Community College Bridge — Four-Metric Tradeoffs
Utah community college medians: $6,574 net price, 45.8% completion, $38,044 pay, $4,454 debt — compare all four metrics, not one label.
Community college is often marketed as the affordable bridge. Utah capstone medians show $7K net price, 45.8% completion, $38K typical pay, and $4K median debt — a four-metric tradeoff, not a single “cheapest” label.
- Community pay ($38K) sits below four-year ($46K) but near technical ($38K).
- Community debt ($4K) stays below four-year ($9K).
- Compare interactively on compare sectors.
Source: Pathways & Outcomes analysis · College Scorecard · Opportunity Chain capstone
Net $7K · pay $38K · debt $4K · completion 45.8%.
| Pathway | Net price ($0–$30k) | Median debt | Typical pay (6 yr) | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USHE community | $7K | $4K | $38K | 45.8% |
| USHE four-year | $10K | $9K | $46K | 52.7% |
| USHE technical | $3K | N/A | $38K | 79.0% |
Key takeaway: Community college medians: $7K net price, 45.8% completion, $38K pay, $4K debt — compare all four before calling it the cheapest bridge.
Technical note: Opportunity Chain capstone · College Scorecard pathway medians.
Updated 2026-06-29. Sources: College Scorecard · Opportunity Chain capstone. Backlog S-8 · students.
Pathways & Outcomes original analysis; cite the report and link to the primary URL. Data vintage: College Scorecard · Opportunity Chain capstone.
APA: Pathways and Outcomes. (2026). Community College Bridge — Four-Metric Tradeoffs. https://pathwaysandoutcomes.org/utah/research/community-college-bridge-tradeoffs/
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