Students enrolled at community colleges represent about half the undergraduate students in the United States. In 2009 nearly 12 million students were taking classes at community colleges across the country, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. Enrollment is split fairly evenly between part-time and full-time students, with part-time students leading the way at 60 percent. The average age of a community college student is 29, higher than their four-year-college counterparts. More than three-fourths of community college students were also working part- or full-time in 2009.
In 2009 there were 1,177 community colleges in the U.S. Community colleges split into three types. Public colleges dominate the community college landscape in the U.S., with close to 1,000 of the community colleges being public and part of a larger state education system. Some community college systems are independent, meaning they are not controlled by state governments. One such example is the New Mexico Independent Community College system, which consists of 10 community colleges throughout the state.
Students who choose to attend community colleges have a range of academic options. Most community college students work toward an associate degree in their chosen major. This two-year degree usually requires 60 to 70 credits to complete, and students can apply it toward a bachelor's degree at a four-year school. Non-degree-seeking students often enroll in continuing education courses to acquire a specific skill--such as learning a software program--or simply to enrich their minds.
Many community colleges have started to offer distance-learning programs for their students, allowing students to earn their degrees away from campus. These online-based programs either replace or supplement an on-campus degree program. At Portland Community College, for example, students can access courses through the Internet, television or videoconferencing technology. The rise in online education programs makes community college programs more accessible to non-traditional students.