The Labor-Market Returns to Community College Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates
51 Pages Posted: 13 Oct 2012
Abstract
This paper provides among the first rigorous estimates of the labor-market returns to community college certificates and diplomas, as well as estimating the returns to the more commonly-studied associate's degrees. Using administrative data from Kentucky, we estimate panel-data models that control for differences among students in pre-college earnings and educational aspirations. Associate's degrees and diplomas have quarterly earnings returns of nearly $2,400 for women and $1,500 for men, compared with much smaller returns for certificates. There is substantial heterogeneity in returns across fields of study. Degrees, diplomas, and – for women – certificates correspond with higher levels of employment.
Keywords: returns to school, community college, diploma, certificate
JEL Classification: J24
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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