2023 Best Online Community Colleges

With the rising popularity of online learning, students may wonder what their options will be for online junior college and community colleges online. Although recent data is scarce, 92% of U.S. community colleges offered at least one online degree program in 2016. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence from around the country that the best online community colleges will offer more distance learning courses than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prospective students may wonder which states have the most options for a community college online. The most populous states tend to have a higher number of community colleges, which usually means that these states have more available online programs. For example, California offers thousands of online courses through 115 schools in its community college system, including classes for 21 associate degree programs.

Online degree programs deliver classes through internet-based learning platforms, such as Blackboard or Canvas. Most community college online classes are primarily asynchronous. This means that faculty post recorded lectures, assignments, and discussion questions, and students can log in at convenient times in order to complete coursework. 

Some online community college courses and degree programs feature synchronous lectures or video discussions among classmates, which means that class times are established beforehand. Additionally, many colleges offer hybrid programs that mix in-person class sessions with online work.

Colleges and employers maintain that the quality of education is equal between their on-campus and online programs — with the same curriculum, course materials, and learning outcomes. Many distance courses are even taught by the same faculty as in-person classes, and these professors hold virtual office hours for students in online sections. In most cases, online students can also access library resources over the internet and schedule phone or video appointments with librarians or academic advisers.

Choosing the right college can be a difficult decision. While there are many factors to consider, one of the most relevant ones is location. Choosing a college in-state can provide students with lower tuition costs. If the school has a campus, some programs may require students to attend in-person practicums or complete on-site lab work. By searching for "community colleges online near me," students can find local programs in their state.

Not all states are equal when it comes to community colleges. Some have embedded systems that include a series of independently operated community colleges that are all connected. The Association of Community College Trustees offers an in-depth look at the state-level governance of community college systems. Indiana, for example, has a statewide system called Ivy Tech, which features 26 different locations around the state. Vermont, Louisiana, Rhode Island, and Kentucky all have similar systems in place. The main benefit of statewide systems like these is that they provide a proven process for effective education. That being said, there are still many independent colleges that offer worthwhile programs.

OnlineU has put together a comprehensive list of the best community colleges for each state:

One of the key reasons students attend community college is the generally low cost, which can help reduce future debt by allowing students to take about half a bachelor's degree courseload at a lower tuition rate. Another reason students attend is the variety of careers that they can embark on with an associate degree in hand.

If you intend to enroll in a community college, then it may be worth researching available distance learning options. If your local college doesn't have the particular degree program you're seeking, it's possible that another one will. If you choose another community college in the same state, you can still take advantage of state-based financial aid programs to help reduce your costs.

Prerequisites and Admissions

Community colleges are intended to serve as inclusive educational resources, so they operate on an open-access principle that guarantees admission for most applicants. Applicants may need to take placement tests to determine their placement level in certain subjects, but these tests aren't meant to exclude students entirely.

Applicants to degree and certificate programs usually need a high school diploma or its equivalent, which can include the following:

• A GED
• A home-school diploma
• A passing score on an approved ability-to-benefit test that demonstrates the educational competence of a student who doesn't have a diploma

Some high-demand degree programs have caps on the number of students. In these cases, the application process is selective, and admissions officers may consider a student's GPA, placement test scores, record of extracurricular activities, and general fitness for the program.

Application Materials

Prospective students generally fill out an online application and submit official high school transcripts and scores from college entrance exams. Transfer students will also send transcripts from any postsecondary institutions they've attended.

Applicants usually pay a nonrefundable fee that covers the work of processing the application. Many colleges waive this fee for applicants who demonstrate financial need; check with the admissions office for more information. Most community colleges accept applications on a rolling basis, so students can begin whenever the first class in their program is offered.

Choosing a Location

Most community college students attend a school near their home because the majority of students attend at least partially in person — even though only a tiny percentage live on campus. It's possible for a fully online student to enroll anywhere in the U.S. if a particular program is appealing or unavailable near their home. However, students will forgo financial aid programs offered by the state where they live, as these are only awarded to state residents if they attend an in-state school.

Other Factors To Consider

When applying to community colleges and deciding where you'd like to go, there are some important factors to consider in addition to location. Studies suggest that community college students enrolled in campus programs perform better and complete courses at a higher rate than online students. The reasons aren't always clear, but the researchers recommend that schools prepare students for the challenges of online learning through special orientations, stay on the lookout for students at risk of dropping out, and offer better technical support and academic advising.

Before deciding to pursue an online degree, prospective applicants can research how well a community college has adopted these three recommendations. They can make a list of questions to determine how invested a college will be in their success, including the following:

Tuition and fee rates at community colleges can vary, but they're designed to be more affordable than other education options. Because most community colleges are public institutions funded by property taxes, the cost structure often has three tiers:

Non-resident online learners won't always pay the out-of-state rate because some colleges offer online tuition at either the in-district or out-of-district rate regardless of residency. Community colleges may also be subject to a tuition reciprocity agreement, whereby students from a neighboring state pay less than the out-of-state rate. 

Community college students will need to pay fees in addition to tuition, which vary by school and may be different for online and in-person students. Students must also buy books and supplies. Very few enrollees pay on-campus housing costs, though some pay for a meal plan. Fully online students can avoid transportation costs that commuters must consider.

Financial Aid

Community college students are eligible for many of the same types of financial aid as students in four-year schools. These include scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and loans from government or private sources.

The usual first step in applying for financial aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) — which is the gateway to all federal and most state and institutional aid programs. A completed FAFSA details an applicant's personal or family financial situation, including their level of need and the amount their family is expected to contribute toward their education.

No matter how much a student contributes toward their own degree, they should first exhaust all possible sources of gift aid, which they don't need to repay. Below are a few categories of grants and scholarships that can help reduce a student's costs and future debt burden: