The relation of occupational attainment of rural students and community college education

This study attempted to assess the extent of impact that community college education had on the occupational success of prior community college students six years after their educational experience. A focus of the study was to determine if differences in occupational success existed between rural and nonrural students. The socioeconomic index was utilized to measure prior student\u27s current occupational status (occupational status attainment), improvement in occupational status during their career (intragenerational occupational mobility), and improvement in occupational status from their father\u27s occupational status (intergenerational occupational mobility). The prior rural students experienced occupational status attainment, intragenerational occupational mobility, and intergenerational mobility equal to that of prior nonrural students. The occupational status attainment of prior rural students was greater for associate degree graduates than those who either achieved diplomas or took courses. The credential earned had a stronger relationship to occupational status attainment than did the number of academic credits hours taken. Prior students who took an academic college transfer curriculum experienced greater occupational status attainment and intragenerational occupational mobility than did prior students who took an occupational curriculum. The prior female students experienced greater occupational status attainment while taking fewer academic credit hours than did prior male students. No difference existed between the intragenerational occupational mobility experienced by the prior male and female students. The number of academic hours taken was a moderately strong predictor of occupational status attainment and a weak predictor of intragenerational occupational mobility in the multiple regression models utilized in the study. None of the labor market variables utilized in the multiple regression models were significant predictors. Sex was the only significant predictor variable that was not related to community college education