Evidence consistently shows that fewer than half of certificate holders and associate degree holders earn more than $35,000 per year two years after completion—below most living-wage standards. And in both transfer and workforce pathways, students of color and low-income students are least likely to enroll in and complete programs that are aligned with high levels of post-graduation success.
Through the Unlocking Opportunity network, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and Community College Research Center have begun to address these challenges and gleaned early insights on how to improve post-graduation outcomes for community college students by ensuring that more students are on pathways that lead to living-wage jobs or efficient transfer and bachelor’s completion. During the session, attendees learned about eight scaled areas of reform that have emerged from Unlocking Opportunity and how they might implement similar strategies at their own institution.