Community colleges have been hailed as a "cornerstone of American higher education", and act as an important access point to post-secondary education for a wide range of students, particularly socioeconomically disadvantaged students and underrepresented minorities. However, community colleges have also been criticized for poor…

Career education programs in California's community colleges are a critical component of public higher education in the state. Also known as career technical or vocational programs, career education trains individuals for middle-skill jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. These jobs make up a third of…

The current research investigates the employment outcomes of Career Technical Education (CTE) from California community colleges. We used three years of data from the California Community Colleges Career Technical Education Outcomes Survey -- a survey of former community college students. We documented overall positive employment outcomes.…

Career education programs in California's community colleges are a critical component of public higher education in the state. Also known as career technical or vocational programs, career education trains individuals for middle-skill jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. These jobs make up a third of…

In a year that has upended higher education and created great uncertainty, it is more important than ever for students to understand which colleges payoff and how quickly. In April of 2020, Third Way released a report outlining the use of a Price-to-Earnings Premium (PEP) to evaluate the value of attending college and help students assess and…

In 2015, the Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges (RP Group) was contracted by the Joyce/Cabrillo Foundation to assess the long-term impact of the Academy for College Excellence (ACE) on students who had participated in the program between fall 2003 and spring 2014 at three California Community Colleges: Berkeley City,…

A skilled workforce is key to a thriving California economy. Strong and growing demand for highly educated workers has been a hallmark of the state's economy for decades, and forecasts show this demand continuing into the future. If current trends continue, about 40 percent of jobs in California will require at least a bachelor's degree by 2030.…

This edition of California community colleges Fast Facts provides statistics from the 2016-2017 academic year in the following categories: (1) Per-Student Funding by Education System, 2017-18 (est.); (2) Undergraduate Student Enrollment, 2016-17; (3) Number of Student Transfers to Four-Year Public & Private Institutions; (4) Percentage of…

The Certification Data Exchange Project (CDEP) was launched in 2012 to provide a model for sharing industry-recognized credential attainment data. Increasingly, employers and education leaders are recognizing the value of industry credentials to verify the knowledge, skills and abilities that students bring to the workforce. As states take steps…

The gender wage gap in the United States is a well-documented social and economic phenomenon. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 has done little to bring parity between men's and women's wages. Existing data show a relationship between race, age, geography, immigration, education, and women's pay status. This study analyzes wage disparity within higher…

At a time of sustained unemployment and sluggish job growth, students and policymakers are increasingly asking tough questions about postsecondary education and training outcomes. Do graduates find jobs? What are they paid? What will they earn in the future? Despite growing national interest in this information, good answers are not widely…

To determine if the rate of pay for part-time instructors at Compton Community College was low or average, a survey was conducted of the community colleges in California as to the pay of part-time instructors teaching lecture-type classes only. A survey questionnaire was sent to the Deans of Continuing Education in the 98 California community…

This study investigated the extent to which completing an associate degree or earning a vocational certificate impacts on the post-college earnings of students. The study examined data from California's Unemployment Insurance Wage Records and educational and demographic data for all California community college students maintained by the state…

The employment of community college instructors on a part-time basis provides the opportunity for students to study under outstanding instructors whose primary employment may be in industry or in other postsecondary institutions and permits colleges to respond better to community needs with the financial resources available to them. Along with…

A study examined the educational and labor market experiences of female graduates of agricultural programs. During the study, researchers interviewed 95 female and 84 male graduates of agricultural programs at 3 community colleges and 6 universities in California between the years 1977 and 1979. Survey participants were asked to supply various…