Meza, Elizabeth2026-05-082026-05-082025-10-15https://hdl.handle.net/1773/55568Rising college costs have recently led potential students to forego higher education, with adults and low-income students citing affordability as a major barrier. In part addressing this problem, community college baccalaureate (CCB) degree programs have emerged nationwide to offer an affordable path to a bachelor’s degree that makes college more accessible. This study examines the affordability of CCB degrees across 15 states, analyzing tuition and fees, total cost of attendance, and net price compared to public four-year institutions. Using IPEDS data and institutional sources, the analysis reveals that CCB programs offer significant affordability advantages over traditional university pathways. CCB tuition and fees average $5,417 annually compared to $10,022 at public four-year institutions—a difference of nearly $4,600 per year. But college costs are much more than just tuition and fees. In states where data is available, CCB students pay an average net price (total cost of attendance minus financial aid) of $8,195 per year versus $14,190 at public universities, representing a 42% reduction in actual costs. The financial aid coverage patterns demonstrate that CCB programs effectively serve high-need populations, with aid covering 43% of total attendance costs compared to 30% at public universities. This substantial difference reflects CCB programs' ability to reach adult learners, working students, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United Stateshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/Article