Labor Market Opportunities and Declining Community College Enrollment in the Pandemic Era

This policy brief examines the relationship between post-pandemic labor market conditions and declining community college enrollment in Los Angeles County. Using data from the Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) and the American Community Survey (ACS), the authors analyze trends in enrollment, earnings, labor force participation, and population changes since COVID-19. The brief finds that rising real earnings—especially for younger workers and those without a bachelor’s degree—have increased the opportunity cost of attending college, making immediate employment more attractive. In addition, shifts in labor force participation and a shrinking pool of working-age residents without four-year degrees help explain why enrollment losses have been particularly severe among younger and full-time community college students. Together, the findings suggest that improved labor market opportunities plausibly account for a meaningful share of pandemic-era enrollment declines and highlight the need for community colleges to adapt recruitment, program design, and student supports in response to changing economic conditions. 

Read the blog: Are Labor Market Opportunities Diverting Potential Community College Students? Lessons From Los Angeles County