Having to work is why most community college students stop out

Approximately half of community college students who stopped attending school cited having to work as a major reason, according to a new survey commissioned by the think tank New America.

The 2023 survey found that 49% of stopouts cited work as a major reason — an increase from 42% the previous year. Other financial reasons were heavily cited by respondents: 31% said they could no longer afford a program and 24% cited inflation.

Community college enrollment has rebounded, but many current or former students struggle to stay enrolled because of the financial hardships they have faced. New America writes, “in order to regain the level of enrollment seen before the pandemic, community colleges must do more to support their students.”

From November through December, Lake Research Partners surveyed 1,242 current or former community college students, including 598 “stop-outs” who were no longer enrolled in college this fall.

About three in four stopouts said they experienced four or more hardships, including going hungry, getting threatened with foreclosure or eviction or not having health insurance.

Stopouts were increasingly likely to experience financial hardship: 60% said they have fallen behind on paying important bills, up from 49% in 2022. Most stopouts (58%) applied for public benefits, and 48% skipped meals because they did not have enough food.

Fewer stopouts than in years prior plan to reenroll: 36% said it’s very likely, compared to 42% in 2022.

Stopouts said they would be more likely to reenroll with free tuition (54%), free textbooks and course materials (44%) and more institutional support (39%).