Government spending is in the spotlight as leaders in Washington, D.C. take a closer look at the federal budget. Budgets are also under consideration at the state level in Pennsylvania as Governor Josh Shapiro continues to support education at all levels and recently called for a 4.7 percent operating budget increase for PA’s 15 community colleges in his 2025-2026 budget address.
While this proposed increase is appreciated, community colleges deserve an even greater investment considering their proven ability to provide a robust return for taxpayers and their vital role in workforce development and economic growth.
April is Community College Month, an appropriate time to recognize the tremendous economic value community colleges bring to our communities. Community colleges are not only valuable pillars, but they are also a strategic, prudent investment for taxpayers in 2025 and beyond.
Community colleges directly contribute to the growth and prosperity of our Commonwealth. As shared during testimony at the PA House Appropriations Committee hearing on February 20, 2025, PA’s 15 community colleges generate over $13.6 billion in economic impact each year.
For many students, the accessibility and affordability of community colleges present the best option for continuing their education.
At Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), we’re actively measuring our own economic impact. A 2022 economic impact study by Lightcast showed that for every $1 invested in MCCC, students gain $4.70 in lifetime earnings, an average rate of return of 18.7 percent. Taxpayers also gain $2.30 in added tax revenue and public sector savings, an average rate of return of 5.5 percent. Society was shown to gain $9.30 in added income and social savings.
MCCC also benefits our communities by adding hundreds of millions of dollars in resident income and supporting thousands of local jobs. In the 2022 study cited above, MCCC contributed to $817.1 million in total income that year and supported 9,139 total jobs. At the state level, community colleges collectively educated 245,000 students in PA in 2024, according to the PA Commission for Community Colleges. Many of these students are the first from their families to attend an institution of higher learning.
Community colleges provide students with the skills needed to meet the demands of employers across PA. They are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between the education system and the workforce, offering specialized, short-term training programs and credentials that lead to good-paying jobs, apprenticeships and certifications that employers value.
These institutions offer programs that prepare individuals for high-priority occupations and careers, including those in fields such as healthcare, education, first responders, information technology, manufacturing and skilled trades — areas that are vital to the Greater Philadelphia region’s economy.
Last year, community colleges partnered with 2,100 employers statewide to align training programs with workforce development needs. MCCC is also a partner of the Workforce and Economic Development Network of PA (WEDnetPA), a state-sponsored program that provides qualified employers training funds for new and existing employees. MCCC has distributed more than $380,000 in WEDnetPA funding across 26 companies so far this year to assist with workforce training.
Students can save tens of thousands of dollars starting their education at a community college instead of a four-year college or university. Through articulation agreements, community colleges often offer valuable transfer opportunities to partner institutions, affording students with tuition discounts, scholarships, and matriculation as junior students.
Community colleges are not only valuable pillars, but they are also a strategic, prudent investment for taxpayers in 2025 and beyond.
Through dual enrollment programs, high school students can get a head start on college by earning college credits while simultaneously completing their high school requirements. At MCCC, 18 percent of our students last year were dual-enrolled. These dually enrolled students receive the same holistic support services as traditionally enrolled students, and some have even earned their associate degrees before graduating from high school.
For many students, the accessibility and affordability of community colleges present the best option for continuing their education. They offer not only a gateway to higher education but also the flexibility to attend classes while working or caring for family.
While this proposed budget increase will improve community colleges’ ability to serve our region’s students and set them up for lifelong, high-paying careers in our local areas, there’s so much more that can be done with additional funding.
With the budget still under consideration, we urge state legislators to consider additional funding for these institutions. Community colleges strengthen communities, provide high-paying jobs, build local economies, and provide a robust return on taxpayer dollars. With increased funding, community colleges will continue to expand their transformative impact — changing lives, shaping destinies, and empowering future generations.
Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez is president of Montgomery County Community College.
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