DataPoints: Significantly more parent students attend community college Young college students with children disproportionately attend community colleges, according to a new analysis of federal data by Child Trends, a research organization focused on improving the lives of children and youths. Almost half (47%) of postsecondary students age 18 to 24 with children attend community college, roughly three times […]
DataPoints: Promising completion rates
The average completion rate* for students who first enrolled in public community colleges in fall 2016 rose to a record high of 33.7% – up from 30.1% the prior year – based on new data from the U.S. Education Department. The rate is 46.6% when students who transferred prior to earning a credential (complete or transfer rate) are added. […]
DataPoints: Inroads in apprenticeships, despite COVID
Despite the pandemic, a national initiative led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to increase the number of apprentices and services throughout the U.S. has made significant advances in its first year. Expanding Community College Apprenticeships (ECCA), which is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), had aimed to train 16,000 apprenticeships over three years. […]
DataPoints: Community college revenues
More than half of the $62.3 billion in community college revenues in 2017-18 came from state and local dollars, with states providing one-third. As states expect to see a significant drop in their tax revenues due to the pandemic, two-year college advocates are concerned that it will result is less state funding for community colleges. […]
DataPoints: Tuition and fees
Community colleges continue to offer the lowest average tuition and fees compared to all other sectors of higher education. For the 2019-20 academic year, average annual tuition and fees at community colleges was $3,730, compared to $10,440 average annual tuition and fees at public four-year institutions. The relatively low price of attendance at community colleges […]
DataPoints: Community colleges and student aid
In the 2017-18 academic year, community colleges received 33 percent of all distributed Pell Grant funds even though they enrolled nearly 41 percent of all undergraduates. As shown below, students at community colleges received a smaller share of other federal Title IV funds relative to their share of enrollment. Community colleges enroll an even higher […]
DataPoints: Shifting to online education
The COVID-19 pandemic has required community colleges to shift from in-person instruction to online and virtual instruction for most classes. Colleges were forced to make this transition in just a few days. It is too early to have reliable data on how many classes and how much instruction has successfully transitioned to online and virtual […]
DataPoints: Student residence
Nearly 16 percent of all undergraduate students live on campus compared to 1.5 percent of community college students. Read the full PDF.
DataPoints: Students serving our country
Nearly 6 percent of U.S. undergraduate students have served in the military. Read the full PDF.
DataPoints: Less need for federal loans
Community college students with Pell grants are less likely to take on student debt than similar students in other sectors of higher education. Read the full PDF.