Choosing community college for the first two years before transferring to a four-year university is a widely used cost-saving strategy. Community colleges typically charge significantly lower tuition per credit hour than four-year institutions, so completing general education and prerequisite courses at a community college can reduce total tuition costs while preserving the pathway to a bachelor’s degree. Students who plan carefully — ensuring credits transfer and aligning coursework with the intended major — can often graduate with the same degree as students who started at a four-year school but with substantially lower debt or out-of-pocket cost. For families and students on constrained budgets, the community-college-then-transfer pathway is a practical milestone that reduces total higher-education expenses.

Successful use of this pathway requires planning: verify articulation agreements and transfer policies with the target four-year institutions in advance, choose an academic advisor, and map required courses to avoid taking extra credits. Consider non-tuition costs too: living arrangements, transportation, and work schedules can affect net savings. Some students benefit from staying local to save on room-and-board, while others may need scholarships or work-study to make a four-year start viable. In short, community college can be an efficient, sensible route to a bachelor’s degree when used intentionally, with an eye on credit transferability and a clear academic plan that minimizes wasted time and expense.