The average annual cost to attend a Community College (2 years) is about $4,000 and if you took 5 classes each semester, each course would roughly cost $400 as compared to the average cost of a 4 year college being about $2,500 for each course.
A student's first two years are general education courses and most students do better at a Community College for these courses than at a traditional college.
So, now you first two years is under $10,000 plus you have acquired an Associates Degree.
PLUS... it is much, much easier to transfer to a traditional college in your first year than in your first year where the entry requirement are substantially HIGHER.
It does not matter what your grades are or were at a Community College, when a student is transfering all grades transfer as "C's".
I have known many people to go to a community college for their first two years then transfer to an IVY LEAGUE college or university for their last two years, and receive a degree from a school that WILL OPEN DOORS for you for the rest of your life.
Additionally, instead of having college debt in the neighborhood of $200,000, it is now only around $100,000.
Your employer is not going to look at your first two years, only that you have a 4 year degree and at what school that degree was earned.