# Best Community Colleges

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: National
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-community-colleges

## Methodology

Mobility-weighted composite for public associate's-degree-granting institutions

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Graduates from the Fashion Institute of Technology earn an average of $62,696. That’s a significant jump in income compared to many community colleges. For families, that number represents potential financial security after graduation.

Searching for the best community colleges is often a quest for a brighter future. Families weigh factors like job prospects, graduation rates, and debt. The goal is clear: find a school that sets students up for success without overwhelming them with debt.

Consider De Anza College and Middlesex College. De Anza graduates earn $56,596 on average with a graduation rate of 68%. In contrast, Middlesex College sees earnings of $46,861 and a graduation rate of just 34%. These differences can impact a family’s decision-making process.

## Key Findings

- Graduates from the Fashion Institute of Technology earn an average of $62,696.
- De Anza College has a graduation rate of 68% compared to Middlesex College at 34%.
- Irvine Valley College has the lowest net price at $2,090.
- Southern Utah University graduates carry an average debt of $12,500.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Fashion Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fashion-institute-of-technology) | New York, NY | 82% | $62,696 | $19,095 | $12,000 | 0.19x |
| 2 | [Southern Utah University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-utah-university) | Cedar City, UT | 60% | $50,296 | $10,462 | $12,500 | 0.25x |
| 3 | [Western Texas College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-texas-college) | Snyder, TX | 56% | $42,508 | $3,562 | $7,515 | 0.18x |
| 4 | [Irvine Valley College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/irvine-valley-college) | Irvine, CA | 57% | $49,156 | $2,090 | $6,500 | 0.13x |
| 5 | [Raritan Valley Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/raritan-valley-community-college) | Branchburg, NJ | 33% | $48,145 | $6,778 | $10,500 | 0.22x |
| 6 | [Bristol Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bristol-community-college) | Fall River, MA | 22% | $38,663 | $5,547 | $8,243 | 0.21x |
| 7 | [Pittsburg State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pittsburg-state-university) | Pittsburg, KS | 57% | $50,579 | $15,784 | $18,969 | 0.38x |
| 8 | [SUNY College of Technology at Alfred](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-college-of-technology-at-alfred) | Alfred, NY | 54% | $50,445 | $15,016 | $13,750 | 0.27x |
| 9 | [Saddleback College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saddleback-college) | Mission Viejo, CA | 46% | $50,874 | $4,152 | $9,500 | 0.19x |
| 10 | [Bismarck State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bismarck-state-college) | Bismarck, ND | 48% | $54,277 | $10,270 | $11,533 | 0.21x |
| 11 | [Williston State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/williston-state-college) | Williston, ND | 41% | $44,017 | $5,932 | $10,099 | 0.23x |
| 12 | [Weber State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/weber-state-university) | Ogden, UT | 45% | $56,287 | $10,258 | $15,113 | 0.27x |
| 13 | [Utah Valley University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/utah-valley-university) | Orem, UT | 43% | $55,486 | $6,376 | $14,750 | 0.27x |
| 14 | [Warren County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/warren-county-community-college) | Washington, NJ | 43% | $43,359 | $5,726 | $9,300 | 0.21x |
| 15 | [College of Southern Idaho](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-southern-idaho) | Twin Falls, ID | 34% | $40,916 | $6,095 | $8,000 | 0.2x |
| 16 | [Pasadena City College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pasadena-city-college) | Pasadena, CA | 44% | $43,937 | $3,864 | $6,651 | 0.15x |
| 17 | [Sussex County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sussex-county-community-college) | Newton, NJ | 40% | $44,664 | $7,859 | $11,000 | 0.25x |
| 18 | [Northern Oklahoma College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-oklahoma-college) | Tonkawa, OK | 44% | $37,566 | $5,625 | $11,000 | 0.29x |
| 19 | [College of the Canyons](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-the-canyons) | Santa Clarita, CA | 44% | $49,022 | $3,702 | $9,612 | 0.2x |
| 20 | [North Dakota State College of Science](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-dakota-state-college-of-science) | Wahpeton, ND | 52% | $50,513 | $11,261 | $12,000 | 0.24x |
| 21 | [Barton County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/barton-county-community-college) | Great Bend, KS | 38% | $40,428 | $9,905 | $9,501 | 0.24x |
| 22 | [County College of Morris](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/county-college-of-morris) | Randolph, NJ | 35% | $50,243 | $8,895 | $9,000 | 0.18x |
| 23 | [Mount Wachusett Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mount-wachusett-community-college) | Gardner, MA | 27% | $41,118 | $7,931 | $10,252 | 0.25x |
| 24 | [Brazosport College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/brazosport-college) | Lake Jackson, TX | 47% | $45,910 | $4,732 | $5,641 | 0.12x |
| 25 | [Montgomery College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/montgomery-college) | Rockville, MD | 30% | $50,159 | $8,027 | $10,415 | 0.21x |
| 26 | [College of the Sequoias](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-the-sequoias) | Visalia, CA | 36% | $39,092 | $480 | $4,500 | 0.12x |
| 27 | [Carroll Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carroll-community-college) | Westminster, MD | 43% | $44,349 | $2,725 | $11,750 | 0.26x |
| 28 | [Mitchell Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mitchell-technical-college) | Mitchell, SD | 74% | $50,743 | $13,460 | $12,000 | 0.24x |
| 29 | [Northern Virginia Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-virginia-community-college) | Annandale, VA | 35% | $53,557 | $9,919 | $11,000 | 0.21x |
| 30 | [Temple College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/temple-college) | Temple, TX | 29% | $38,678 | $10,682 | $12,813 | 0.33x |
| 31 | [North Iowa Area Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-iowa-area-community-college) | Mason City, IA | 58% | $43,462 | $10,010 | $9,500 | 0.22x |
| 32 | [Kirkwood Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kirkwood-community-college) | Cedar Rapids, IA | 42% | $41,016 | $9,705 | $12,000 | 0.29x |
| 33 | [College of Southern Maryland](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-southern-maryland) | La Plata, MD | 33% | $44,435 | $9,204 | $8,500 | 0.19x |
| 34 | [Lake Region State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-region-state-college) | Devils Lake, ND | 51% | $49,502 | $13,577 | $10,293 | 0.21x |
| 35 | [Jefferson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/jefferson-college) | Hillsboro, MO | 35% | $40,782 | $7,378 | $9,285 | 0.23x |
| 36 | [Connecticut State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/connecticut-state-community-college) | New Britain, CT | 21% | $41,344 | $11,513 | $9,200 | 0.22x |
| 37 | [North Central Texas College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-central-texas-college) | Gainesville, TX | 35% | $45,809 | $6,587 | $11,250 | 0.25x |
| 38 | [Suffolk County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suffolk-county-community-college) | Selden, NY | 27% | $49,907 | $5,258 | $8,250 | 0.17x |
| 39 | [Northeast Texas Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeast-texas-community-college) | Mount Pleasant, TX | 46% | $37,870 | $6,706 | $10,946 | 0.29x |
| 40 | [Wharton County Junior College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wharton-county-junior-college) | Wharton, TX | 24% | $44,960 | $4,666 | $7,703 | 0.17x |
| 41 | [Ocean County College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ocean-county-college) | Toms River, NJ | 40% | $45,210 | $11,411 | $11,150 | 0.25x |
| 42 | [Arkansas Tech University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/arkansas-tech-university) | Russellville, AR | 49% | $41,766 | $12,970 | $21,000 | 0.5x |
| 43 | [Massachusetts Bay Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/massachusetts-bay-community-college) | Wellesley Hills, MA | 16% | $52,654 | $7,169 | $6,500 | 0.12x |
| 44 | [Carl Sandburg College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carl-sandburg-college) | Galesburg, IL | 45% | $35,274 | $3,662 | $4,909 | 0.14x |
| 45 | [Tulsa Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tulsa-community-college) | Tulsa, OK | 28% | $39,746 | $6,288 | $12,223 | 0.31x |
| 46 | [North Shore Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-shore-community-college) | Danvers, MA | 18% | $45,391 | $9,000 | $9,000 | 0.2x |
| 47 | [Macomb Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/macomb-community-college) | Warren, MI | 17% | $41,596 | $1,618 | $6,000 | 0.14x |
| 48 | [North Central Missouri College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-central-missouri-college) | Trenton, MO | 57% | $40,837 | $13,626 | $10,500 | 0.26x |
| 49 | [CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-borough-of-manhattan-community-college) | New York, NY | 25% | $42,306 | $4,976 | $7,574 | 0.18x |
| 50 | [New Mexico Junior College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/new-mexico-junior-college) | Hobbs, NM | 42% | $34,233 | $6,524 | $11,313 | 0.33x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Community Colleges." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-community-colleges

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.