Are There Age Disparities in Community College Completion? Evidence from Ohio’s Community Colleges

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research points to an age disparity in college completion, with adult community college students (ages 25 years and older) being less likely to complete postsecondary credentials than their younger peers. However, research also demonstrates that adult community college students are more likely to report educational goals that do not culminate in a postsecondary credential, especially goals related to updating job skills or changing careers. Hence, it is unclear whether the age gap in college completion is a result of differences in goals or a result of obstacles to persisting in college for adult students. Here, we use multilevel models to analyze longitudinal data from the Ohio community college system on over 300,000 first-time students in order to measure the age gaps in the completion of three types of postsecondary credentials – certificates, associate degrees, and baccalaureate degrees – after accounting for differences in the distribution of students’ goals and other potentially relevant characteristics. We find that older students—both male and female—are more likely to complete certificates than their younger peers. Older women are more likely to complete associate degrees than younger women, while older men do not differ significantly from younger men in the likelihood of completing an associate degree. Conversely, older students are markedly less likely to complete baccalaureate degrees than younger students. Our results point to the potential value of increasing flexible access to baccalaureate degrees. Expanding community college baccalaureate offerings is a promising avenue for helping baccalaureate-seeking adult students achieve their goals.