Community Colleges Rethink Program Value

Between 2022 and 2025, 10 community colleges moved more than 20,000 additional students into programs that lead to living-wage jobs or bachelor’s degree pathways, according to a new report from the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Community College Research Center.

The findings come as community colleges face growing pressure to demonstrate the value of their credentials. Although more community college students are earning credentials than ever, more than one-third of those credentials are unlikely to lead directly to living-wage jobs or bachelor’s degrees that open doors to them.

To help more students enroll in programs with stronger postgraduation outcomes, Aspen and CCRC launched the Unlocking Opportunity network in 2023. The initiative aims to increase the number of students entering and completing high-value programs while helping colleges improve programs with weaker postcompletion outcomes.

The initiative began with 10 pilot colleges—ranging from large urban institutions to small rural-serving colleges—that collectively serve more than 170,000 students. During the three-year period ending in 2025, those colleges increased enrollment in high-value pathways by 27 percent while reducing enrollment in programs with weaker postcompletion outcomes by 25 percent.

Josh Wyner, executive director of Aspen’s College Excellence Program, which aims to strengthen higher education leadership to improve student success, said the initiative grew out of a long-standing challenge facing community colleges: Too many students were enrolling in programs that did not lead to strong employment or transfer opportunities, while colleges often focused more on getting students through the front door than on what happened after they enrolled.

“When the incentive structure is for colleges to enroll as many students as possible, two things happen: One is colleges spend a lot of time worrying about the front door and think about that often in short-term ways,” Wyner said. “The second is that they pay less attention to what happens to [students] during and after college.”

“What I think people realized, but weren’t paying enough attention to, is that what students were completing didn’t lead to postgraduation success in bachelor’s attainment or in good jobs,” he added.

Rethinking program value: The initiative defines “high-value” programs as those that provide students with stronger economic opportunities after completion. For career-focused programs, value is measured by graduates’ earnings. For transfer pathways, value is measured by transfer rates, bachelor’s degree completion and clear academic avenues between community colleges and four-year institutions.

The report highlights several ways colleges redesigned academic programs to better align with local workforce needs and transfer outcomes. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College launched a radiologic-technology program to meet regional workforce demand, while San Antonio College increased nursing enrollment by 71 percent through expanded employer partnerships. After reviewing student outcomes, Odessa College eliminated its general studies degree and strengthened advising to guide students toward programs with stronger postgraduation results.

Wyner said he didn’t expect such rapid changes.

“What surprised me most is how many students were able to move into high-value programs in such a short period of time,” Wyner said. “I didn’t think enrollments would move that quickly, and at that volume.”

Closing equity gaps: The gains were particularly strong among students of color and lower-income students: Enrollment in high-value programs increased by more than 17,000 students, a 40 percent increase, according to the report.

Wyner said students of color and lower-income students have historically been more likely to enroll in programs with weaker employment and transfer outcomes, making them among the biggest beneficiaries of the initiative.

“If you really work on strengthening program value and advising to get students to make earlier and better decisions, you’re going to disproportionately help those students who otherwise would be most likely to be in the lower-value programs,” Wyner said.

The pilot colleges also increased the number of dual-enrollment students entering structured academic pathways. Compared with the 2022 baseline, more than 6,000 additional dual-enrollment students are now on well-defined educational plans.

Looking ahead: While the early results are encouraging, Wyner said, the initiative’s long-term success will depend on whether more students complete their programs, transfer to four-year institutions and secure higher-paying jobs.

As the initiative continues, Aspen and CCRC plan to track bachelor’s degree attainment and graduates’ earnings to determine whether the enrollment gains translate into better long-term outcomes.

Wyner credited the participating colleges with driving the reforms, noting that Aspen and CCRC provided the analytical framework and coaching, while institutions implemented the changes.

“The ultimate outcome that matters is whether students have thriving lives and fulfilling careers and good jobs,” Wyner said. “I’m encouraged that colleges are signing up to do the work.”

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