Salary Surfer is a new website that informs both current and prospective students on the monetary value behind their community college education.
“This groundbreaking tool validates that California community colleges produce a tremendous return on investment for our state,” said Chancellor of the California Community Colleges Brice W. Harris.
Salary Surfer was unveiled by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO), and makes the estimated median salary available for community college students in various fields of study who immediately join the workforce after graduation.
“Wage information comes from an agreement between the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the California Employment Development Department,” according to the CCCCO.
This provides current students interested or enrolled in specific disciplines to determine what they can expect to make after they graduate from their community college. For students who do not plan to or cannot afford to transfer, this website allows them the opportunity to look into the potential career that awaits them.
“An analysis of the data contained on Salary Surfer shows that students who complete an associate degree more than double their annual pre-degree earnings after two years in the workforce and nearly triple their pre-degree earnings after five years in the workforce,” according to the CCCCO.
It’s a type of tool that can benefit students who are indecisive about their major. They can use Salary Surfer as a research tool to see what type of career path can provide them with the income they desire.
The information Salary Surfer provides to students can help decide and inspire their future plans.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “about 25 percent of those graduates with associate degrees had median wages of more than $77,000 five years after graduating. That is higher than the median income level for those Californians with a master’s degree.”
This tool is providing insight for students who do not want to wait for four to six years to obtain their bachelor’s degree or masters by showing them the type of future that awaits them.
The distorted opinions many hold about associate degrees are now receiving some opposition with the data this website provides, which sheds light on the prosperity of the community college student.
For more information students can go to salarysurfer.cccco.edu