70%
OF CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES STUDENTS ARE PEOPLE OF DIVERSE ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS
51%
of CSU graduates started at a California community college
29%
OF UC GRADUATES STARTED AT A CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
19.6%
Students' average annual rate of return
General Facts
- California Community Colleges led the nation in enrollment growth and equity-driven outcomes with a 4.6% undergraduate increase during the 2024–25 academic year. The national undergraduate increase was 2.4% overall and 4% for community colleges. (State of the System 2025 report)
- During the 2024–25 academic year, enrollment gains among Latino, Black/African American, and Native American students exceeded annual targets, as did enrollments for dual enrollment, foster youth, veterans, and justice-involved learners. (State of the System 2025 report)
- With 2.2 million students at 116 colleges, the California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the country (DataMart)
- Board of Governors – Composed of 17 members appointed by the Governor sets policy and provides guidance for the 73 California community college districts and 116 colleges. (CCC Legislative Briefing Binder 2024)
- 29% of University of California and 51 percent of California State University graduates started at a California community college. (CCC Legislative Briefing Binder 2024)
- More than 70% of California community colleges students are people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. (DataMart)
- The number of course sections offered by the California Community Colleges in 2023-24 was 369,639 across credit, non-credit and basic skills courses. (DataMart)
- 40% of students did not pay fees in 2021-22
Return on Investment
For Students
- For every dollar that students invest in their community college education, they gain $13.10 in higher earnings in the future. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
- Graduates with an associate degree from a California Community College can expect approximately $11,300 more in wages compared to those with only a high school diploma. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
- 2022-23, the number of non special admit students earning a Vision aligned award in California community colleges was 143,624 (DataVista).
- 2022-23, the number of non special admit students earning Associate Degrees for Transfer was 53,943. (DataVista)
- 2021-22, the number of community college transfers to a UC, CSU, in state private/out of state colleges totaled 106,787. (DataVista)
- 2022-23, the course success rate for non-special admit students – 72%. (DataVista)
- 2022-23, Average of 69% (year-to-year) of first-time students retained from Fall term of enrollment to Spring term. (DataVista)
For California
- In FY 2023-24, operations, construction, and student spending of the colleges, together with the enhanced productivity of their alumni, generated $173 billion in added income for the California economy, a value equal to approximately 5.0% of California’s total gross state product (GSP). Expressed in terms of jobs, California's Community Colleges’ impact supported 1.7 million jobs. For perspective, the activities of the colleges and their students support one out of every 15 jobs in California. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
- For every dollar of public money invested in educating students attending California's Community Colleges, taxpayers will receive an average of $1.60 in return over the course of the students’ working lives. The average annual rate of return for taxpayers is 3.1%. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
- For every dollar invested in California's Community Colleges in FY 2023-24, people in California will receive $14.00 in return, for as long as California's Community Colleges’ FY 2023-24 students remain active in the state workforce. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
Citations
Annual Number of Community College Transfers to the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) Systems
Lightcast Economic Impact Report Key Data Points
- Students who earn an associate degree from the colleges can expect approximate wages of $51,900 per year within California, approximately $11,300 more than someone with a high school diploma. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
- In FY 2023-24, California Community Colleges annual revenue-funding sources totaled $21 billion. Tuition and fees comprised 3% of total revenue. Revenues from local (26%), state (43%), and federal (2%) government sources comprised another 72%. All other revenue comprised the remaining 25%, which includes auxiliary revenue, sales and services, interest, and donations. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
- The social benefits of California's Community Colleges equal a present value of $275 billion, which include $180.4 billion in added student income, $74.2 billion in added business income, $16.3 billion in added income from colleges activities, as well as $3.9 billion in social savings related to health, crime, and income assistance in California. (Lightcast EIR 2025)
Total Revenue Data
Total Revenue $19,258,907,723
State Government 49%
Local Government 28%
Federal Government 2%
Tuition and Fees 3%
All Other Revenues 18%
Source: 2023-24 CCFS-311 Statewide Reports Table IV.2 and Table VIII as of February 11, 2025
