Higher Pay for Technical Associate's vs. Bachelor's Degree Graduates
As this infographic demonstrates, first year earnings for those with a technical associate's degree is sometimes higher than that of those with bachelor's degrees.
Related Work
What is the value of community college and does it help students succeed? With “America’s College Promise” proposed by President Obama, the first two years of community college would be free. If implemented, it could affect over 9 million students. Research provides some surprising answers.
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Given the high cost of earning a degree—and, frequently, the debt burden that goes with it—students, parents, policymakers, and the media are questioning higher education's value. Holders of associate's degrees earn more income and are less likely to be unemployed than high school students, making it a sound investment for many people.
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Community colleges are complex organizations and assessing their performance, though important, is difficult. The authors of this study focusing on North Carolina’s community colleges, measuring the success of each college along two dimensions: attainment of an applied diploma, or degree; or completion of the coursework required to transfer to a four-year college or university.
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Prospective college students need sound information about where their educational choices are likely to lead. This report indicates that some graduates with associate's degrees outearn those with bachelor's degrees in their first year, and finds what a person studies can produce higher earnings than where he or she studies.
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Further Reading
- The Value of Higher Education
- Labor Market Experiences After Postsecondary Education: Earnings and Other Outcomes of Florida’s Postsecondary Graduates and Completers
- Earning Success Through Community College
- Mark Schneider on Whether a Bachelor's Is Still Necessary to Earn Middle Class Wages
- Differences in the Wages of Graduates From Minnesota’s Colleges