Community College Graduates Earn More Than Four-Year College Grads

Community college graduates, on average, earn a higher starting salary than those who graduate from four-year institutions, according to the Miami Herald.

2009 Florida employment data shows that those who earned an associate degree in science or a bachelor's degree from a community college earned $47,708 in their first year of employment, while those who earned a bachelor's degree from a private four-year college made $44,558 -- and those with a bachelor's from a public four-year institution only $36,552.

The Herald notes that wage differentials are likely due to the fact that community colleges tend to teach practical skills and impart technical training, while liberal arts colleges do not. This theory is confirmed by more figures, which show that those who earned postsecondary credit certificate earned more than state school degree holders, while those with community college associates in arts earned less.

However, it is also possible that the numbers reflect differences in age and work experience between community college and traditional students -- the higher earnings of the former may simply reflect a heftier resume. Findings from a report published last year -- that female grads with associate degrees in business earn less than male community college dropouts -- lend some credence to this conjecture.

Four-year college graduates do earn more in the long term, and have a higher salary ceiling than those with associate degrees or certificates.

What do you think of these findings? Is a four-year degree still worth getting? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Comments

[LoungeOwl]

07:56 PM on 01/10/2011

I am a community college student now to transfer to the University of California San Diego in Psychology. Community does offer practical skills for an AA, but many university students take general ed there too. I am also a strong supporter of the community college system. Even with Jerry's Brown's 1 billion dollar cut on state schools, community colleges offer guaranteed transfer from community to state schools.

I write more about my community college experiences and other personal development topics on my blog: http://www.loungeowl.com/blog/

[Demarcus Jackson]

03:38 PM on 01/04/2011

Of course, I think the explanation for this is more complex, but nevertheless, this is excellent news. I teach psychology at a community college and I am a strong supporter of the community college system in the United States.

[UB Alli]

12:21 PM on 01/04/2011

Interesting... but I think a lot of different factors could have played into these results, and while I don't question the results of this particular study, I definitely don't think we should be questioning the value of a bachelor degrees.
Starting salary is a tricky topic, because while it's absolutely important to recent graduates, it doesn't necessarily reflect the earning that someone will receive over the course of their lifetime. Community colleges are more focused on technical and hands-on skills that will be useful right away in a career. But, without the opportunity to advance presented by a bachelor's degree, this starting salary isn't going anywhere. Sure, the starting salaries mentioned may seem high, but they may not seem quite as high 20 years down the road.

[DrSnuggles]

10:00 AM on 01/04/2011

Reading the headline of this article I was quite surprised... sort of. But seeing as the data is kept to Florida it makes a lot more sense to me now. Someone who goes to community college is much more likely to be someone who is pulling themselves up than someone who goes to a standard 4 year college/university; simply because no matter the quality of the institutions in question - for a high school student (who is going on to higher education at all) the 'regular' institutions represent the path of least resistance (considering the support system for applications etc. present in most high schools).

The reason for my initial questioning of the headline is that the top tier schools should throw off this statistic. An undergraduate at Harvard (for example) is either there through extremely hard work, extreme natural ability or extreme connections. Your mileage may vary on which one is more common, but whichever one it is - it should lead to a much higher earning potential.

[Said One]

07:41 AM on 01/04/2011

Doesn't matter where you go - if you want jobs in the real world try to study something thats useful and not a personal enrichment claim.

One doesn't need to study things like philosophy or religious studies - one can be a philosopher with a ton of pot and musings, and just attending church or some religious institution is enough to formulate an opinion about religion. Also these things are things that can't be right or wrong.

And things like being able to "think" critically are laughed at by employers in the real world - it means nothing and is just a personal enrichment claim.

For my part I advise students to take Microsoft courses -the MCSE in particular.

[MJVs Common Sense]

02:09 PM on 01/04/2011

I couldn't disagree more. If I thought the first job out of college was the only thing that mattered, I might agree with you. However, Critical thought in all it's forms is an absolutely essential characteristic for anyone hoping to be promoted beyond the cubicle. Managers are expected to be able to handle complex problems and come up with innovative solutions, and to be perfectly frank, skills training doesn't prepare you to do those things. If we went to an education system that preference skills training we would have a country full of workers and no managers. We'd be sending our companies and corporate structures overseas instead of just our menial labor.

And as for your claim that employers laugh at that kind of thing, I've worked in HR, and there are a lot of things we laugh at (poorly dressed interviewees, people who can't seem to figure out how a shower works, etc.). However, innovativeness, critical thinking, and management potential are certainly not among them. In fact, people who never did anything unique to build their character outside of their Engineering or Business major were often not high on our lists.

[Sunny California]

02:59 AM on 01/04/2011

I attend a Community college right now. I transfered to a four-yr last yearr, but I have decided to go back to a CC for various reasons. In my experiences, most people who attend CC already have jobs and they are just looking for a two year degree to add skills. Most people I knew personally, went to a CC for medical or Computer skills of some sort or a some type of Trade skill. Most people at CC are older with jobs and families. A two year degree in something like Computers or a Medical field plus work experience equals sucess.

[chumt1]

12:34 AM on 01/04/2011

That article is seriously flawed. It reports how much CC science graduates earn, and then compares that figure to how much the average 4 year college graduate earns. I would strongly suspect that someone with a science degree from a 4 year college, public or private, would make more than their CC counterpart.

[lostinit]

12:12 AM on 01/04/2011

AMEN! Finally someone recognizes that Community Colleges are up to date in their curriculum and don't teach using a 1960s text. And yes, When I have talked to people with four year degrees they tell me that the employer wants experience...in something current. I think in many situations community college is more up to date than four year. If you are in I.T. you are likely to find a job faster with a two-year than playing the four year game and have a jump on salary expectations based on experience.

[ipresumelikely]

10:19 PM on 01/03/2011

I thought community colleges were all 2 years and then you transfer to 4yr public or private college for the last two if you want a BA.

[Benedictus70]

12:32 AM on 01/04/2011

Traditionally this was true, but recently there have been more and more CCs offering full bachelor degree programs. It's still somewhat controversial as it blurs the line between CC and traditional four year, and some in the CC world see it as mission creep.

[clearthinker2008]

10:12 AM on 01/04/2011

Some do that, some do not. It's up to the student how they want to play it.

[SoufiLouis]

09:41 PM on 01/03/2011

female grads earn more than male dropouts" lol i sure hope so. wooptie do for the research guys.

[species9512]

10:09 PM on 01/03/2011

Read the article (and link) again. Female grads earn LESS than male dropouts.

[Arrive2 net]

06:28 PM on 01/03/2011

Looks like if you need proof of the value of the community college education you get it here. The original Miami Herald story says the comparable high school grad starting salary is $21K. I wonder how the 4-year Bachelor degree from the community college (apparently they have those in FL) compares with the 4-year Bachelor degree from 4-year college in the long term. It seems like the 4-year Bachelor degree from the community college would cost quite a bit less, and the Miami Herald data says they get higher starting salaries that those from the cited 4-year colleges. This is a good descriptive story that might help students make good decisions.

Bernard Schuster
Arrive2.net
Twitter.com/arrive2_net

[clearthinker2008]

10:14 AM on 01/04/2011

I have never heard of a community college with bachelor degree programs. That is quite interesting that they are doing that in FL.

[MG Metiva]

04:57 PM on 01/03/2011

It might just be that welders and other affiliated skilled trades programs may be skewing the results.

[Angelus2007]

05:39 PM on 01/03/2011

I thik that is the point. Community College grads have skills rather than "theory". Many nursing and IT programs are also at community colleges. What skills does a Philosophy major have that would make them desirable? My wifes friend graduated from college with a major in English with a concentration in Poetry. Unless you are working for a publisher of poetry, most employers won't have a need for your skills.

Too many people go to college just to go, and graduate with a useless degree.

[MMRDO]

11:18 PM on 01/03/2011

That's not skewing the results, they're making an income and this is all about starting salary.

[MG Metiva]

08:55 AM on 01/04/2011

Until the four year university starts carrying the trades, then the data is somewhat tainted by the skilled trades such as plumbers, welders, and electricians.

[d4hess]

03:39 PM on 01/03/2011

It has been my experience that community colleges tend to focus on direct, detailed, real life application where as larger institutions focus on theories. (For example a community college is more likely to teach you the specifics of Oracle because they know it has real world application - a larger institution may have certain classes on Oracle, but for the majority classes will focus more how tools such as Oracle can be used to help a business, not the specifics).

Going to college is not about what you learn, it's about who you meet. The advantages of going to a 4 year University presents you with opportunities to network, network, network. The number of students who's parents own a successful business or are in high places is substantially higher at a larger institution. This is also true in differentiating Ivy League from mid-major schools: sure I went to Western Michigan University, met some great people and it offers me a great alumni group to tap into but had I gone to Harvard, that list would be even better - more influential people who have the ability to put me in a position to be successful as well as learning with the best and brightest. Success breeds success.

[david c taylor]

02:04 PM on 01/03/2011

Again from HP, another misleading article title...

[kersho]

12:15 PM on 01/03/2011

Its not "also possible" these numbers are reflective of age and work experience, that has to be the case. First, lets face it, without being that offensive we must realize that High School seniors (emphasis on a graduating senior) is most likely to go to a community college because they simply were not able to get into a University because of their grades or inability to get good scholarships because of said low grades. Those are often not interested in school and take a "year off" thus they would have worked more than their counterpart.
yes yes I know some people don't have a choice, but that can't excuse us from overlooking the fact that University is always more academically challenging than a community college. My friend was taking ENGINEERING Calc at his community college, and they were taking it on-line with the first test being a 20 MC 2 step derivative problems...anyone that took calc in University understands the complete BS associated with community college mathematics and other serious subjects. Those CC grades have probably worked more years or are older, it is false to equate the level of learning at an accredited University with a CC staffed by people who couldn't make it as University profs. And now I wait to get "refuted" by people with exceptional stories about how the system is a failure and they "know people" that HAD to go to CC.

[Benedictus70]

12:23 PM on 01/03/2011

It's definitely true that students at four-year colleges will take certain subjects at a CC because they're widely held to be taught at a lower (and hence easier) level.

Community colleges are a good option for a lot of students who are deserving of a second chance at higher ed, or are from families who cannot afford tuition at a four year institution (yes yes, there are a few elite schools out there that take care of you financially, but we're talking about the typical mid-tier public/private school). Not everyone is awesome at high school, and it's demeaning to condemn CC students for less-than-stellar high school grades.

[MG Metiva]

04:55 PM on 01/03/2011

The asumptions often lead the four-year student to run after seeing that community college is cheaper but often not any easier than the institution they came from.

[DJLenny]

12:29 PM on 01/03/2011

I completely agree and I look forward to those that will refute your comments. This coming from a senior at a large university who will be graduating in May, who also has a job, that pays far more than any of the figures listed above mind you, that a graduate from a CC would never be able to get.

[ssrelso]

08:57 PM on 01/03/2011

Apparently your large university didn't teach grammar and comma placement.

- unemployed attorney