Overview

Much has been published recently about the value of a college degree over the long term. While the cost of higher education has continued to rise, the benefits associated with that education continue to grow as well. An associate degree can offer a particularly good return on investment (ROI), since the cost of obtaining the degree is significantly less than a bachelor's degree, and the job opportunities can be plentiful. While we've compared whether state universities or community college graduates earn higher salaries, consider these statistics concerning the ROI on various associate degrees to determine whether community college might be the next logical step in your career plans.

The Cost of an Associate Degree

Degree Central cites 2010 statistics from the College Board that show the average annual tuition cost for a community college is $2,544. Most can be earned in two years or less, although some students might take longer if they are juggling professional and family responsibilities along with their studies. For most students, a degree from a community college can be earned for less than $9,000.

By the same token, the 2009 annual average tuition cost at a public four-year school for residents was just over $7,000, while the rate for non-residents was more than $18,500. Private schools ran approximately $26,000 per year. These rates translate to a significant amount of debt for most students once they graduate, while community college students often graduate with little or no debt.

This video explores answers

Not everyone who makes headlines today came from an Ivy League institution; in fact, some did not attend a four-year university at all. Those who did often got their start in the humble beginnings of their local community college – a school that may be highly underrated for its ability to churn out graduates poised to make a real difference in the world. Take a look at these 10 famous community college graduates to see how two-year schools can provide the foundation for a bright future.

Ross Perot

This two-time presidential candidate ran on the independent ticket in 1992 and 1996. A successful businessman in his own right, Business Insider reports that Perot worked for IBM before leaving the company to start his own business, Electronic Data Systems, in 1984. After Perot sold that company to General Motors for $2.4 billion, Perot started a second company, Perot Systems, Inc. That business was acquired by Dell in 2009 for $3.9 billion.

Before beginning his long and illustrious business career, Perot began his quest into higher education at Texarkana Community College. After taking classes at his local community college, Perot transferred to the Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1953.

Tom Hanks

This Oscar-award winning actor, known for his stellar performances in flicks like “Forrest Gump” and “Saving Private Ryan,” reportedly couldn’t land roles in theatre productions during his college years. According to the Huffington Post, Hanks first attended Chabot College in Hayward,

Community colleges have traditionally received a bad reputation for the quality of education they provide, but is that reputation really well-founded? While not all community colleges are created equal to be sure, many are working hard to provide a high-quality education to their students, with a wealth of degree options in fields looking for skilled workers. To ensure the education at community college remains top-rated, benchmarks are being put into place to hold schools accountable for their performance and help students make the best choice in schools for their specific needs.

The Spotlight on Community Colleges

Community colleges have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, thanks to the Obama administration. When President Obama announced his lofty goal to significantly increase the number of college graduates in this country by 2020, he raised community colleges up as an important tool in meeting his goal – an action that community colleges have both lauded and feared. As more people turn to community colleges as a way to achieve higher education, focus on these schools also involves evaluating the quality of education received.

Today, it is not enough for community colleges to boast they are the institutions that put students first. They must go beyond their history of innovative curriculum and teaching strategies to accurately measure how well those strategies actually work. Even without sufficient budgets or tools to meet the requirements of their students, these schools are now on the hot seat to find ways

The latest President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is out. And some of the community colleges that made the grade are making repeat appearances on the list. These schools have shown exemplary performance in civic engagement and community service. The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll was first established in 2006 by the Corporation for National and Community Service to recognize schools of higher education that go above and beyond their basic educational responsibilities to serve their surrounding communities more effectively. We'll take a closer look at this prestigious honor and some of the community colleges that made the grade this year.

About the Honor Roll

Since he took office, President Obama has issued a national call to service as a major cause for his administration. The president wanted to acknowledge the schools of higher education around the country that went the extra mile to meet the needs of their communities and find solutions to common social problems. As a result, the President's Honor Roll for Community Service was created. Appointees for the annual honor roll are chosen through the Corporation for National and Community Service work in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Contact and the American Council on Education.

Many factors go into the selection of colleges and universities for the honor roll. According to the website of the Corporation for National and Community Service, some of the features schools must exhibit

How to Earn Your Associate's Degree in Less than Two Years

The associate's degree has become a popular way to begin or advance a career today, as it can be earned in less time than it takes to obtain a bachelor's degree.

• Students can cut time even more through various strategies that get them out of community college and into the workforce in less than two years.
• Consider these tips to help you get the training and education you need to advance your career in much less time than a traditional degree program.

CAnva generated this picture of a community college student.

Choosing a Community College

The first step in shortening your stay at a community college is to choose a school that offers an accelerated degree program.

• According to a recent report in USA Today, some community colleges are getting rather creative in their programming structure to help students earn complete associate's degrees in less time.
• Some colleges have even been able to cut their program time in half, allowing students to get their associate’s degrees and move into the workforce in a single year.

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College will begin offering a fall-trimester format to students interested in graduating early.

• Course schedules will switch from 16 weeks to 14 weeks, allowing students to complete the trimester in a shorter period of time.
• To compensate for lost time during the term,