See the States With the Best—And Worst—Community Colleges, Mapped

Community colleges are becoming more important for Americans seeking a college degree. Many face high costs and other barriers at traditional colleges.

The average annual cost at a U.S. community college is $7,780. This is much lower than the average cost of a typical college, which is $38,270. Community colleges offer a way to get an education without going into debt.

Some states have strong community colleges that help students with their education and careers. Other states do not perform as well.

Maryland Leads for Community Colleges

Maryland is a great place to start if you are looking for a community college. Its top five community colleges are all among the top 30 nationwide, according to WalletHub. This gives students many high-quality education options.

Prince George's Community College is one example. It has a main campus and several other locations. The college stands out for its student retention rates and high median salaries for graduates. It also gives students credit for life experiences they had before attending.

New Mexico ranks second. Mesalands Community College helped boost its ranking. This school was third nationally due to its teacher-to-student ratio and low student loan default rates.

Both Maryland and New Mexico offer free community college education. This helps reduce the debt burden students might face at a typical college.

South Dakota came in third, thanks to Mitchell Technical College. This college ranks fourth nationally. Its high graduation rates, retention rates, and teacher-to-student ratio contribute to its success.

The top 10 best states for community colleges are:

1. Maryland
2. New Mexico
3. South Dakota
4. North Dakota
5. Oregon
6. New Hampshire
7. Wyoming
8. Kansas
9. Wisconsin
10. Minnesota

Some States Struggle with Community College Education

Not all states have strong community college programs. This can make it harder for students to get an education at a lower cost. Of the 39 states WalletHub reviewed, Alabama ranked the lowest.

Seven of the top 20 worst community colleges in WalletHub's review are in Alabama.

Pennsylvania ranked second to last. Community college in Pennsylvania is expensive. Its tuition is among the top 10 most expensive in the country for both in-state and out-of-state students.

WalletHub found that Community College of Beaver County in Pennsylvania was one of the most expensive for in-state tuition and fees.

Mississippi was third on the list of worst states. This was due to poor rankings from specific community colleges there. Mississippi Delta Community College and Coahoma Community College both ranked among the 10 worst community colleges.

Here are the top 10 worst states for community colleges:

1. Alabama
2. Pennsylvania
3. Mississippi
4. Georgia
5. Ohio
6. Texas
7. Montana
8. Louisiana
9. New Jersey
10. Arizona

Note: WalletHub did not include 11 states in its final rankings. These are the 10 lowest-ranked out of the 39 states included.