Community College Education is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for community college education students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall community college education education in the Southeast Region.
Our analysis ranked Old Dominion University the best school in the country for a degree in community college education. This very large public university is located in the city of Norfolk. About 46% of students finish within six years. About 12 community college education degrees were awarded at Old Dominion University in the most recent year. Students who receive their community college education degree from Old Dominion University earn around $63,648 in the first couple years of their career. Old Dominion University graduates carry a median of $26,001 in student loans.
See the full community college education program report for Old Dominion University
Students looking for a strong community college education program will find one at Mississippi State University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Mississippi State, Mississippi State University is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 67%. About 31 community college education degrees were awarded at Mississippi State University in the most recent year. Students who receive their community college education degree from Mississippi State University earn around $45,794 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,969.
Read more about the community college education program at Mississippi State University
A rank of #3 makes Alcorn State University one of the top schools for community college education. Located in the rural area of Alcorn State, Alcorn State University is a mid-sized public university. Roughly 56% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 24 community college education students who graduated with this degree at Alcorn State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the community college education program make about $37,028 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $29,674 to complete this degree.
Get the full community college education details for Alcorn State University
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
