FED Report Finds Community Colleges Provide a Good Return

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has just issued a report on the state of community colleges. The results indicate that even a year of a community college education can have a significant impact on earnings.

Community colleges play a significant role in U.S. higher education, enrolling 46 percent of current U.S. undergraduates. They offer an opportunity to receive a post-secondary education to many students who would not have attended college otherwise: first-generation college students, students from low-income families and older students who continue to work as they attend classes part time. Attending a community college even without completing a degree resultsin economic payoffs--in particular, annual earnings increase by 5 percent to 8 percent for each year of community college education--and better job opportunities.

Full report here.