Is It Really Cheaper to Start at a Community College? The Consequences of Inefficient Transfer for Community College Students Seeking Bachelor’s Degrees

Investigates whether it is more efficient for students to start at a two-year or four-year college if their intent is to complete a bachelor’s degree. The researchers use data from two state systems combined with cost and tuition data to estimate the relative efficiency of starting at a two-year versus a four-year college. The research finds that the optimal choice about where to start varies across a number of dimensions.