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Program Costs and Student Completion
Author(s) -
Manning Terri M.,
Crosta Peter M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new directions for community colleges
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1536-0733
pISSN - 0194-3081
DOI - 10.1002/cc.20119
Subject(s) - curriculum , community college , program evaluation , cost effectiveness , medical education , actuarial science , computer science , business , psychology , operations management , pedagogy , economics , political science , medicine , public administration
Community colleges are under pressure to increase completion rates, prepare students for the workplace, and contain costs. Colleges need to know the financial implications of what are often perceived as routine decisions: course scheduling, program offerings, and the provision of support services. This chapter presents a methodology for estimating the cost of instructional programs for completers who follow the program's curriculum (program cost) and for students who follow a different trajectory, often not even completing a program (pathway cost). Together these measures provide important insights to guide decision makers.