The Price Tag of Expanding Community College Bachelor’s Degrees

Community college baccalaureate (CCB) programs are a growing issue in Ohio and nationally. Such initiatives aim to add bachelor’s degree programs at community colleges, particularly in areas with workforce shortages (e.g., teaching and nursing).

In addition to concerns that CCB programs duplicate the offerings of public four-year institutions and drive mission drift at community colleges, new research suggests that these programs also pose an additional expense to taxpayers and students.

 CCB programs ultimately have no effect on the number of new bachelor’s degree graduates and can exacerbate faculty shortages. This month’s issue brief presents a succinct summary of this research.