The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) released a report in January that detailed the contributions of a community college education to society and made the case for an increase in their state funding. “Simply put,” the report said, “America’s community colleges are the brokers of opportunity for a stronger middle class and more prosperous nation.” Despite their many benefits to American society, community colleges do not get the same level of funding as other forms of higher education. While they service 43 percent of college students, community colleges have received only 20 percent of the funding available in state higher education budgets.
The AACC report indicated that 63 percent of the estimated 46.8 million jobs that need to be filled by 2018 will require some college education. While some students go directly into traditional bachelor’s degree programs, community colleges play an important role in bringing a larger number of college-educated workers into the workforce. By the fall of 2011, community colleges were enrolling 13 million students, including 8 million in for-credit courses.
Community colleges act as a “launching pad” for 43 percent of students, especially minority and low-income students, who enter the colleges as their introduction into post-secondary education. Nearly half of all college students have taken at least one course at a community college and 28 percent of bachelor degree earners started out at community colleges.
While many community college students go on to earn additional degrees, earning a bachelor’s degree is not the only measure of success in higher education. The AACC noted that earning certificates and associate degrees are also “viable college-level outcomes.”
Community college students provide great benefits to their local communities because they tend to be very loyal geographically after graduating. A 2010 study by the Health Resources and Services Administration found that those who became registered nurses through an associate degree program stayed in their local communities at a rate of 75.5 percent, compared to only 65.2 percent who earned their credentials through a bachelor degree program. Students at community colleges also help local economies through higher rates of consumption and real estate rentals, because 84 percent of them have jobs in addition to their schooling.
The report concluded that states must prioritize community colleges in their educational budgets in response to all the societal benefits. “If increasing educational attainment is a true state priority, commensurate fiscal support must follow.”
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