Learning and earning in the middle, part I: national studies of pre-baccalaureate education

This report reviews the available evidence on the economic benefits of postsecondary education below the level of the baccalaureate degree, concentrating on the effects of community colleges. Several national data sets have become available over the past decade, expanding the results available. In general, the results indicate substantial benefits for many kinds of postsecondary education, particularly when individuals complete programs, enroll in certain occupational areas, and find employment related to their fields of study. However, the economic benefits of small amounts of coursework are often zero and at best small and uncertain; and under certain conditions economic benefits fail to materialize. The results clarify the value of empirical work rather than ideology or hearsay in helping inform students, educators, and policy-makers. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.