New from The Boston Foundation and MassINC, Pathways to Economic Mobility: Identifying the Labor Market Value of Community College in Massachusetts presents data on the impact of community college on earnings and employment in Massachusetts.
The analysis indicates that simply attending community college increases employment rates, while a certificate or degree sparks increases in employment and earnings – including an increase of as much as $14,000 annually in salary in some fields. Until recently, it has been difficult to accurately estimate the return to a community college education in Massachusetts because numerous factors affect who enrolls, when they enroll, the rate at which they complete a credential, and the field of study that they pursue. This report provides a timely contribution to the growing public policy debate around how we combat structural inequality by controlling for these factors and quantifying the power of community college as a pathway to economic mobility.
This research was co-authored by MassINC and The Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University and presented in partnership with The Boston Foundation.