Still Growing: The Continuing Evolution of Community College Baccalaureate Degrees in the United States

Findings to be Shared During Live Webinar, Wednesday, May 20 

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 14, 2026) – What is the state of the national community college baccalaureate (CCB) degree movement? Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) research partners answer that question and track CCB expansion across the nation in a new report: Still Growing: The Continuing Evolution of Community College Baccalaureate Degrees in the United States. 

Researched and authored by Elizabeth Meza, Ph.D., a distinguished researcher and faculty instructor at the Evans School for Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington, and Davis Vo, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Education & Information Studies, the report provides new data and analysis on the rapidly changing national landscape of CCB degrees including the following highlights:  

• The number of states offering CCBs in the United States has held steady at 24, with several others considering legislation.
• The number of institutions offering CCB programs has risen from 187 two years ago to 214 with more than one-half designated as Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)
• The number of CCB programs has risen from 678 to 763. 
  • CCB programs graduated more than 16,000 students in 2023-2024. 70% of recent CCB graduates are “adult learners” age 25+
  • 65% of CCB graduates are women
  • 40% of CCB graduates are African American, Black, or Latine 

Funded by ECMC Foundation, this research represents the latest and most comprehensive analysis of CCB degrees to date in the 50 states including tribal colleges and universities, and U.S. territories since the 2024 report Watch Them Grow: The Evolution of Community College Baccalaureate Degrees in the United States (CCBA and Bragg & Associates, Inc., 2024). A catalog of all CCB programs offered nationally is available at accbd.org/state-inventory.

An in-depth analysis of all findings will be presented by Meza and Vo during a live webinar at 12:30 pm EST on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.