When I tell people I study the outcomes of bachelor’s degrees awarded by community colleges, I usually get a somewhat puzzled look. After a bit of explanation, the question usually boils down to: Does earning a bachelor’s degree at a community college pay off?
Emerging research from Florida, Washington, Texas and California — the four states awarding over 80% of all community college baccalaureate (CCB) degrees in the U.S. — says the answer is yes.
The studies presented below find sizeable increases in salary from before the time students enter CCB programs to after they complete their degrees and enter or progress in employment. This research also shows that CCB graduates see a substantial increase in earnings compared to associate degree graduates in similar programs of study. Comparisons of the employment rates of CCB and university graduates in similar fields favor CCB graduates, but earnings show a more mixed picture, with variation by program and longevity in the workforce.
California
A survey of 2018 California CCB graduates showed their annual salary was $28,000 higher by September 2019 than their annual salary prior to enrollment. For 2019 graduates, annual salary averaged $12,000 higher than before CCB enrollment. Two-thirds of graduates said their CCB degree helped them get their current job.
A 2022 study reported the average annual income of 2020 CCB graduates in California to be $18,400 higher than their annual earnings before enrollment, indicating a 37% increase in income from pre-enrollment to post-graduation. A recent study showed Latino graduates’ wage gains averaged $22,600 from the start to completion of their CCB program, but this gain was less than what non-Latino graduates averaged at $27,700, pointing to an inequitable economic outcome.
Florida
Researchers compared the employment and earnings of CCB graduates in Florida to associate graduates and found the employment of CCB completers was 83% one year after graduation. They reported the annual earnings of CCB graduates were about $10,000 higher than associate graduates.
A more recent study confirmed a strong employment rate of 78% and median annualized earnings at $51,520 for CCB graduates one year after completion, with varying results by program and demographic group. The study showed CCB graduates tended to enter “higher-paying sectors” than university bachelor’s graduates but earn less in median annualized income. Except for CCB nursing graduates, who earn about $5,000 more per year than their university-trained counterparts, CCB graduate earnings lagged behind graduates of schools in the State University System (SUS) in all other fields: for example, by about $5,700 in business and $2,700 in education, both programs with many CCB graduates.
Texas
A study using data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) found the median annualized wages of CCB graduates to be $44,102 three years after graduation. This finding is based on a sample of 843 CCB graduates, but wages varied by race, age, gender and whether the student received a Pell grant.
It is important to note that three-quarters of these graduates were affiliated with South Texas College, which is one of three community colleges selected to pilot bachelor’s programs soon after CCB legislation passed in 2004.
While the median annual wage for CCB graduates appears low, partly because it is skewed toward graduates from a region of the state with a high poverty rate, the study concluded the annualized median income of CCB graduates “is comparable to Texans with bachelor’s degrees writ large.”
Washington
Research was conducted on the employment and earnings of Washington community college and university baccalaureate graduates between 2009-2017. Results showed the employment rate of CCB graduates was higher than that of university graduates in similar programs in the first, fourth and 12th quarters after graduation, reaching a more comparable rate in the last measurement (See graph, below).
Another study comparing CCB graduates to students who graduated from traditional four-year universities in the same degree didn’t find statistically significant differences between the two groups. In fact, the largest difference was between men and women, not between CCB graduates vs. university graduates, allaying some concerns that CCBs may not be as valued in the labor market as degrees from four-year institutions. Newer research on graduates obtaining a baccalaureate degree from a Washington community college shows 83% of graduates are employed, with a median annual wage of $68,000 within one year of graduation. Looking at median annual earnings by field of study, the report shows CCB graduate earnings range widely, from $46,000 in Arts, AV and communications, to $111,000 for nursing.
More research is needed to paint a fuller picture of the labor market outcomes of CCB graduates, but the results from these four states offer a promising outline. When people ask me if they’re worth it, I say yes.
