The economic impact of attending Western Iowa Tech Community College

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to design and conduct an economic impact study using Iowa unemployment insurance wage records for individuals who attended Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC). A secondary data analysis was conducted on actual wage earnings of program completers, leavers and applicants to the college during the academic years of 1994-1999. Quantitative methods answered the question, "To what extend do students benefit financially by attending WITCC as measured by their post college Iowa quarterly earnings?" The findings indicated a relationship between educational attainments, as defined by community college attendance, and increased earnings. Those students who completed an entire program of study were earning more than those who completed some hours toward a program by the end of the 16 quarters covered by this study. Likewise, those who attended some community college were earning more than those who completed no post secondary education beyond high school. The differences between the groups with varying levels of educational attainment were greater than earnings. There was also a relationship between greater formal educational attainment and working for fewer different employers over the course of the study. The completers of a program had fewer different employers than those who attended some community college. Those that attended some community college had fewer different employers than those with no post secondary education. Completers had greater wage gains between 2000 and 2002 than those who attended some college. Likewise those who attended some college had greater wage gains than those who attended no post secondary education. The males earned more than the females in all comparisons but two. These two exceptions were in the gains in mean earnings between 2000 and 2002 for applicants and for AAS allied health program completers.