Labor Market Trajectories for Community College Graduates: New Evidence Spanning the Great Recession
Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment
This paper examines the relationship between obtaining an associate degree or non-degree certificate and (1) earnings, (2) likelihood of full-time, full-year employment, (3) likelihood of earning above a “living wage,” and (5) likelihood of ever claiming unemployment insurance. By using data spanning up to 11 years after students entered community college, this paper also illustrates how the returns on credential completion can vary over time.