16 Facts about Maryland’s 16 Community Colleges
- 70% of Maryland freshmen and sophomore college students are enrolled in one of Maryland’s 16 community colleges.
- Each year, Maryland’s community colleges enroll a diverse population of nearly 500,000 students.
- More than 50% of Maryland’s community college students transfer to in-state colleges and universities to complete their baccalaureate degrees.
- Maryland’s community colleges have dozens of transfer agreements with colleges and universities, both in-state and out-of-state, that guarantee the maximum number of credits will transfer and save students thousands of dollars in achieving their bachelor’s degrees.
- Students who start at a Maryland community college and earn an associate’s degree and transfer in-state to earn a bachelor’s degree will save on average $11,000 in tuition and fees.
- There are 156 non-credit program options at Maryland’s community colleges that meet professional licensing and certification requirements for in-demand jobs within our local communities.
- The average student-to-faculty ratio at Maryland’s community colleges is 16:1, which encourages a collegiate environment of increased student/faculty engagement.
- Maryland’s community college classes are taught by highly educated and credentialed faculty and industry experts, who are dedicated to student learning.
- Maryland’s community colleges engage diverse student populations through enriching co-curricular activities and clubs as well as with successful, competitive men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic programs as part of the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference (MDJUCO) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
- 88% of alumni from Maryland’s 16 community colleges remain within the state and they contribute to their local and state economies by purchasing goods and services and as engaged tax-paying citizens.
- For every dollar invested, community college students will realize an average 2.5 return on investment while taxpayers see an annual return of 4.2% on their investment in Maryland’s community colleges.
- Nearly $10 billion is pumped into Maryland’s economy every year by our 16 community colleges. (equivalent to employment of 150,000 people)
- By 2020, 69% of Maryland’s jobs will require a postsecondary education. Community colleges are the largest single workforce trainer in Maryland.
- Due to Maryland’s community college students and their completion, Maryland will see avoided social costs amounting to $494 million annually, equal to the sum of avoided costs related to health, crime, and unemployment.
- Maryland community colleges offer degree, certificate and skills training programs to support workforce development for the region’s fastest growing industries such as nursing, allied health, cybersecurity, and hospitality.
- Graduating from one of Maryland’s community colleges has proven to have a profound impact on earnings. The median income for graduates more than doubles three years after completion when compared to student earnings one-year prior to graduation.
