Employment
The number and percentage of graduates with reported earnings one year, five years, and 10 years after completion of a credential at the community college.
Note: “Earnings" describes money generated from a salary or job.
Research shows that one of the primary reasons students enroll in college is to increase job and career prospects. 6 Student employment one year after completion can provide a window into the post-completion value of workforce programs, and the five- and 10-year employment metrics are relevant for students who completed workforce programs as well as those who transferred to a bachelor’s program. This metric should be examined in conjunction with graduates’ earning data and enrollment in high-value programs to assess whether they have jobs that confer living wages.
While college leaders will find value in collecting data on all students, consistently disaggregating data whenever possible can reveal outcome disparities. This information is essential for colleges developing strong reform plans to improve and close disparities in student success.
- Race/ethnicity
- Gender
- Family/Personal Income
- Age
- Parent/Dependent status
- Attendance intensity
- First-generation status
- Veteran status
Students may identify with one or many of the above identities. College leaders should consider how these different identities intersect and pay close attention to these relationships and how they may influence each student’s experience.