A career college is a postsecondary institution that provides professional and technical, career-specific educational programs. Most career colleges are for-profit institutions that pay taxes yet receive no direct financial support from state governments. Public, not-for-profit public institutions receive state tax support or not-for-profit private colleges that pay no taxes. Completion of a career college program can range from doctoral and master’s degrees, to bachelor’s degrees, to associate degrees, to short-term certificates and diplomas. Career colleges are owned and operated by private individuals, private investors and public corporations.

What areas of study are offered by career colleges?
Career colleges provide educational programs in over 200 occupational fields, including accounting, allied medical, automotive technology, business administration, commercial art, criminal justice and law enforcement administration, culinary and hospitality management, emergency medical technology, information technology, interior design, legal administration, mechanical engineering, network administration, nursing, radio and television broadcasting, and visual and performing arts.

What is the Career College Association?
The Career College Association (CCA), with over 1,400 members, is a voluntary membership organization for private, postsecondary schools, institutes, colleges and universities that focus on the career oriented sector of higher education. Career colleges educate over two million students each year.

All CCA members must be licensed by the state in which they are located; accredited by a national or regional accrediting body; and approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Many also participate in other federal, state and local education and workforce training programs.

Why enroll in a career college?
The focus of employers today is on skills. Six of the ten fastest growing occupational categories between 2004 and 2014 require less than a four-year degree1. While the government forecasts that job opportunities requiring a four-year degree will increase 17 percent during this time period, it also estimates that job opportunities requiring a two-year degree will increase 19 percent.2

Career colleges focus on the needs of both students and employers. Many offer online courses of study, flexible course schedules and accelerated completions to meet the needs of working adults juggling study, full time employment and personal commitments. Many career colleges also have business advisory councils that help shape curricula and develop programs to meet growing and shifting workforce demands.

This pragmatic approach produces tangible results. According to one Department of Education study, three-quarters of career college students reported higher earnings with their degrees, while only 56 percent of graduates at public institutions did so. During 2005, 495,474 students completed career college programs. Of this number, 376,560 (or 76 percent) were employed immediately upon completion.3

What is the mission of career colleges?
The 21st Century workforce demands highly skilled workers, and career colleges are well positioned to educate Americans for information age jobs. Jobs in information technology, accounting, finance and engineering are regularly being outsourced overseas because there are not enough skilled workers to meet U.S. demand. Seventy-seven million baby boomers are beginning to retire, and the U.S. health care infrastructure is badly understaffed to meet a tidal wave of seniors requiring acute, post-acute, chronic and rehabilitative care.

Career colleges are a key piece of the education and skill development puzzle. They adapt to market needs more quickly than traditional institutions and maintain much higher graduation rates than community colleges. While traditional colleges and universities often help students gain broad background in the liberal arts, “find themselves” in personal terms, explore intellectual interests or perform research, career colleges serve individuals who are committed to a specific occupational goal and seek the most direct route to reaching it.

How big is the career college marketplace?
Over two million students attended accredited career colleges in 2005-2006, which represents 8% of the total market of 25 million students. Annual enrollment at career colleges between 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 increased 17% in less-than-two-year programs, 22% in 2-4 year programs and 14 percent in 4-year or more programs.4

Who attends career colleges?
Career college students are predominantly working adults looking to achieve the American dream by obtaining an education directly related to their career goals. Thirty-seven percent are minorities and almost 50% are the first generation in their families to pursue higher education. Over 50% of dependent career college students come from families with an income of less than $40,000. More than 75% of the students are employed while they are enrolled in career colleges.5

How do career college graduation rates compare to traditional schools?
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, 64% of career college students enrolled in certificate and associate degree programs graduate within three years of enrolling. At community colleges, over the same time span, 38% of the students graduate and 45% drop out.6

How do career college tuition costs compare to traditional schools?
Every college is different, of course, and tuition will vary depending on such factors as degree focus area, local economic conditions, student demand and the like. As a general rule, career colleges are more expensive than community colleges and public four-year institutions and less expensive than private non-profit colleges and universities.

Excerpt From: www.career.org

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