Community College News

Introduction

Community colleges offer an accessible and cost-effective pathway to postsecondary credentials. In the 2025 labor market, many students and families are especially interested not just in completion, but in whether those credentials lead to well-paying jobs. Fortunately, some community college majors are strongly aligned with high-demand, better-paying career pathways.

This article identifies community college majors that tend to lead to higher earnings (or the potential for them), outlines considerations and caveats, and offers guidance for students planning career-oriented pathways.

Why Major Choice Matters (Even at a Two-Year College)

While community colleges are often thought of as “stepping stones” to four-year degrees, many students enter the workforce directly with associate degrees or certificates. Research by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) shows that:

• In 2022–23, 56 % of credentials awarded (associate degrees, long and short-term certificates) were workforce or career-technical credentials.

• About 48 % of those credentials are associated with median earnings well above a living wage two years post-completion.

• Fields such as nursing, allied health technology, industrial/trades, construction technology, and engineering technology were among those most frequently linked to higher earnings. Community College Research Center+2ateimpacts.net

Thus, the choice of major can significantly influence whether a student ends up in a job that pays well, or one that barely covers basic expenses.

That said, no major guarantees success. Outcomes depend on

The State of Graduation in 2025

When the original article was written, many observers questioned whether California’s community colleges could meet ambitious targets by 2020. Now, half a decade later, the system has not just confronted those doubts, but has evolved its strategy and the broader vision.

Enrollment and Demographic Trends

• Enrollment has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, placing pressure on revenue and student retention efforts.

• Over 70 percent of California community college students come from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, underscoring the necessity of equity-focused reforms.

• More than 1.8 million students enroll annually in the California Community Colleges (CCC) system.

Completion and Transfer Outcomes

• Among first-time, full-time students in California community colleges, the average completion rate is approximately 42 percent (for the 2025–26 cohort).

• For students who transfer to four-year institutions, outcomes have improved: a majority of CCC transfer students now graduate from CSU within four years (79 percent) and from UC within four years (90 percent).

• CSU’s own Graduation Initiative 2025 has helped raise its systemwide four-year graduation rate for first-year students to about 35 percent (up from 19 percent when the initiative began).

• Among transfer students

Is Your Community College Truly Top Ranked? (2025 Update)

In 2025, the question “Is your community college top ranked?” carries new weight. The metrics that define a standout two-year institution have evolved—and so should the way students, families, and educators evaluate them. In this updated version of Is Your Community College Top Ranked?, we revisit the structure and logic of the original, infusing it with up-to-date data, policy shifts, and case studies. Our aim: help you assess whether a community college is truly among the best—and whether that ranking matters for your goals.

Why Rankings Still Matter (But Only if You Know Which Ones to Use)

Originally, many observers pointed to Washington Monthly’s rankings of community colleges as a high-visibility benchmark. That publication, using data including the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), remains influential. But in 2025, it competes with a wider array of rankings and accountability tools.

Today, the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence stands out as a gold standard of peer-reviewed recognition. In October 2023, the Aspen Institute announced 150 institutions eligible for the 2025 Prize, based on improvements in retention, completion, transfer, and equity of outcomes. Achieving finalist status in the Aspen competition is often viewed by prospective students as a strong signal of institutional effectiveness.

Still, no ranking is perfect. Many colleges resist comparisons based solely on rankings. As the CCSSE has long warned, quantitative ranking systems can obscure

How to Visit a Community College Campus: A Parent’s Checklist

Visiting a community college campus is one of the most important steps families can take when helping a student make an informed decision about higher education. While online research and brochures are helpful, nothing replaces the experience of walking through classrooms, meeting faculty, and getting a sense of the student environment.

For parents, a campus visit provides insight into academic quality, student life, and affordability. This 2025 parent’s checklist will guide you through what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to make the most of your community college campus visit.

Why Visit a Community College Campus?

Community colleges play a vital role in higher education. According to the American Association of Community Colleges, nearly 10 million students are enrolled in community colleges nationwide, many seeking transfer pathways or workforce training. Visiting in person allows families to:

• Evaluate academic resources, such as labs, libraries, and technology.

• Understand transfer opportunities to four-year universities.

• Assess student support services like tutoring, advising, and mental health resources.

• Gauge the overall campus culture and student engagement.

Parents often focus on affordability, but visiting helps ensure the college is also the right academic and social fit.

The Parent’s Campus Visit Checklist

1. Prepare Before You Go

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education (2025 Update) Introduction

When COVID-19 first swept the globe in early 2020, few foresaw how deeply it would reshape higher education. The disruptions—campus closures, pivot to remote instruction, financial strain, deferred enrollment—sent institutions and students into uncharted territory. As we enter 2025, the aftershocks of the pandemic are still reverberating: some early adaptations have become permanent fixtures, while lingering inequalities and structural stressors remain. This article revisits the original themes through a 2025 lens, updating data, policy responses, and emerging trends, and offering guidance for students, families, and institutions preparing for the future.

Enrollment Volatility and Recovery

The immediate decline—and the rebound. In the early pandemic phase, colleges nationwide saw steep enrollment declines. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, freshman enrollment dropped by 13.1% in fall 2020, and new international student enrollment fell by 43% in many institutions.NCSL That initial shock set off a cascade of consequences, especially for community colleges and two-year institutions. Over the ensuing years, many institutions struggled to regain lost ground.

By 2024, signs of recovery had strengthened. In fact, 2025 spring enrollment rose 3.2% compared to the prior year—marking one of the strongest year-to-year gains in recent American higher education history. Projection models from NCES suggest modest growth ahead: undergraduate enrollment is forecast to increase 8–9% between 2021 and 2031, with particularly strong gains in part-time and nontraditional students.