University HQ BadgeFor the second straight year, online higher education resource University HQ ranked Îå·ÖÁùºÏ²Ê first for their report. Research information came from government websites produced by the , the Department of Education's , the , and independent compensation software and data company .

The study considered several factors, including:

Cost of tuition – On average, students can take a full course load with fees, room and board for less than $10,000 per year.  

Retention rate – Calculated by the percentage of incoming first-year students who return the following year, the current retention rate at CCC is 65.8%, which ranks second among Kansas community colleges. Renovated housing, financing options, counseling and advising services, and new facilities make Colby an attractive option.  

Graduation Rate – One-on-one advising, free tutoring, and accessible instructors allow students to position themselves for success. Colby's latest graduation rate is 54%, which ranks first in the state, according to the Kansas Board of Regents Community College Data Book

Salary of graduates – CCC offers several programs in high-demand and high-paying fields, so graduates often rank near the top among Kansas peers for their return on investment.  

Loan default rate – Related to the cost of attendance and salaries of graduates, the loan default rate of Colby alumni is 8.11%, significantly lower than the national average of 11%.

Percentage of students receiving financial assistance – Because various federal, institutional, and outside funding options are available, about 90 percent of Colby students receive aid.