Labor Market Experiences of Community College Students

By Crystal Green

A recent brief by the National Center for Education Statistics examined the relationship between academic progress and employment experience in 2011-12 of “beginning” (first-time) students at public two-year institutions.

Among the report’s findings:

• In 2011-12, beginning students who enrolled in public two-year institutions made up approximately 38 percent of all first-year postsecondary students across all types of institutions.
• 44 percent of beginning public 2-year students worked while enrolled their first year.
  • 18 percent worked 35 hours or more per week;
  • 14 percent worked between 21 and 34 hours per week; and
  • 11 percent worked fewer than 21 hours per week.
• 48 percent of beginning white students, 35 percent of beginning black students, 40 percent of beginning Hispanic students and 33 percent of beginning Asian students worked while enrolled their first year.
• 33 percent of beginning public 2-year students 30 years of age or older worked full time while enrolled their first year compared to:
  • 13 percent of those 19 years of age or younger and,
  • 22 percent of those 20 to 23 years of age.
• 26 percent of beginning public 2-year independent students worked full time while enrolled their first year compared to 15 percent of public 2-year dependent students.
• 20 percent of beginning public 2-year students who worked 20 hours or less attained an associate’s degree by 2014 compared with:
  • 10 percent of beginning students who did not work while enrolled their first year and,
  • 9 percent of beginning students who worked full time during their first year.