Nearly one out of every five students who earned a master’s degree last year initially entered higher education through a community college, according to data released this month by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

In addition, 11 percent of graduates from doctoral-research programs started out at a two-year school.

“Community college is typically viewed as a portal to the baccalaureate degree, but this study shows that it also helps many individuals access the lifetime employment benefits associated with a master’s or doctorate,” Suzanne T. Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, noted in a recent Clearinghouse blog post. “I hope this study will inspire new strategies for helping community college students chart a path to graduate school.”

Community college grads were most likely to pursue advanced degrees in fields related to health, the social sciences, education, and business.

Read about the study and learn more about the transfer process on NACAC’s website.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.