Series Debunks Common Misperceptions of Community College Bachelor’s Degree

A new Data Points series is providing insights into the impacts of community college bachelor’s degree education and increasingly diverse populations and their career prospects.

Dr. Angela KersenbrockThe series — funded by Lumina Foundation, the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA), and research partner, Bragg & Associates, Inc. — examines common misperceptions of community college baccalaureate degrees based on national research, comprising 11 white paper data points on race and ethnicity as well as employment and earnings potential among others.

For example, one paper in the series highlights a New America study that evaluated economic outcomes for students who stay in school to earn a bachelor’s degree versus exiting with an associate degree. The study found similar employment rates for the two groups — employment rates of Black baccalaureate graduates were three percentage points higher than their peers who earned associate degrees only.

Researchers found that one year after graduation, CCB completers earned approximately $10,000 more than graduates who earned an associate’s degree in a similar program.

“These ground-breaking data answer many basic questions about the students CCBs serve, their outcomes, and the positive and important impacts CCB programs deliver to their communities, the nation and the global marketplace,” said CCBA President Dr. Angela Kersenbrock, whose organization provides support and resources to community colleges that offer workforce-driven bachelor’s degrees.