Whereas community colleges and for-profit institutions both provide postsecondary educational opportunities, they are different in a host of dimensions. This brief describes some of those differences--not to win a debate or suggest public policy, but to show why comparisons made between the community colleges and for-profit institutions are more limited than some may suggest. This brief presents data for community colleges and, where possible, at each level (4-year, 2-year, less-than-2-year) of for-profit institutions to discuss distinctions that exist in terms of oversight, service, and financing. Some of the differences, but not all, are the following: (1) Oversight; (2) Service; (3) Financing; and (4) Moving Forward. (Contains 5 figures, 5 tables and 8 notes.)