New Study Published on Pathway to Bachelor's Degree

Greg Weeks and Toby Paterson completed a study on the differences in income earned by workers who went directly into a four year university, and those who first enrolled in a community college and then transferred. The study focused on individuals who graduated from a Washington high school between 2004 and 2008. They observed that those who attended a community college before receiving their bachelor's degree earn a little bit more each year (on average) before they graduate than those who go straight into a four year program. This disparity, however, disappears once students graduate. There appears to have been no economic benefit for those student who went straight into a four-year college (over those who first went to a community college and then transferred). In addition, Greg and Toby observed that regardless of the path by which workers received their bachelor's degrees, female graudates earned (on average) about 80% of what male graduates earned.