Local Community College officials are witnessing deepening interest in the value-added aspects
Elizabeth Johnston, executive director of public relations and marketing for Community College of Allegheny County, said that about 45 percent of CCAC’s for-credit student body -- a group that numbered 27,430 in 2014-15 -- are in the school's "transfer program," which she described as "geared toward the expectation that you lay your foundation here then move onto a baccalaureate program" at one of the many universities with which CCAC has articulation agreements. Essentially a transfer agreement, it allows the seamless transfer of CCAC credits. Those agreements are with all 14 universities in the state's system of higher education as well some three dozen additional universities and colleges.
The same kind of transfer agreements are in place at BC3, said Jessica Matonak, the college’s director of communications and marketing. She said about 70 percent of BC3’s student body is on the transfer track, with the balance in career programs. "Our transfer program has really grown," she said, noting that interest began to burgeon in the mid- to late-1980s.
"There is a significant amount of money to be saved," Ms. Johnston said. She cited a 2014-15 CCAC survey that determined that students saved $23,000 over two years by attending the community college instead of a public institution. That figure swelled to $54,000 when compared to a private institution. The savings were found in the collective areas of tuition, room and board, fees and other costs.
"This represents an exceptional value for students who want to get core classes out of the way, earn an associate’s degree, then use that as a springboard to a baccalaureate program at a four-year institution," she said.
The per-credit tuition costs at CCAC are $104.75 for Allegheny County residents; $209.50 for a student from another Pennsylvania county; $314.25 for a student who lives outside Pennsylvania. Most classes are three or four credits.
The costs of flat-rate tuition per semester, which covers between 12 to 18 credits, are $1,571.25 for Allegheny County residents; $3,142.50 for a resident of Pennsylvania outside of Allegheny County; and $4,713.75 for someone who resides outside Pennsylvania.
At BC3, where student enrollment totaled about 3,400 in fall 2015, the cost for tuition and required fees (the school does not break down the per-credit tuition rate without required fees) is $141 per credit for county residents; $241 per credit for Pennsylvania residents outside Butler County; and $341 per credit for residents outside Pennsylvania. The flat tuition rate per semester (without fees) for 12 to 17 credits is $1,500 for county residents; $3,000 for Pennsylvania residents who live outside Butler County; and $4,500 for residents outside Pennsylvania.
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