This essay canvasses selected studies undertaken by economists on the community college. Key authors and journals are noted, followed by an examination of what economists contribute to our understanding of the community college in terms of costs, price and financial aid, economic and social benefits, and the institution’s role in furthering student educational attainment.
Adelman, C. ( 2009, December 8). Comments on "Taking aim at the supply side."Inside Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighereducation.com/news/2009/12/08/attainment
2.
Alfonso, M. ( 2006). The impact of community college attendance on baccalaureate attainment. Research in Higher Education, 47, 873-903.
3.
Archibald, R.B., & Feldman, D.H. ( 2008). Explaining increases in higher education costs. Journal of Higher Education, 79, 268-295.
4.
Bailey, T., & Cho, S.-W. (2010, September). Issue brief: Developmental education in community colleges. Retrieved from the Community College Research Center website: http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Publication.asp?UID=815
5.
Bailey, T., Jeong, D.W., & Cho, S.-W. (2010). Referral, enrollment, and completion in developmental education sequences in community colleges. Economics of Education Review, 29, 255-270.
6.
Bailey, T., Kienzl, G., & Marcott, D.E. ( 2004). The return to a sub-baccalaureate education: The effects of schooling, credentials and program of study on economic outcomes. Washington, DC: National Assessment of Vocational Education , U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/sectech/nave/subbac-ed.pdf
7.
Baumol, W.J. ( 1967). Macroeconomics of unbalanced growth: The anatomy of urban crisis. American Economic Review, 57, 415-426.
8.
Baumol, W.J., & Blackman, S.A.B. (1995). How to think about rising college costs. Planning for higher education, 23, 1-7.
9.
Baumol, W.J., & Bowen, W.G. ( 1966). Performing arts: The economic dilemma. New York, NY: Twentieth Century Fund.
10.
Bettinger, E.P., & Long, B.T. ( 2005). Remediation at the community college: Student participation and outcomes. In C. A. Kozeracki (Ed.), Responding to the challenges of developmental education ( New Directions for Community Colleges, No.129, pp. 17-26). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
11.
Bettinger, E.P., & Long, B. T. (2009). Addressing the needs of underprepared students in higher education: Does college remediation work? Journal of Human Resources, 44, 736-771.
12.
Boatman, A., & Long, B.T. ( 2010). Does remediation work for all students? How the effects of postsecondary remedial and developmental courses vary by level of academic preparation (NCPR Working Paper). Retrieved from the National Center for Postsecondary Research website: http://www.postsecondaryresearch.org/conference/PDF/DoesRemediationWorkPaper.pdf
13.
Bound, J., Lovenheim, M., & Turner, S. ( 2009). Why have college completion rates declined? An analysis of changing student preparation and collegiate resources ( NBER Working Paper No.15566). Retrieved from the National Bureau of Economic Research website: http://www.nber.org/papers/w15566
14.
Bound, J., Lovenheim, M., & Turner, S. ( 2010). Why have college completion rates declined? An analysis of changing student preparation and collegiate resources. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2, 129-157.
15.
Bowen, H.R. ( 1980). The costs of higher education: How much do colleges and universities spend per student and how much should they spend?San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .
16.
Breneman, D.W. ( 2000). An essay on college costs. In A. F. Cunningham, J. V. Wellman, M. E. Clinedinst, & J. P. Merisotis (Eds.), Study of college costs and prices, 1988-89 to 1997-98: Vol. 2. Commissioned papers (NCES2002-158, pp. 13-20). Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement , U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002158.pdf
17.
Calcagno, J.C., & Long, B.T. ( 2008). The impact of postsecondary remediation using a regression discontinuity approach: Addressing endogenous sorting and noncompliance ( NBER Working Paper No.14194). Retrieved from the National Bureau of Economic Research website: http://www.nber.org/papers/w14194
18.
Carnevale, A.P. ( 2008). College for all? Change, 40(1), 23-29.
19.
Carnevale, A.P., Smith, N., & Strohl, J. ( 2010). Help wanted: Projections of jobs and education requirements through 2018. Retrieved from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce website: http://cew.georgetown.edu/jobs2018/
20.
Carnevale, A.P., Strohl, J., & Smith, N. ( 2009). Help wanted: Postsecondary education and training required . In R. M. Romano & H. Kasper (Eds.), Occupational outlook for community college students (New Directions for Community Colleges, No.146, pp. 21-32). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
21.
Cellini, S.R. ( 2006). Smoothing the transition to college? The effect of tech-prep programs on educational attainment. Economics of Education Review, 25, 394-411.
22.
Dowd, A.C. ( 2007). Community colleges as gateways and gatekeepers: Moving beyond the access "saga" toward outcome equity. Harvard Educational Review, 77, 407-416.
23.
Dowd, A.C., & Grant, J.L. ( 2006). Equity and efficiency of community college appropriations: The role of local financing. Review of Higher Education, 29, 167-194.
24.
Doyle, W.R. ( 2009). The effects of community college enrollment on bachelor’s degree completion. Economics of Education Review, 28, 199-206.
25.
Ehrenberg, R.G. ( 2004). Econometric studies of higher education. Journal of Econometrics, 121, 19-37.
26.
Ehrenberg, R.G., & Smith, C.L. ( 2004). Analyzing the success of transitions from 2-year to 4-year institutions within a state. Economics of Education Review , 23, 11-28.
27.
Engemann, K.M., & Wall, H.J. ( 2009). A journal ranking for the ambitious economist. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review, 91(3), 127-140.
28.
Friedman, M. ( 1962). Capitalism and freedom. Chicago, IL : University of Chicago Press.
29.
Gill, A.M., & Leigh, D.E. ( 2003). Do the returns to community colleges differ between academic and vocational programs? Journal of Human Resources, 38, 134-155.
30.
Gonzalez, A., & Hilmer, M.J. ( 2006). The role of 2-year colleges in the improving situation of Hispanic postsecondary education. Economics of Education Review, 25, 249-257.
31.
Grubb, W.N. ( 1993). The varied economic returns to postsecondary education: New evidence from the class of 1972. Journal of Human Resources , 28, 365-382.
32.
Grubb, W.N. ( 1995). Postsecondary education and the sub-baccalaureate labor market: Corrections and extensions. Economics of Education Review, 14, 285-299.
33.
Grubb, W.N. ( 1999). Learning and earning in the middle: The economic benefits of sub-baccalaureate education. New York, NY: Community College Research Center, Teachers College , Columbia University. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. 431459)
34.
Heller, D.E. ( 1997). Student price response in higher education: An update to Leslie and Brinkman. Journal of Higher Education, 68, 624-659.
35.
Hilmer, M.J. ( 1997). Does community college attendance provide a strategic path to a higher quality education? Economics of Education Review, 16, 59-68.
36.
Jacobson, L., LaLonde, R.J., & Sullivan, D.G. (2005a). Estimating the returns to community college schooling for displaced workers. Journal of Econometrics, 125, 271-304.
37.
Jacobson, L., LaLonde, R.J., & Sullivan, D.G. (2005b). The impact of community college retraining on older displaced workers: Should we teach old dogs new tricks? Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 58, 398-415.
38.
Jacobson, L., & Mokher, C. ( 2009). Pathways to boosting the earnings of low-income students by increasing their educational attainment. Retrieved from the Hudson Institute Center for Employment Policy website: http://www.hudson.org/files/publications/Pathways%20to%20Boosting.pdf
39.
Kane, T.J. ( 1991). College entry by Blacks since 1970: The role of tuition, financial aid, local economic conditions and family background (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
40.
Kane, T.J. ( 1995). Rising public college tuition and college entry: How well do public subsidies promote access to college? (NBER Working Paper No.5164). Retrieved from the National Bureau of Economic Research website: http://www.nber.org/papers/w5164
41.
Kane, T.J., & Rouse, C.E. ( 1995a). Comment on W. Norton Grubb: "The varied economic returns to postsecondary education: New evidence from the Class of 1972." Journal of Human Resources, 30, 205-221.
42.
Kane, T.J., & Rouse, C.E. ( 1995b). Labor-market returns to two and four-year colleges. American Economic Review, 85, 600-614.
43.
Kane, T.J., & Rouse, C.E. ( 1999). The community college: Educating students at the margin between college and work. Journal of Economic Perspectives , 13, 63-84.
44.
Lee, D.S., & Lemieux, T. ( 2010). Regression discontinuity designs in economics. Journal of Economic Literature, 48, 281-355.
45.
Leigh, D., & Gill, A. ( 1997). Labor market returns to community colleges: Evidence for returning adults. Journal of Human Resources, 32, 334-353.
46.
Leigh, D.E., & Gill, A.M. ( 2003). Do community colleges really divert students from earning bachelor’s degrees? Economics of Education Review, 22, 23-30.
47.
Leigh, D.E., & Gill, A.M. ( 2004). The effect of community colleges on changing students’ educational aspirations. Economics of Education Review, 23, 95-102.
48.
Leslie, L.L., & Brinkman, P.T. (1987). Student price response in higher education: The student demand studies. Journal of Higher Education, 58, 181-204.
49.
Long, B.T. ( 2004). How have college decisions changed over time? An application of the conditional logistic choice model. Journal of Econometrics , 121, 271-296.
50.
Long, B.T. ( 2007).The contributions of economics to the study of college access and success. Teachers College Record, 109, 2367-2443.
51.
Long, B.T., & Kurlaender, M. (2009). Do community colleges provide a viable pathway to a baccalaureate degree?Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 31, 30-53.
52.
Long, B.T., & Riley, E.K. ( 2007). Financial aid: A broken bridge to college access? Harvard Educational Review, 77, 39-63.
53.
Manski, C.F., & Wise, D.A. ( 1983). College choice in America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
54.
McCabe, R.H. ( 2006). No one to waste: A report to public decision-makers and community college leaders. Washington, DC: American Association of Community Colleges.
55.
McIntosh, M.F., & Rouse, C.E. ( 2009, February). The other college: Retention and completion rates among two-year college students. Retrieved from the Center for American Progress website: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/02/pdf/two_year_colleges.pdf
56.
McPherson, M.S., & Schapiro, M.O. (1991). Keeping college affordable: Government and educational opportunity. Washington, DC : Brookings Institution.
57.
Melguizo, T., & Dowd, A.C. ( 2009). Baccalaureate success of transfers and rising four-year college juniors. Teachers College Record, 111, 55-89.
58.
Molitor, C.J., & Leigh, D.E. ( 2005). In-school work experience and returns to two-year and four-year colleges. Economics of Education Review, 24, 459-468.
59.
Obama, B. ( 2009, February 24). Remarks of President Barack Obama-As prepared for delivery address to joint session of Congress. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-of-President-Barack-Obama-Address-to-Joint-Session-of-Congress/
60.
Rouse, C.E. ( 1992). The other college: The economic benefits of community colleges (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Harvard University , Cambridge, MA.
61.
Rouse, C.E. ( 1994). What to do after high school: The two year versus four-year college enrollment decision. In R. G. Ehrenberg (Ed.), Choices and consequences: Contemporary policy issues in education (pp. 59-85). Ithaca, NY: ILR Press.
62.
Rouse, C.E. ( 1995). Democratization or diversion? The effect of community colleges on educational attainment. Journal of Business and Economic Statistics, 13, 217-224.
63.
Rouse, C.E. ( 1998). Do two-year colleges increase overall educational attainment? Evidence from the states. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management , 17, 595-620.
64.
Sandy, J., Gonzalez, A., & Hilmer, M.J. ( 2006). Alternative paths to college completion: Effect of attending a two-year school on the probability of completing a four-year degree. Economics of Education Review, 25, 463-471.
65.
Seftor, N.S., & Turner, S.E. ( 2002). Back to school: Federal student aid policy and adult college enrollment. Journal of Human Resources, 37, 336-352.
66.
Surette, B. ( 2001). Transfer from two-year to four-year college: An analysis of gender differences. Economics of Education Review, 20, 151-163.
67.
Townsend, B.K., Donaldson, J., & Wilson, T. ( 2005). Marginal or monumental? Visibility of community colleges in selected higher-education journals. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 29, 123-135.
68.
Vernez, G., Krop, R.A., & Rydell, C.P. ( 1999). Closing the education gap: Benefits and costs. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.
69.
Winston, G.C. ( 1997). Why can’t a college be more like a firm? Change, 29(5), 33-38.
70.
Winston, G.C. ( 1999). Subsidies, hierarchy and peers: The awkward economics of higher education. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 13, 13-36.
