According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the cost of attending a private, four-year college in 2010 was over 10 times as expensive as attending a community college. In fact, many four-year students are taking community college classes in an effort to save money on tuition costs. The "Washington Post" reported on this issue in Maryland in 2010, "Mr. Daly is spending $1,600 this summer for courses in statistics, 20th-century history, nutrition and anthropology. He's satisfying several graduation requirements and completing nearly a semester's worth of credits at Loyola Marymount, where a year of study costs $52,705 in tuition, fees and living expenses." While tuition is a significant cost of attending community colleges, it is also a significant savings over tuition for a four-year university.
While some community college students live with their parents, others live independently. This makes housing costs a part of attending community college for many students. Many community colleges, like Glendale Community College in Glendale, California, do offer housing services for international students. However, most community college do not have on-campus housing options for local students. Housing close to Glendale Community College's campus may cost anywhere from $900 to $1,20 for a two-bedroom apartment. Housing costs vary due to location and amenities offered, but are an integral part of attending community college for many.
According to the informational college website California Colleges.edu, books and supplies have an average cost of $1,600 per year for California community college students. Necessary supplies may include textbooks, notebooks, small computers or netbooks, pens and pencils, paper, printing costs and tutoring help. Textbooks may cost quite a bit of money, but many booksellers also buy back used texts at the end of each semester. There are even book-trading services for current students, where textbooks may be found for cheap or even free. One example of these services is the site Student Book Trades (see Resources).
Travel expenses can add a significant cost to attending community college. Travel costs include gas, car repairs, public transportation fees and parking fees. California Colleges.edu estimates the cost of travel and miscellaneous expenses, like entertainment, to be almost $3,600 a year. According to "USA Today," rising gas prices may increase the cost of public transportation, like bus and metro fares. Travel expenses can be a large cost related to attending a community college.