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Reports

Two-Year Technical Degree Grads in Texas have Higher First-Year Median Earnings than Bachelor Grads


May 7, 2013 10:19
Higher Education Pays:The Initial Earnings of Graduates of Texas Public Colleges and Universities
 
Texas, with more than 25 million residents, is home to more than 8% of the U.S. population. Texas is also fast growing: Between 2000 and 2010, its growth rate of 20.6% was more than twice that of the nation. Texas has a slightly larger concentration of students approaching traditional college age than the nation as a whole: About 7.5% of its population is between the ages of 15 and 19, higher than the 7.1% national average. This percentage translates into an existing pool of around 2 million young students who are or soon will be reaching traditional college age. In turn, high demand is likely to continue for admission to colleges and universities throughout the state.
 
As students make their decisions about where to invest their time and money in pursuit of postsecondary degrees, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is working with College Measures to make publicly available the first-year earnings of recent graduates from two- and four-year public institutions across the state who are working in Texas one year after obtaining their degree or certificate.
 
The results suggest that the degree a student earns matters, but that there are important variations in returns by program and by institution. This report documents some of the differences in first-year earnings ranging from certificate programs through master’s programs.
 
Among the findings are:
 
• Technical-oriented associate’s degree programs in the state of Texas are helping many students successfully enter the labor market by equipping them with skills that are in demand. On average, a year after graduation, students with two-year technical degrees have first-year median earnings of more than $50,000, just over $11,000 more than graduates of bachelor’s degree programs across the state.
 
• Graduates with these two-year technical degrees earn, on average, about $30,000 more than students who completed academically oriented two-year degrees and are now in the labor force.
 
• The first-year earnings of graduates from different community colleges vary widely. For academic associate’s degrees, the range is from around $10,000 (Ranger College) to more than $30,000 for graduates from the Trinity Campus of Tarrant County Junior College and from Central Texas Community College. For graduates with technical degrees the range is even greater, from approximately $20,000 for graduates from Clarendon College to more than $65,000 for graduates from seven community colleges: College of the Mainland Community College District, San Jacinto College South Campus, Tarrant County Junior College
South Campus, Galveston College, El Centro College, Trinity Valley Community College, and Weatherford College.
 
• Certificates are one of the fastest-growing credentials offered by community colleges. The median first-year earnings of certificate holders often exceed those of graduates from academic and technical associate’s programs. For example, the median first-year earnings of certificate holders in Business Administration/Management ($36,987) exceed those with academic associate’s degrees in the same field of study by $11,000. In criminal justice/police sciences,
the median first-year earnings of certificate holders ($48,230) exceed academic associate’s degree holders in criminal justice by more than $24,000 and those with a technical associate’s degree by about $11,500. In contrast, across Texas, graduates with technical associate’s degrees in Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse programs earn close to $50,000 more than new certificate holders in the same field of study ($68,059 vs. $19,729).
 
• The median first-year wages of graduates from some certificate programs are above $70,000, or $30,000 more than the Texas-wide median bachelor’s degree salary. Among these highpaying programs, health care is well represented, along with certificates in construction, such as Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (Brazosport College), Electrician (Lee College), and Pipefitting (Lee College). A number of certificate programs turning out technicians in engineering, industrial technology, and instrumentation (e.g., from Brazosport College, San Jacinto College Central Campus, and Frank Phillips College) are also on the list of high-paying programs.
 
• In contrast, in two dozen certificate programs, recipients earned less than $13,000 in their first year. The largest concentration of these low-paying certificate programs is in cosmetology (10 programs) and four are in nursing/patient care assistants. One program in computer and information systems (from Alamo Community College–San Antonio College) and one in Network and System Administration/Administrator (Laredo Community College) are on the list.
 
• The median first-year earnings of bachelor’s degree recipients statewide are around $39,000. However, there is a wide range in earnings, depending upon field of study: First-year earnings in popular fields of study range from around $25,000 (Biology) to around $47,000 (Accounting). 
 
 • More generally, despite the interest in increasing the number of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), biology graduates at both the bachelor’s and the master’s level earn below statewide medians. In contrast, there is a premium for bachelor’s graduates in mathematics, who out earn biology graduates by more than $20,000 statewide and all bachelor’s graduates by more than $9,000.
 
• Master’s degree graduates earn more—often far more—than students with a bachelor’s degree. The median first-year earnings of master’s graduates in Texas are $63,340, or $24,000 higher than the median first-year earnings of bachelor’s graduates.
 
• The smallest difference (less than $5,000) between graduates with a bachelor’s degree and those with a master’s degree is in multi- or interdisciplinary studies. A person with a master’s degree in engineering earns about $14,000 more than a person with a bachelor’s degree, but graduates with either degree are the highest paid in that field. Graduates with master’s degrees in accounting earn almost $20,000 more than recent bachelor’s degree recipients in accounting.
The largest difference is in business administration, with an increment of more than $44,000 in first-year wages for master’s graduates versus bachelor’s graduates.
 
 

View the full report here

Grads Working in Colorado Earn, on Average, $20,000 More in First-Year of Employment Compared to High School Grads


May 7, 2013 10:08
Higher Education Pays:The Initial Earnings of Graduates From Colorado’s Colleges and Universities Working in Colorado 
 
The results suggest that the degree a student earns matters, but that there are important variations in returns by program and by institution.
 
Among the findings in this report:
 
• Colorado graduates working in Colorado can earn, on average, $20,000 more in their first year of employment compared to a high school graduate.
 
• The career-oriented Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS) programs in the state of Colorado are helping many students successfully enter the labor market by equipping them with skills that are in demand. On average, one year after graduation, students with AAS degrees are earning almost $7,000 more than graduates of bachelor’s degree programs across the state.
 
• Graduates with the AAS degree earn, on average, about $15,000 more than students who
completed the Associate of Arts degree or Associate of Sciences degree but who are now in the labor force.
 
• There is wide variation in the earnings of graduates of the AAS degree, with almost $15,000 separating the median earnings of graduates from Red Rocks Community College ($53,000) from median earnings of graduates from Aims Community College.
 
• The median first-year earnings of bachelor’s degree recipients statewide is around $39,000. However, there is a wide range in earnings according to field of study: First-year earnings range from less than $30,000 (for Fine and Studio Arts graduates) to more than $50,000 (Registered Nursing graduates).
 
• For bachelor’s degrees, in general, graduates in health and business earn more than graduates with liberal arts degrees. A closer look tells a more complex story, however. Consider business administration, management, and operations. A $20,000 difference is found in the first-year earnings of persons who graduated in these fields from the University of Denver (more than $59,000) and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($39,000). Although part of that difference
is likely attributable to differences in the local job markets, there is a $16,000 difference in the earnings of graduates from the University of Denver and University of Colorado Denver, both located in the same metropolitan area.
 
• These patterns document the variation in earnings across programs and institutions of Colorado graduates who were working in the state and made at least the minimum wage. Many graduates have left Colorado to continue their studies or for work and are not found in our data.The median first-year earnings of bachelor’s degree recipients statewide is around $39,000. However, there is a wide range in earnings according to field of study: First-year earnings range from less than $30,000 (for Fine and Studio Arts graduates) to more than $50,000 (Registered Nursing graduates).
 
• For bachelor’s degrees, in general, graduates in health and business earn more than graduates with liberal arts degrees. A closer look tells a more complex story, however. Consider business administration, management, and operations. A $20,000 difference is found in the first-year earnings of persons who graduated in these fields from the University of Denver (more than $59,000) and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($39,000). Although part of that difference
is likely attributable to differences in the local job markets, there is a $16,000 difference in the earnings of graduates from the University of Denver and University of Colorado Denver, both located in the same metropolitan area.
 
• These patterns document the variation in earnings across programs and institutions of Colorado graduates who were working in the state and made at least the minimum wage. Many graduates have left Colorado to continue their studies or for work and are not found in our data. 

View the full report here

Analysis Finds Wide Wage Disparities Among Virginia College Grads


November 1, 2012 02:17

Washington, D.C. – Recent graduates of Virginia colleges who majored in nursing or business draw higher salaries in their first year out of college than their peers who earned degrees in history or English, according to an analysis of newly released data on the first year earnings of alumni. In some cases, those with an associate’s degree out-earn those with a bachelor’s. 

The report analyzes data released to the public by the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) on October 6. It compares the average first-year earnings of recent graduates of public and private two-year and four-year institutions across Virginia, and examines the wages of graduates from individual degree programs. The data is limited to graduates employed in Virginia.

The report is the result of a partnership between SCHEV and College Measures, a nonpartisan organization that provides data and analysis on higher education. College Measures is a joint venture of the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the Matrix Knowledge Group. The study was funded by the Lumina Foundation.

The analysis is online, along with a user-friendly search tool that lets students and parents see a breakdown of salaries by college or major, at www.collegemeasures.org. 

“This vital consumer information brings a new dimension to the process of deciding where to go to college, what major to pursue, and what is a realistic debt to incur in order to earn a degree,” said Mark Schneider, a vice president at AIR and president of College Measures, which also is working with Tennessee, Arkansas and other states to provide more information for making decisions about college.

Among the most popular bachelor degree programs, the average first-year wages for those who worked in the state was $36,067. Registered nursing generated the highest average wages at $48,959. The next six highest paying programs were all business degrees: finance majors averaged $42,131; accounting, $42,110; and business administration, $38,578. In comparison, political science graduates earned $31,184; history majors, $30,230; and English majors were paid $29,222 on average.

The data show substantial variations across programs, with average first-year earnings for some bachelor’s degree programs exceeding $60,000, while others are less than $30,000. For example, graduates from University of Richmond’s business administration program earned between $2,500 and $19,000 more than graduates in the same program from other universities.

The findings also show:

  • Of the most popular courses of study, recipients of four-year nursing degrees earned the most in average first-year of wages – $48,959. Those with biology degrees earned the least, at $27,893. Those with two-year nursing degrees averaged $45,342.

  • Graduates of occupational/technical associate’s degree programs, with an average salary of just under $40,000, out-earned not only nonoccupational associate’s degree graduates – by about $6,000 – but also bachelor’s degree graduates by almost $2,500 statewide.

  • At the bachelor’s degree level, the highest-earning graduates came from two career-oriented programs at the University of Richmond, where those who majored in information sciences and in human resources management averaged more than $69,000 per year. Meanwhile, graduates from six­teen programs across Virginia – most of them liberal arts programs, such as philosophy or fine arts – earned on average less than $24,000.

  • Among many community colleges, the earnings of graduates with an occupational and technical associate’s degree could be $10,000 more than those with a non-occupational associate’s degree.

In Virginia, bachelor’s degree holders earn on average 67 percent more than high school graduates, and 40 percent more than those who have some postsecondary education but no degree, both of which are slightly higher than the national averages. 

The study links student records with unemployment insurance wage data. It focuses on the first-year earnings of students who graduated from a Virginia institution from 2006-2010. The authors stressed that these are initial wages, which may not indicate long-term earning potential, and that only include graduates in the workforce who are employed in Virginia. 

The following chart shows the average first-year earnings of a bachelor’s degree recipient from each of Virginia’s public and private colleges and university. It is based on information available on the College Measures website and is an example of the kinds of comparisons that can be done.  

Average first year wages of bachelor degree graduates, by institution

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education and workforce productivity. For more information, visit www.air.org.

Big Gaps in Earnings for Tennessee College Grads - Study Shows Wage Disparities Between Degree Programs and Schools


September 18, 2012 05:01

Washington, D.C. – A new study of the first-year earning power of students graduating from public colleges and universities in Tennessee finds that the school you attend and the major you select can make a big difference in what you earn. In some cases, an associate’s degree pays more than a four-year diploma.

The report is result of a partnership involving the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and College Measures, a nonpartisan organization that provides data and analysis on higher education. College Measures is a joint venture of the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the Matrix Knowledge Group. The study was funded by the Lumina Foundation.

The findings, which draw upon data not previously available to the public, examine the average first-year earnings of recent graduates from two-year and four-year institutions across Tennessee. The study also compares earnings for graduates from individual degree programs at individual colleges. The report is available on the AIR website. Tools to examine the data can be found on the College Measures and THEC websites.

“This partnership between the Higher Education Commission, the Department of Labor, and College Measures represents a national model of collaboration to provide real-time data that benefits students and their families,” said Richard Rhoda, Executive Director of THEC.

“Students who use the dashboard will be in a stronger position to make an informed decision about their program of study, regardless of their area of interest. In the current economy, this kind of information is a necessity, not a luxury,” Rhoda said.

Mark Schneider, a vice president at AIR and president of College Measures, said, “The goal of this report is to provide information that helps everyone involved in higher education – students and their parents, those who run the institutions and the policymakers serving the citizens of the state.”

The report found that for all nine Tennessee four-year public campuses, the average wage for graduates with a bachelor’s degree is $37,567. For graduates of the 13 community colleges, the average wage is $38,948, more than $1,300 higher than graduates at four-year institutions. There is a wide range between the highest and lowest incomes of those earning bachelors, associates and certificates.

Colleges and Universities

Among four-year institutions:

  • University of Memphis graduates earned the most, $40,401, while University of Tennessee at Chattanooga grads earned the least, $35,650.

  • The average earnings vary widely among the degree programs. Health profession majors were paid an average of $51,000; psychology majors, just under $30,000.

  • The bachelor’s degree programs with the highest first-year earnings were health professions from the University of Memphis (almost $60,000) and from UT-Martin (about $59,000). Graduates of these programs earned $5,000 to $10,000 more than graduates with the same degree at other Tennessee campuses. The state’s lowest earning health profession graduates came from Tennessee State University ($46,000).

  • The lowest paying degrees were philosophy and religious studies at Austin Peay State University, with a first-year wage of $20,500, and foreign languages at East Tennessee State University, which paid $25,000. Earnings for graduates with the same philosophy and religious studies degree at the UT-Martin earned almost $7,000 more than those from Austin Peay State University.

Community Colleges

Wide disparities in earnings were found among graduates in Tennessee’s community colleges, depending upon the degree and certificate programs taken.

  • The average first-year earnings of a graduate with an associate’s degree from Jackson State Community College, almost $43,000, is more than $10,000 higher than the average earnings of a graduate of Pellissippi State Community College.

  • There are sharp differences – ranging from $5,000 to $21,000 – between graduates with different degrees. Career and technically oriented associate’s degrees offer higher starting salaries. Tennessee community college graduates with a degree in health professions earned nearly $47,000, while those with education degrees made less than $26,000.

  • Depending on the program and school, some certificate-program graduates enjoy initial earnings of more than $40,000. Graduates with a certificate in construction trades from Nashville State Community College earned more than $66,000 during their first year in the workforce, and certificate holders who studied health professions at Columbia State Community College earned more than $50,000.
The study links student records with unemployment insurance data and focuses on the first-year earnings of students who graduated from a Tennessee institution from 2006-2010. The study addresses only graduates employed in Tennessee and their initial wages, which may not indicate long-term earning potential. However, as the authors note, “a state can see which campuses and programs are contributing the most toward building the state’s economy.”

David L Wright, Chief Policy Officer of THEC, said, “As the father of a high school senior, I can't imagine choosing a college or an academic major without consulting the kinds of information this report provides. For the first time, we are putting local data about the employment success of recent Tennessee college graduates in the hands of students and their families."

About AIR Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and workforce productivity. For more information, visit www.air.org.

 

Annual Earnings of Graduates from Gainful Employment Programs


July 11, 2012 08:01