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The Returns to Degree Completion at CUNY's Community Colleges. CCRC Research Report

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Title: The Returns to Degree Completion at CUNY's Community Colleges. CCRC Research Report
Language: English
Authors: Veronica Minaya, Judith Scott-Clayton, Joshua K. R. Thomas, Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC), MDRC
Source: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. 2026.
Availability: Community College Research Center. Available from: CCRC Publications. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; Fax: 212-678-3699; e-mail: ccrc@columbia.edu; Web site: http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 43
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305A240240
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Outcomes of Education, Associate Degrees, Bachelors Degrees, Majors (Students), Student Characteristics, Student Personnel Services, Community College Students, Wages, College Graduates
Geographic Terms: New York (New York)
Abstract: Drawing on over a decade of longitudinal linked administrative and earnings records, this report examines earnings returns for CUNY community college associate degree program entrants using selection-on-observables (OLS) and individual fixed effects (FE) methods, distinguishing between terminal associate degree completion and pathways involving bachelor's attainment, whether earned alone or in combination with an associate degree. Because degree completion is not random, estimated returns depend on the econometric assumptions underlying each approach. We pay particular attention to how returns vary across entry cohorts, major fields (as declared at entry), student demographic characteristics, and eligibility for ASAP (a program that provides intensive advising, financial support, and structured coursetaking to help community college students enroll full-time and graduate on time) as well as how these returns evolve over time after graduation (within a 10-year post-entry follow-up period). We find substantial and robust earnings returns to associate degree completion for CUNY community college students across multiple estimation approaches and student subgroups. For example, after accounting for a wide range of factors--including early academic performance and pre-college earnings--we estimate substantial earnings gains associated with completing a terminal associate degree by Year 10. Specifically, terminal associate degree completers earned about $2,426 more per quarter (roughly $9,700 annually), representing an increase of about 30% compared to noncompleters. Nearly as many community college entrants completed a bachelor's degree as completed only an associate degree, and bachelor's degree completers saw much larger annual returns--about $16,000 annually relative to noncompleters. Although earnings trajectories vary with timing, demographics, and local labor market conditions, degree completion is consistently associated with improved long-run labor market outcomes.
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679466
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: The Returns to Degree Completion at CUNY's Community Colleges. CCRC Research Report
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Veronica+Minaya%22">Veronica Minaya</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Judith+Scott-Clayton%22">Judith Scott-Clayton</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joshua+K%2E+R%2E+Thomas%22">Joshua K. R. Thomas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Columbia+University%2C+Community+College+Research+Center+%28CCRC%29%22">Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22MDRC%22">MDRC</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Community+College+Research+Center%2C+Teachers+College%2C+Columbia+University%22"><i>Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University</i></searchLink>. 2026.
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  Data: Community College Research Center. Available from: CCRC Publications. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; Fax: 212-678-3699; e-mail: ccrc@columbia.edu; Web site: http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/
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  Data: 43
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+Colleges%22">Community Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Associate+Degrees%22">Associate Degrees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bachelors+Degrees%22">Bachelors Degrees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Majors+%28Students%29%22">Majors (Students)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Personnel+Services%22">Student Personnel Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+College+Students%22">Community College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wages%22">Wages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Graduates%22">College Graduates</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+York+%28New+York%29%22">New York (New York)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Drawing on over a decade of longitudinal linked administrative and earnings records, this report examines earnings returns for CUNY community college associate degree program entrants using selection-on-observables (OLS) and individual fixed effects (FE) methods, distinguishing between terminal associate degree completion and pathways involving bachelor's attainment, whether earned alone or in combination with an associate degree. Because degree completion is not random, estimated returns depend on the econometric assumptions underlying each approach. We pay particular attention to how returns vary across entry cohorts, major fields (as declared at entry), student demographic characteristics, and eligibility for ASAP (a program that provides intensive advising, financial support, and structured coursetaking to help community college students enroll full-time and graduate on time) as well as how these returns evolve over time after graduation (within a 10-year post-entry follow-up period). We find substantial and robust earnings returns to associate degree completion for CUNY community college students across multiple estimation approaches and student subgroups. For example, after accounting for a wide range of factors--including early academic performance and pre-college earnings--we estimate substantial earnings gains associated with completing a terminal associate degree by Year 10. Specifically, terminal associate degree completers earned about $2,426 more per quarter (roughly $9,700 annually), representing an increase of about 30% compared to noncompleters. Nearly as many community college entrants completed a bachelor's degree as completed only an associate degree, and bachelor's degree completers saw much larger annual returns--about $16,000 annually relative to noncompleters. Although earnings trajectories vary with timing, demographics, and local labor market conditions, degree completion is consistently associated with improved long-run labor market outcomes.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED679466
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 43
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Community Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Associate Degrees
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bachelors Degrees
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Majors (Students)
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      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Student Personnel Services
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      – SubjectFull: Community College Students
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      – SubjectFull: Wages
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      – SubjectFull: College Graduates
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      – SubjectFull: New York (New York)
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      – TitleFull: The Returns to Degree Completion at CUNY's Community Colleges. CCRC Research Report
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