Tuition at community colleges is $3,660 a year on average—but here's how much students actually pay

Community colleges have long been an important stepping stone for Americans interested in continuing education. The most recent figures from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) indicate that there are approximately 8.7 million students in the United States studying at public two-year colleges, or community colleges. Over the past several decades, the cost of earning a college diploma has increased dramatically , and community colleges are not immune. According to the College Board's 2018 Trends in College Pricing Report , sticker prices at public two-year institutions are more than twice as high in 2019 as they were in 1989.