"The gap is between the jobs that take no skills and those that require a lot of skill," says Rob Spohr, a business professor at Montcalm Community college.

Many foreign students are attracted not only to the academic programs at a particular US college but also to the larger community, which affords the chance to soak up the surrounding culture.

If you're a student considering community college, you'll know that your diploma will give you a leg up in the job market.