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Are four-year college degrees becoming pass茅?

According to a recent Gallup poll, two in three Americans rank a community college education as high as a four-year program. The one group that disagreed were Americans with post-college education, who were about 10 percent more likely to value a four-year degree over a two-year program.

Traditionally, students who attend community college education are driven primarily by price tag. 鈥淭he only consistently affordable options that remain are community colleges,鈥� says Ben Miller, senior director for post-secondary education at the Center for American Progress.

In 2014-15, the聽average聽tuition and fee total for a full-time student at a public two-year institution was聽$3,347, compared to $9,139 at public four-year colleges, and private colleges and universities can be many times more expensive.

But the growing popularity of community college is driven by more than affordability.

Convenience

鈥淲e鈥檙e increasingly recognizing that the price of going to college is more than just tuition,鈥� says Mr. Miller in a Monitor interview. In addition to tuition, students who travel out of state to attend a public four-year institution or university also have to consider room and board fees, plus transportation costs.

鈥淐ommunity colleges, being close to people's homes, are becoming more affordable because you can live at home,鈥� says Miller. That's an attractive option for students from low-income families, he says. Nationwide, 44 percent of low-income students choose community colleges as their first college after high school, compared with 15 percent of students overall.聽

Higher acceptance rates

Students have a much better chance of getting into a community college than a four-year college or university. 鈥淭he most elite colleges are very unwilling to take on more students,鈥� says Miller. In 2014, elite universities rejected 90 to 95 percent of their applications, the New York Times reported.

That exclusivity contributes to their "status,鈥� Miller says, while community colleges can add up to 1,000 students every year. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e more willing to grow and add seats as the population grows.鈥�

Lower risk

Many Americans are willing to take out loans to pay for a college education, but for students who aren鈥檛 convinced a higher education is right for them, living in debt just isn't worth the risk. 鈥淥ne of the things that we did in this country is, we made college too heavy of a risk to try,鈥� says Miller. 鈥淪omeone who borrows for college and drops out isn鈥檛 in a great place.鈥�

Not only are community colleges cheaper and thus less of a financial risk, there鈥檚 also the prospect of tuition-free community colleges for 鈥渞esponsible students,鈥� recently proposed by President Obama. 鈥淚f you take the the cost out, then it gets less risky,鈥� Miller says.

Flexibility and variety

Community colleges are smaller than most four-year institutions and private universities, and to many, that鈥檚 part of their appeal. For example, most community colleges don鈥檛 have research centers or notable sports teams, so they can focus on academics, says Miller. On the other hand, four-year colleges and universities have been increasingly funneling their money into sports over academics, according to the聽American Association of University Professors.

Community colleges are also known for their dual programs, Miller says, which allow students to choose between in-person or online education 鈥� an attractive option for those juggling work and school.