There is no denying that the national higher education landscape is evolving, and community colleges continue to provide communities with accessible, high-quality, workforce-focused degrees, including baccalaureate. The growth of community college bachelor’s degrees is particularly significant to Hispanic communities. According to research by Bragg & Associates, Inc., two-thirds of the community colleges offering baccalaureate degrees are designated as Hispanic Serving or Emerging Hispanic Serving institutions, and data shows that these programs are meeting the educational needs of Latino and Hispanic students.  

What is a community college baccalaureate (CCB)?  

There are many myths surrounding CCB degrees. Simply put, a CCB is a bachelor’s degree offered and conferred by a community college. These degrees are typically related to a college’s Associate in Science or Associate in Applied Science programs and serve as a natural degree progression. Most CCBs are workforce-centered and have been built in partnership with local and regional industries. They are also intentionally designed, with adult working learners in mind, to be an accessible, affordable, and convenient pathway to socio-economic advancement.  

To date, more than 200 community colleges in 24 states offer approximately 736 workforce-focused baccalaureate degrees. According to the latest data by Bragg & Associates, of the more than 15,500 CCB graduates, the majority (>50%) are people of color and:   

●      The five largest Hispanic-serving institutions in Texas, California, and Florida serve approximately 127,000 Latino students. 

●      Research shows Latino CCB graduates earn roughly $72,000 annually after graduation and employment. 

A 2022 study on community college baccalaureates by the University of California reports that 64 percent of California’s CCB graduates were Latino. These students received their bachelor’s degree within two years of entering a CCB program. Latino CCB graduates also experienced higher rates of employment (94 percent). 

Advantages of CCB Degrees

CCBs allow students to complete a four-year degree without transferring to a university. They remain in their local community, eliminating distance obstacles, reducing costs, and avoiding credit transfer processes, thus reducing completion time. Through CCB pathways that are responsive to adult working learners’ needs, employment opportunities, higher salaries, and economic stability can be achieved. 

“As a result of what I learned in the baccalaureate program, I was able to go from being a server to being the Executive Vice President of one of Central Florida’s largest caterers,” said Hector Boehme, Seminole StateCollege of Florida Graduate, Bachelor of Science in Business and Information Management. “I decided to go back to school because I was in a transition point in my life where I knew that in order to get the things I wanted out of life and in order to live up to my own expectations, I needed to get a degree that was going to open doors for me and also give me the knowledge and the skills I would need to be successful in my career. I owe it all to that bachelor’s degree program.” Hector’s story is like many others who chose a community college baccalaureate degree. 

Students often cite cost as a significant roadblock to bachelor's attainment. Most CCB programs cost 30 percent less than university baccalaureate degrees, allowing students to graduate without significant debt. Additionally, students who enroll in CCB programs are often part-time students and full-time employees who may be able to take advantage of tuition reimbursement and other programs their employers offer.  

Accessibility is another factor that makes CCBs attractive to diverse student populations. Most community colleges offer flexible scheduling, with many classes held evenings, weekends, online, and in hybrid formats. This strategy aims to reduce disruption to many Hispanic students’ work, family, and other responsibilities. Smaller class size is another benefit of CCB programs that offer students a more individualized approach to learning, the chance to create a community within the class, and more direct interaction with faculty. In addition, many community colleges hire faculty members who represent the communities in which the students live. 

CCBs appeal not only to the students they serve but also to the communities they support. Employers nationwide have found it exceedingly difficult to hire qualified employees with the education and skills needed to fill existing vacancies and fuel company growth. 

CCBs address those challenges by focusing on the needs of regional industries. An excellent example of this college/industry partnership is the Artificial Intelligence baccalaureate degree developed by Miami Dade College in collaboration with IT industry leaders. With a more than 76 percent Hispanic student population, this degree offers students an accessible pathway to enter a rapidly growing, high-paying field. 

The Future of the National CCB Movement 

There has been much said recently questioning the value of a bachelor’s degree. However, data continue to prove that bachelor’s degrees, and CCBs in particular, contribute to career success for individuals, prosperity for families, and economic development of communities because of their direct connections to local industry needs in high-demand fields including business, health professions, education, nursing, computer/information technology, engineering technology, security, natural resources, biological/biomedical sciences, and agriculture. 

A recent Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOP) report analyzed 

53,000 degree programs and revealed that bachelor's degree holders earn a median of $32,112 more annually than high school graduates. There are other financial benefits as well. The Lumina Foundation found that college graduates are 47 percent more likely to receive employer-provided health insurance. They also found that bachelor's degree holders are 72 percent more likely to have employer retirement plans. Finally, college graduates are better insulated during economic downturns and experience substantially lower unemployment rates, according to FREOP. During the recent recession, says FREOP, bachelor’s degree holders saw unemployment rates peak at 4.4 percent compared to 9.6 percent for high school graduates. 

The Community College Baccalaureate Association believes CCBs are a structural evolution of higher education that provides access to groups not historically well-served or represented in higher education, in a socially inclusive environment that fosters student growth. CCBs allow students to support their local and regional workforce needs, remain in their communities long-term, and earn life-changing and family-sustaining employment. That’s good business for all. 

About CCBA 

Since 1999, the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) has been the nation’s only organization dedicated to the conferral of baccalaureate degrees by community colleges. The association seeks to close racial, ethnic, and economic gaps by providing its members with access to research, data andstrategic guidance as they develop and implement their baccalaureate degree programs. CCBA strives to ensure all students in every community have direct and equitable access to high-value baccalaureate degrees.