This data note explores the extent to which the student population earning baccalaureate degrees at community and technical colleges mirrors the demographic characteristics of the student population earning baccalaureate degrees in comparable programs of study offered by four public universities in Washington State. Demographic analysis reveals important differences between these two student populations, both broadly and in the specific program areas of business administration and nursing. Among business administration degree earners, for instance, compared to men a substantially higher proportion of women earn CCB degrees (56.6%) relative to women earning baccalaureate degrees in business at public universities (45.8%). In terms of racial diversity, the entire population of CCB degree earners is more diverse than university baccalaureate earners, especially among African American and Latinx students. These results provide important preliminary evidence of the extent to which CCB policy serves as a policy lever to increase gender and racial diversity in baccalaureate attainment in Washington State.
Our Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) group at the University of Washington has partnered with New America’s Center on Education and Skills (CESNA) to refresh and expand understanding of AB and CCB degrees nationally, looking again at state adoption and implementation of these degrees in the two- and four-year institutional contexts. With generous support from the Joyce Foundation and Lumina Foundation, our two-year project documents policies and processes; develops a set of consensus design principles and frameworks featuring evidence-based and equity-focused promising policies and practices on state adoption and institutional implementation; and disseminates lessons from past successes and failures.