Four Maricopa Community Colleges are among the top 50 best community colleges in the United States, according to College Choice. South Mountain Community College (SMCC), Scottsdale Community College (SCC), GateWay Community College (GWCC), and Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) are recognized for their excellence in education and workforce readiness.
“Our mission is to provide access to excellent education and opportunities for our diverse students to achieve their educational and career goals,” said Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick, Chancellor of Maricopa County Community College District. “This recognition is a reflection of the competence and dedication of our innovative faculty and staff, and their collective commitment to serving our students and communities.”
SMCC is ranked number 11 and is lauded for its diversity and intimate class settings. SCC came in at 28 for preparing students in dominant workforce fields that do not require four-year degrees. GWCC placed 33rd, excelling in their healthcare programs and entrepreneurial innovation. At number 34, EMCC is recognized for providing convenient access to a variety of degree tracks, job training, and community education courses in the expanding Southwest Valley.
College Choice uses correlated data from Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program, Payscale, and individual community colleges to compile their list of the 50 best community colleges in the country. They consider several factors in developing an institutional performance score, including first year retention rates, three-year graduation rates, and credentials awarded.
College Choice also creates a diversity score by assessing the community college’s percentage of non-traditional and minority students, the number of Pell grants, and minority graduation rates. Return on investment is determined by comparing in-district tuition rates and a graduate’s potential salary.
Learn more about Maricopa Community Colleges and the complete top 50 list.
About Maricopa Community Colleges
The Maricopa Community College District includes 10 regionally-accredited colleges – Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale and South Mountain, serving more than 200,000 students with two-year degree, certificate, and university transfer programs.