Career Technical Education and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from California Community Colleges

61 Pages Posted: 4 May 2015 Last revised: 3 Apr 2023

See all articles by Ann Huff Stevens

Ann Huff Stevens

University of California, Davis - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Michal Kurlaender

University of California, Davis

Michel Grosz

Federal Trade Commission

Date Written: April 2015

Abstract

Career technical education (CTE) programs at community colleges are increasingly seen as an attractive alternative to four-year colleges, yet little systematic evidence exists on the returns to specific certificates and degrees. We estimate returns to CTE programs using administrative data from the California Community College system linked to earnings records. We employ estimation approaches including individual fixed effects and individual-specific trends, and find average returns to CTE certificate and degrees that range from 14 to 45 percent. The largest returns are for programs in the healthcare sector; estimated returns in non-health related programs range from 15 to 23 percent.

Suggested Citation

Stevens, Ann and Kurlaender, Michal and Grosz, Michel, Career Technical Education and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from California Community Colleges (April 2015). NBER Working Paper No. w21137, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2602119

Ann Stevens (Contact Author)

University of California, Davis - Department of Economics ( email )

One Shields Drive
Davis, CA 95616-8578
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Michal Kurlaender

University of California, Davis ( email )

One Shields Avenue
Apt 153
Davis, CA 95616
United States

Michel Grosz

Federal Trade Commission ( email )

600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580
United States

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