Minimum Wage Gains, Community College Enrollment Losses

August 09, 2023

A new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that community colleges lose students when a state’s minimum wage increases, but that degree attainment rates at these institutions remain mostly unchanged.

State Strategies Director (West) Kate Kinder emphasizes that the negative effect of state minimum wage increases on enrollment isn’t because these learners don’t value higher ed #credentials.