Tuition and Fees

Community College of Philadelphia seeks to make a college education accessible for all students by offering affordable tuition rates.

These tuition rates vary based on residency:

  • Philadelphia residents pay $159 per credit hour.
  • Other Pennsylvanians pay $318 per credit hour plus a $10 nonresident capital fee per credit.
  • Non-Pennsylvanians pay $477 per credit hour plus a $20 nonresident capital fee per credit.
  • Some courses have additional fees; check the individual course descriptions for this information.

Tuition and Fees for a Philadelphia Resident

Number of Credits Tuition Technology Fee General College Fee Cost
1 credit $159 $30 $4 $193
2 credits $318 $60 $8 $386
3 credits $477 $90 $12 $579

Sample Tuition and Fees for a Philadelphia Resident with a 13-credit load:

Course Number of Credits Tuition Technology Fee General College Fee Additional Course Fee Cost
ENGL 101 3 credits $477 $90 $12   $579
PSYC 101 3 credits $477 $90 $12   $579
MATH 118 3 credits $477 $90 $12   $579
BIOL 106 4 credits $636 $120 $16 $175 $947
Total 13 credits $2,067 $390 $52 $175 $2,684

Use our tuition calculator to estimate your tuition and fees.

Tuition Deposit: $50

An applicant accepted or readmitted for full-time status by the College may be required to remit a $50 nonrefundable deposit within a specified time frame for Allied Health curricula. The applicant’s letter of acceptance will specify the date.

This deposit ensures you a place at the College and will be credited to the initial semester’s tuition charge. If you fail to register for that semester, the tuition deposit will not be refunded but may be applied to subsequent registrations within that academic year only.

Fees

General College Fee: $4 per Credit

To fund the cost of student publications, intramural and intercollegiate athletics, student clubs and organizations, and other special services and activities for students, there is a general College fee for credit courses.

Technology Fee: $30 per credit

A fee of $30 per credit is charged to defray the institutional operating and equipment costs associated with providing student access to technology in academic and student support services and in instructional programs.

Course Fees

Some courses offered by the College are subject to course fees. These include courses with laboratory costs, clinical instruction costs or additional instructional hours. Fees range from  $85 to $345 per course. The applicable course fee, if any, is shown at the end of the course descriptions in the Course Descriptions section of the Catalog

Online Learning Course Fee: $35 Per Course

A fee of $35 will be assessed for any section of a course that is offered as an online or hybrid course. Students should consult course offerings for each semester to identify which courses are available in an online or hybrid course delivery format.

New Student Processing Fee: $60

Students registering for the first time to take credit courses will be charged a one-time new student processing fee in the first semester bill. This fee is nonrefundable as of the first day of the semester.

Nonresident Capital Fee

$10 per credit for Pennsylvania residents outside Philadelphia
$20 per credit for students who do not meet the state’s residency requirement
Since the College’s capital costs are funded by the city and state, this capital fee is charged to nonresident students for whom the city and state provide no capital support.

Late Registration Fee: $30

A $30 late registration fee will be charged to previously enrolled students who register after the payment deadline for credit courses during the fall and spring semesters.

Credit by Examination Fee: $159

This fee is charged for each course in which a student has applied for credit on the basis of examination. The fee is based on the tuition rate for one credit hour, and is nonrefundable.

Prior Learning Assessment Fee: $159

This fee is charged for each course in which a student has applied for credit on the basis of learning achieved outside the traditional college classroom. The fee is based on the tuition rate for one credit hour, and is nonrefundable.

Lost Identification Card Fee: $10

A fee of $10 will be charged for each replacement of the College photo identification card.

Non-Credit Student Identification Card Fee: $10

Students enrolled only in non-credit courses may be issued a College Identification Card upon request and upon payment of a $10 Photo Identification Card Fee.

Academic Transcript Fee

The transcript fee is payable in advance and requires the student’s written release. For normal mail service (allow 5-7 business days for processing), the fee is $10 per transcript. For instructions on how to request transcripts online please click here.

Returned Check Fees: $25

A penalty of $25 will be assessed for all checks and electronic checks (e-checks) issued to the College but not paid on presentation to the bank. A replacement check--by cash, certified check or money order--must be presented within five business days.

Senior Citizens

The College offers a discounted rate per semester to senior citizens on a limited, space-available basis. Eligible seniors are required to pay a $159 course registration fee. This fee is based on the tuition rate for a Philadelphia resident for one credit hour and is nonrefundable as of the first day of class.

Eligibility requirements:

  • At least 65 years of age
  • Philadelphia resident

Important information:

  • Course prerequisites must be completed to permit registration
  • The discounted rate applies to a maximum of one credit-bearing course per semester
  • Registration is not permitted until two weeks prior to the start of the semester
  • Auditing a course requires approval from the instructor immediately following registration
  • Senior Citizen Application Form must be completed every semester

Other Costs

Although the tuition for Philadelphia residents is relatively low, students need to plan ahead and anticipate all costs for the period of enrollment. The basic budget for one semester at the College should include, in addition to the appropriate tuition and fees, the following estimates*:

  • Books and Supplies: $1,200
  • Transportation: $1,500
  • Meals: $1,300

*Actual costs will vary by student and by program of study.