Mitchell Technical College was named the 6th Best Community College in the U.S. in a recent study from personal finance outlet WalletHub.com.
“Cost is often a major consideration when choosing a college. And with tuition rates continuing to rise every year — not to mention all the other expenses related to attendance — many would-be students are unable to afford a university education,” according to WalletHub, an organization dedicated to helping consumers “efficiently attain top WalletFitness so they may enjoy life instead of worrying about money.”
Those concerns have been exasperated by the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the organization, making community colleges more appealing than ever.
“Community colleges offer students the ability to get higher education without having as much financial strain,” according to the organization. “Individual community colleges, however, vary in quality and affordability. To determine where students can receive the best education at the lowest price, WalletHub compared more than 650 community colleges across 19 key indicators of cost and quality. Our data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio to graduation rate. In addition to this ranking, we also conducted a state-level analysis of the Best & Worst Community College Systems.”
On average, enrollment at a community college costs roughly 65 percent less than at a public university, and 90 percent less than a private university.
Mitchell Tech’s #6 ranking overall was determined by a composite score for each of three areas: cost and financing, education outcomes, and career outcomes. Mitchell Tech scored third in education outcomes in the study and sixth in career outcomes. Mitchell Tech ranked higher in every category than all other South Dakota community colleges in the study, finishing as the state’s top-ranked overall.
According to an internal report of Mitchell Tech graduate outcomes in 2021, 99 percent of last year’s graduating class of 476 was employed full-time within six months, with 95 percent working in their field of study. Of those graduates, 360, or 85 percent, are pursuing careers in-state.
Additional details from the study can be found at https://wallethub.com/edu/e/best-worst-community-colleges/15076/.
About Mitchell Technical College
Founded in 1968, it is an innovative leader in technical education and a valued partner in global workforce development, preparing students for career success and lifelong learning in an ever-changing world. The state-of-the-art campus, located on the edge of Mitchell, South Dakota, is home to 35 on-campus academic programs and four online programs. The college prides itself on its regionally unique programs and military friendliness.
