tuition & fees: $2,570

12. Southeastern Community College

• Location: Whiteville, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 67%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 9
• Tuition & fees: $2,600

13. Sandhills Community College

• Location: Pinehurst, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 74%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 12
• Tuition & fees: $2,764

14. Lee College

• Location: Baytown, TX
• Full-time retention rate: 78%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• Tuition & fees: $3,882

15. Arkansas State University Mid-South

• Location: West Memphis, AR
• Full-time retention rate: 72%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• Tuition & fees: $3,346

16. McDowell Technical Community College

• Location: Marion, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 59%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 7
• Tuition & fees: $1,958

17. Isothermal Community College

• Location: Spindale, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 69%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• Tuition & fees: $2,030

18. Beaufort County Community College

• Location: Washington, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 67%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• Tuition & fees: $2,518

19. Mid-Plains Community College

• Location: North Platte, NE
• Full-time retention rate: 71%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• Tuition & fees: $3,480

20. Wilson Community College

• Location: Wilson, NC
• Full-time retention rate: 62%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 8
• Tuition & fees: $2,920

Best Community College by State

Alabama: Bevill State Community College

• City: Jasper, AL
• Rank across the U.S.: 80
• Full-time retention rate: 66%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $5,278

Arizona: Paradise Valley Community College

• City: Phoenix, AZ
• Rank across the U.S.: 30
• Full-time retention rate: 65%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $2,070

Arkansas: Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas

• City: Helena, AR
• Rank across the U.S.: 5
• Full-time retention rate: 76%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• In-state tuition & fees: $3,500

California: Cabrillo College

• City: Aptos, CA
• Rank across the U.S.: 37
• Full-time retention rate: 74%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 16
• In-state tuition & fees: $1,262

Colorado: Community College of Aurora

• City: Aurora, CO
• Rank across the U.S.: 113
• Full-time retention rate: 61%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,030

Connecticut: Asnuntuck Community College

• City: Enfield, CT
• Rank across the U.S.: 78
• Full-time retention rate: 68%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 14
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,772

Florida: City College-Gainesville

• City: Gainesville, FL
• Rank across the U.S.: 32
• Full-time retention rate: 100%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 15
• In-state tuition & fees: $18,240

Georgia: Georgia State University-Perimeter College

• City: Atlanta, GA
• Rank across the U.S.: 253
• Full-time retention rate: 68%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 20
• In-state tuition & fees: $2,960

Hawaii: Kauai Community College

• City: Lihue, HI
• Rank across the U.S.: 26
• Full-time retention rate: 68%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $3,252

Idaho: College of Eastern Idaho

• City: Idaho Falls, ID
• Rank across the U.S.: 306
• Full-time retention rate: 50%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,390

Illinois: Highland Community College

• City: Freeport, IL
• Rank across the U.S.: 59
• Full-time retention rate: 66%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $6,904

Indiana: Ivy Tech Community College

• City: Indianapolis, IN
• Rank across the U.S.: 530
• Full-time retention rate: 59%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 23
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,637

Iowa: Southeastern Community College

• City: West Burlington, IA
• Rank across the U.S.: 54
• Full-time retention rate: 69%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 12
• In-state tuition & fees: $6,210

Kansas: North Central Kansas Technical College

• City: Beloit, KS
• Rank across the U.S.: 8
• Full-time retention rate: 83%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• In-state tuition & fees: $8,492

Kentucky: Hopkinsville Community College

• City: Hopkinsville, KY
• Rank across the U.S.: 246
• Full-time retention rate: 63%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 17
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,560

Louisiana: Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College

• City: Minden, LA
• Rank across the U.S.: 10
• Full-time retention rate: 78%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 12
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,109

Maine: Kennebec Valley Community College

• City: Fairfield, ME
• Rank across the U.S.: 291
• Full-time retention rate: 52%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 14
• In-state tuition & fees: $3,687

Maryland: Cecil College

• City: North East, MD
• Rank across the U.S.: 74
• Full-time retention rate: 69%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 12
• In-state tuition & fees: $8,310

Massachusetts: Greenfield Community College

• City: Greenfield, MA
• Rank across the U.S.: 50
• Full-time retention rate: 66%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $5,642

Michigan: Lake Michigan College

• City: Benton Harbor, MI
• Rank across the U.S.: 28
• Full-time retention rate: 79%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $7,148

Minnesota: North Hennepin Community College

• City: Brooklyn Park, MN
• Rank across the U.S.: 476
• Full-time retention rate: 61%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 21
• In-state tuition & fees: $5,050

Mississippi: East Central Community College

• City: Decatur, MS
• Rank across the U.S.: 194
• Full-time retention rate: 64%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 17
• In-state tuition & fees: $3,565

Missouri: State Technical College of Missouri

• City: Linn, MO
• Rank across the U.S.: 45
• Full-time retention rate: 88%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 18
• In-state tuition & fees: $7,440

Montana: Flathead Valley Community College

• City: Kalispell, MT
• Rank across the U.S.: 150
• Full-time retention rate: 54%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• In-state tuition & fees: $6,798

Nebraska: Mid-Plains Community College

• City: North Platte, NE
• Rank across the U.S.: 19
• Full-time retention rate: 71%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $3,480

New Hampshire: Manchester Community College

• City: Manchester, NH
• Rank across the U.S.: 143
• Full-time retention rate: 58%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $7,090

New Jersey: Salem Community College

• City: Carneys Point, NJ
• Rank across the U.S.: 87
• Full-time retention rate: 73%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 15
• In-state tuition & fees: $6,930

New Mexico: Santa Fe Community College

• City: Santa Fe, NM
• Rank across the U.S.: 67
• Full-time retention rate: 58%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $2,505

New York: SUNY Adirondack

• City: Queensbury, NY
• Rank across the U.S.: 190
• Full-time retention rate: 63%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 15
• In-state tuition & fees: $6,088

North Carolina: Randolph Community College

• City: Asheboro, NC
• Rank across the U.S.: 2
• Full-time retention rate: 76%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 9
• In-state tuition & fees: $2,416

North Dakota: Dakota College at Bottineau

• City: Bottineau, ND
• Rank across the U.S.: 76
• Full-time retention rate: 59%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• In-state tuition & fees: $5,347

Ohio: Lakeland Community College

• City: Kirtland, OH
• Rank across the U.S.: 83
• Full-time retention rate: 57%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,477

Oklahoma: Northern Oklahoma College

• City: Tonkawa, OK
• Rank across the U.S.: 211
• Full-time retention rate: 65%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 17
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,857

Oregon: Klamath Community College

• City: Klamath Falls, OR
• Rank across the U.S.: 124
• Full-time retention rate: 64%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 14
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,713

Pennsylvania: Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

• City: Lancaster, PA
• Rank across the U.S.: 39
• Full-time retention rate: 85%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 16
• In-state tuition & fees: $8,450

South Carolina: Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

• City: Orangeburg, SC
• Rank across the U.S.: 72
• Full-time retention rate: 68%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $5,954

South Dakota: Mitchell Technical College

• City: Mitchell, SD
• Rank across the U.S.: 24
• Full-time retention rate: 81%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $7,524

Tennessee: Chattanooga State Community College

• City: Chattanooga, TN
• Rank across the U.S.: 230
• Full-time retention rate: 53%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,430

Texas: Lee College

• City: Baytown, TX
• Rank across the U.S.: 14
• Full-time retention rate: 78%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $3,882

Utah: Salt Lake Community College

• City: Salt Lake City, UT
• Rank across the U.S.: 294
• Full-time retention rate: 58%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 16
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,257

Vermont: Community College of Vermont

• City: Montpelier, VT
• Rank across the U.S.: 540
• Full-time retention rate: 55%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 21
• In-state tuition & fees: $6,920

Virginia: Centura College-Virginia Beach

• City: Virginia Beach, VA
• Rank across the U.S.: 168
• Full-time retention rate: 71%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11
• In-state tuition & fees: $16,637

Washington: Shoreline Community College

• City: Shoreline, WA
• Rank across the U.S.: 269
• Full-time retention rate: 54%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 14
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,256

West Virginia: Blue Ridge Community and Technical College

• City: Martinsburg, WV
• Rank across the U.S.: 117
• Full-time retention rate: 61%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 13
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,128

Wisconsin: Gateway Technical College

• City: Kenosha, WI
• Rank across the U.S.: 1
• Full-time retention rate: 81%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 8
• In-state tuition & fees: $4,766

Wyoming: Casper College

• City: Casper, WY
• Rank across the U.S.: 41
• Full-time retention rate: 72%
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 14
• In-state tuition & fees: $3,528

Data and Methodology

Data for 616 two-year colleges that offer associate degrees and have at least 500 full-time enrollees were ranked based on the following metrics from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for the 2022-2023 school year:

• Retention rate. This is the percentage of first-time students who return to the institution to continue their studies the following fall. 
• Cost of tuition and fees. This is the cost of tuition and fees for in-state students completing two semesters of coursework. 
• Student-to-faculty ratio. This is the number of students for every faculty member. This metric was given a half weight.

Top 20 Community Colleges in the U.S.