After nearly a decade of declining numbers of students attending Massachusetts community colleges, the student population is on the upswing again thanks to the state’s new free community college program.
In the last two years, new enrollment has surged by more than 40%.
But the program’s success has triggered the need for more funding and state officials have created a new commission to assess campus and student needs.
Community college leaders in Boston and Worcester said additional students support services and better faculty pay would help.
At Quinsigamond Community College, where enrollment has risen roughly 22% over the past two years, the school had to hire 40 new adjunct professors to cover introductory classes for new students.
As community colleges across the state scramble for more faculty, competition has increased, even as low faculty pay has made finding instructors more difficult.
“Our dedicated faculty and staff, who are the backbone of our institution, often earn less than high school teachers,” said QCC President Luis Pedraja, noting that faculty salaries are controlled by the state. “If we are to continue to provide high-quality education, we must advocate for equitable funding for our community college faculty and staff.”
Nate Mackinnon, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges called the challenges facing the system “growing pains.” While enrollment growth is a positive trend for higher education, he said it will be critical to address low compensation, especially for new faculty.
“Someone with a master’s degree gets a starting salary of just above $50,000 or $55,000. And we think that’s not sustainable,” he said. “Individuals aren’t willing to take the pay.”
At Roxbury Community College, enrollment this past semester jumped 30% from about a year ago in the fall of 2023.
Spokesperson Jordan Smock said while the college is grateful to offer more Boston residents the opportunity to pursue a degree, demands on the institution have also expanded.
“To support this growth, we’ve hired additional faculty, expanded our course offerings and ensured resources are available to address students’ nonacademic challenges,” Smock said.
Many students are struggling to cover basic expenses like rent or groceries while they attend classes.
Helping them meet those needs keeps students in school and can make the difference between enrolling in college and actually completing it.
At QCC, Pedraja said demand at the school’s food pantry — which is open to students and their families — nearly doubled since last spring as inflation and cost of living increases rose, reflecting increasing financial challenges for students despite the benefits of free college.
While making college tuition and fees free has been “transformative” for students, said QCC’s Pedraja, “to truly ensure their success, we need to address the growing need for expanded support services.”
While most students enter community college with a goal of earning an associate’s degree, traditionally only a fraction have graduated. Experts have said the system needs to do more to ensure a return on the state’s investment.
A successful community college pipeline is also a boon for students and the regional economy, Pedraja said.
“Most of our students come from the local area and remain here after graduation, contributing to the region’s growth and prosperity,” he said.
Despite the challenges of funding a free community college system, Mackinnon said he’d welcome even bigger enrollment growth. Prospective students should know there’s still time to register for the upcoming spring semester, he said.
