Good news for those holding degrees from a California community college: New state data shows that students who complete their associate degree increase their pre-degree earnings by more than double after two years in the workforce, on average. After five years, they triple the pre-degree earnings.
The analysis comes from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCO), and it found that 48 percent of people with an associate degree earned at least $56,000 per year five years after obtaining the degree. That’s the same as the median wage of someone holding a bachelor’s, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The CCCO estimates a full-time community college education costs just more than $5,000 per year, whereas the University of California estimates the tuition and fees alone for one of its students with California residency reaches $13,500 per year.
On top of that, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts occupations requiring an associate degree will grow faster in the next three years than those requiring a bachelor’s.
Allan Hancock College awarded 897 students with associate degrees in the 2015-16 school year. Those interested in pursuing an education at Hancock can start registering for summer and fall courses on May 1. The college will offer about 400 classes this summer and 1,200 in the fall semester.
Hancock’s summer and fall class schedules will be available online starting April 10.
This article appears in Apr 6-13, 2017.