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What Knox Achieved: Estimated Effects of Tuition-Free Community College on Attainment and Earnings

Author

Listed:
  • Celeste K. Carruthers
  • William F. Fox
  • Christopher Jepsen

Abstract

We examine the effect of a last-dollar “free community college” program on college credit accumulation, college completion, and medium-term labor market outcomes. Knox Achieves pledged tuition-free community college to any Knox County, Tennessee high school graduate and served as the model for the statewide Tennessee Promise program, as well as local and state initiatives across the United States. We find that Knox Achieves eligibility led to a 24 percent higher likelihood of attaining an associate’s degree within nine years of high school, alongside positive but insignificant changes in the likelihood of attaining a bachelor’s degree and negative but insignificant changes in in-state earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Celeste K. Carruthers & William F. Fox & Christopher Jepsen, 2025. "What Knox Achieved: Estimated Effects of Tuition-Free Community College on Attainment and Earnings," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 60(6), pages 2071-2104.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:60:y:2025:i:6:p:2071-2104
    Note: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1220-11359R2
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household

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