Blacks Are Making Good Progress in Attainment of Two-Year Community College Degrees

Two-year associate’s degree awards are important. Census data shows that blacks with some college or a two-year associate’s degree significantly increase their earning power over blacks with only a high school diploma.

In 2006 nearly 90,000 African Americans were awarded two-year degrees. This is up nearly 50 percent from the year 2000.

Liberal arts, business, and health services were the most popular fields of study for African Americans in two-year degree programs.

As in most other areas of higher education, African Americans hold a large advantage over black men in community college degree attainments. In 2006 black women earned more than 69 percent of all two-year degrees awarded to African Americans.