(For Whom) Does Community College Reduce the Costs of a Bachelor's Degree?

Lena Shi

Although many policymakers highlight community colleges as a more affordable starting point for a bachelor's degree, it is possible that students may actually pay more than at four-year colleges – particularly after factoring in time, logistical challenges, and risk to degree attainment and future earnings. This research study will estimate the cost impacts of starting at a community college instead of a four-year college. Using Virginia colleges' administrative data from 2005-2018, I will compare out-of-pocket costs paid and total debt accumulated for marginal students who started at a four-year college against two-year enrollees who otherwise would have attended a four-year college, by leveraging exogeneous variation in students' proximity to colleges. I will also document the characteristics of the small share of students who do save by attending community college. The findings from this study can inform policies and practices to improve affordability and student outcomes.

About Lena Shi

Lena Shi is an Assistant Professor of Education Policy at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on evaluating the impact of policies and factors that affect college access, educational attainment, and economic mobility using big data, field experiments, and surveys. In partnership with states, colleges, and non-profits, she designs and implements initiatives to improve education outcomes. Shi served as a White House Policy Advisor and U.S. Department of Education Presidential Management Fellow from 2014-2017. Shi received her Ph.D. from Harvard University, where she was also a 2021 NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellow.