WalletHub ranks Missouri Community College best in US

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Community colleges on both sides of the state line have impressive bragging rights.

A WalletHub ranking just named State Technical College of Missouri the best community college in the country. It also ranked Manhattan Area Technical College in Kansas the fourth best community college in the US.

The personal finance site sampled 677 schools from a list of institutions in the American Association of Community Colleges.

Each college was graded in three areas with 100 points representing the best community college. Each area includes multiple subcategories, including:

Cost & Financing
- Cost of in-state tuition and fees
- Free community college education
- Average amount of aid
Education Outcomes
- Retention rate
- Graduation rate
- Student-faculty ratio
Career Outcomes
- Student-loan default rate
- Median salary after attending

State Technical College of Missouri

This is the fourth year in a row State Technical College of Missouri received the top spot in the WalletHub ranking.

The college is located in Linn, Missouri, southeast of Columbia.

The analysis gave State Technical College high marks in many areas, but especially in graduation rate and enrollment.

“To maintain the top spot for four straight years is a complement to our employees, employers, and the students that make State Tech the outstanding institution it is. The good news will continue next week when we open the fall semester with an anticipated 6^th years in a row with record breaking enrollment, making us the fastest growing college in the state. It’s simply a great feeling to start another academic year as the number one two-year college in the country,” Dr. Shawn Strong, State Tech President, said.

Manhattan Area Technical College

Manhattan Area Technical College is located in Manhattan, Kansas.

The college said it averaged 6.7 percent growth in enrollment every year for the last four years. The college said 86 percent of its graduates stay in the region to work and also help Kansas boost communities.

It’s something the college works to achieve.

“We are thrilled to have this national recognition of our College. MATC changes lives with the combined efforts of our faculty and staff. Our primary mission is workforce education for high demand, high wage and/or critical need occupations for our service area, with a focus on occupations requiring less than a bachelor’s degree,” James Genandt, President of Manhattan Area Technical College, said.