In the U.S., there are three main types of colleges: public, private, and community colleges.
A college is considered public if the state owns it or receives significant government funding. Typically, public universities have a lower cost for in-state students than private universities because the money they have been paying in taxes has previously helped fund that university.
To attend a public university as an in-state student, the average cost is $27,146 annually, according to educationdata.org.
In-state students also have a higher acceptance rate to public universities than to other private institutions. The majority of public schools are larger and tend to have more diverse campuses than smaller private schools. Because of the size, they also tend to have more clubs and a wider range of academic programs, according to collegewise.com.
There are also aspects of a public college that people may not like.
First, because they tend to be larger, the class sizes are also larger. Coming from high school with relatively small classes, a large introductory course can be overwhelming. Another downside of the large student body is that research opportunities and access to resources can be difficult and competitive.
A private college is an institution that is not owned, funded, or operated by the government.
According to collegewise.com, one advantage of private colleges is their smaller class sizes, which allow you to get to know your professors better and have a more personal educational experience.
Certain private colleges tend to have prestige and a legacy attached to their name, which can be helpful in the future, but it also makes them more competitive.
Because they are not government-funded, private colleges tend to be much more expensive than public universities. The national average to attend a private college is $58,628 annually, according to educationdata.org.
The third type of college is a community college, a non-residential junior college that offers courses to people living in a certain area.
Typically, they offer two-year associate degrees.
According to EducationData.org, the average cost of attending a community college is $7,780. In Massachusetts, the average price for in-state students is $6,010.
Undergraduate students at a community college earn credits for their classes and can put them towards a bachelor’s degree (a four-year degree). And since community college is cheaper, it lowers the overall price of receiving a bachelor’s degree.
Some benefits of attending a community college are that they are more affordable than the other two options, and they can provide workforce training. Another benefit is that the class schedule can be more flexible. For those working or who have day commitments, community colleges offer night classes and online alternatives, according to usnews.com.
In the end, there is no wrong answer to which you choose to attend. They all have advantages and disadvantages. You must work out which one is the best fit for you.
