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Comparative Cost Analyses of Community College Student Success Initiatives. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1268

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Title: Comparative Cost Analyses of Community College Student Success Initiatives. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1268
Language: English
Authors: Taylor K. Odle, Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2025.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 57
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
Gates Foundation
Lumina Foundation
Document Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Two Year Colleges
Descriptors: Cost Effectiveness, Community College Students, Intervention, College Programs, Success, Educational Finance, Community Colleges, Comparative Analysis, Career Exploration, Student Needs, At Risk Students, Tutoring, Student Financial Aid, First Year Seminars, Student Experience
Geographic Terms: California, Ohio, Texas
Abstract: Limited resources hinder completion and exacerbate inequality in community colleges. Existing research identifies strategies that raise outcomes but leaves policymakers and campus leaders asking, "What do these interventions really cost--and can we afford it?" I answer these questions by presenting the first set of comparative cost analyses of community college success initiatives to date. I comprehensively document annual costs associated with six common strategies: basic needs supports, college success and career exploration courses, early alert systems, embedded tutoring, retention- and emergency-based financial aid programs, and first-year experience programming. I identify overall costs, the distribution of costs, and costs per student, as well as how costs are borne by various actors. I show costs can vary widely from roughly $79,900 per year to over $2.9 million--and range from as little as $570 per student to more than $1,320. I also show that more expensive programs do not necessarily serve more students. This work equips decisonmakers with crucial insights for identifying what works--at what cost--and greatly extends the nascent body of cost studies in higher education.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678227
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: Comparative Cost Analyses of Community College Student Success Initiatives. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1268
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  Data: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
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  Data: 57
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Ascendium Education Group, Inc.<br />Gates Foundation<br />Lumina Foundation
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cost+Effectiveness%22">Cost Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+College+Students%22">Community College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Programs%22">College Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Success%22">Success</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Finance%22">Educational Finance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+Colleges%22">Community Colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+Analysis%22">Comparative Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Exploration%22">Career Exploration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Needs%22">Student Needs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22At+Risk+Students%22">At Risk Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tutoring%22">Tutoring</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Financial+Aid%22">Student Financial Aid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22First+Year+Seminars%22">First Year Seminars</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22California%22">California</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ohio%22">Ohio</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Limited resources hinder completion and exacerbate inequality in community colleges. Existing research identifies strategies that raise outcomes but leaves policymakers and campus leaders asking, "What do these interventions really cost--and can we afford it?" I answer these questions by presenting the first set of comparative cost analyses of community college success initiatives to date. I comprehensively document annual costs associated with six common strategies: basic needs supports, college success and career exploration courses, early alert systems, embedded tutoring, retention- and emergency-based financial aid programs, and first-year experience programming. I identify overall costs, the distribution of costs, and costs per student, as well as how costs are borne by various actors. I show costs can vary widely from roughly $79,900 per year to over $2.9 million--and range from as little as $570 per student to more than $1,320. I also show that more expensive programs do not necessarily serve more students. This work equips decisonmakers with crucial insights for identifying what works--at what cost--and greatly extends the nascent body of cost studies in higher education.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED678227
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678227
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 57
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Cost Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Community College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Success
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Finance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Community Colleges
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Career Exploration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Needs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: At Risk Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tutoring
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Financial Aid
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: First Year Seminars
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: California
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ohio
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Texas
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Comparative Cost Analyses of Community College Student Success Initiatives. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1268
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