Skip to content
Education

UCLA LPPI Study Sheds Light on Latino Student Success

With Latinos in California having historically experienced inequities in bachelor’s degree access and attainment compared to the state’s non-Latino population, a new UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute study examined the enrollment, academic success, labor market experiences, and loan rate of Latinos in California Community Colleges Baccalaureate (CCB) Degree Program.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: lppipress@luskin.ucla.edu

UCLA LPPI Study Sheds Light on Latino Student Success 

New research reveals Latino students’ academic success, financial experiences, and areas for improvement in California Community Colleges.

LOS ANGELES (February 13, 2024) – With Latinos in California having historically experienced inequities in bachelor’s degree access and attainment compared to the state’s non-Latino population, a new UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute study examined the enrollment, academic success, labor market experiences, and loan rate of Latinos in California Community Colleges Baccalaureate (CCB) Degree Program.

Launched in 2017, California’s CCB Program was designed to simplify and reduce the cost of baccalaureate degrees for community college students for a broader array of employment opportunities. The data from our study suggests that Latinos’ labor market experiences and outcomes are generally positive, but inequities exist in their educational access and success.

Our findings from this study indicate that these programs hold significant potential for the Latino community, with 64% of Latinos in the program having graduated and obtained their bachelor’s degree within two years after officially being admitted to complete their upper-division coursework.

Key findings from the study include: 

  • Educational Access and Opportunity:
    • About 30% of all students enrolled in the first five CCB cohorts were Latino, notably smaller than the overall Latino student share at those 15 community colleges (46%) and across all California community colleges (45%) during the same time frame.
  • Academic Success
    • The year-two graduation rate in CCB programs is high: Among Latino students enrolled in CCB programs, 64% graduated and obtained their bachelor’s degrees within two years after officially being admitted to complete their upper-division coursework.
  • Labor Market Experiences and Outcomes
    • Latino CCB graduates who were employed reported earning $22,600 more per year than they did prior to starting their CCB program.
    • Latino CCB graduates reported higher rates of employment (94%) and employment in California (92%) relative to non-Latino CCB graduates (93% and 88%, respectively). Rates for employment in the same field as their CCB program were comparable (about 89%) between Latino and non-Latino CCB graduates.
  • Lower Borrowing Rates:
    • 35% of California CCB Latino graduates and 30% of California CCB non-Latino graduates reported borrowing student loans. Both rates were much lower than the overall California loan rate among both Latino and non-Latino college graduates (46%).

“Our study underscores the importance of equitable access and opportunities for Latino students in California’s CCB programs,” said Cecilia Rios-Aguilar, co-author of the study and Professor of Education and Department Chair at UCLA’s School of Education & Information Studies. “The positive academic and labor market experiences of these programs demonstrate that Latino students thrive when they are enrolled. However, we need to understand better and address the inequities in Latino enrollment across different CCB programs. It’s crucial that we identify appealing academic programs and invest in improved outreach and recruitment efforts to attract Latino students.”

The study also provides recommendations to ensure equitable access and opportunities for Latino students to enroll in California’s CCB programs and calls for further Investment in California’s CCB program.

Co-Author Davis Vo, a PhD student in the School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA, added, “It’s imperative that education leaders and policymakers continue to invest and grow California’s CCB programs as a strategy to improve structural and systemic conditions for the Latino community.” 

Read the full data brief here.

###

About UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute:

The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute is a non-partisan research institute that seeks to inform, engage, and empower Latinos through innovative research and policy analysis. LPPI aims to promote equitable and inclusive policies that address the needs of the Latino community and advance social justice. latino.ucla.edu.