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Diversity propels Broward to top of Associate-degree-producing Community Colleges



Broward College has long celebrated its diversity as one of its institutional strengths, and the most recent survey of associate-degree-producing institutions demonstrates the across-the-board impact of Broward’s numbers.

 

In the annual survey of results by Community College Week, Broward College was ranked No. 3 nationally among top associate-degree producing institutions in 2007-2008. Broward College granted 4,715 associate degrees in all disciplines during that period, behind leader the University of Phoenix Online (12,119) and No. 2 Miami Dade College (7,047). Other Florida community colleges in the national Top 10 were Valencia (fifth, with 4,240), Florida Community College at Jacksonville (seventh, with 3,234) and St. Petersburg College (tenth, with 2,812). Community College Week’s rankings come from an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

 

An inspection of the cultural subcategories reveals how the college’s diversity impacts its numbers. Broward finished in the Top 100 of each category.

  • Among associate degrees awarded to African American students, Broward ranked second in Florida with 1,129, representing an 82 percent increase, and third nationally placing Broward behind No.1 Miami Dade (1,341) and No. 2 University of Phoenix-Online (1,314).

  • Broward ranked fourth nationally among Hispanic students in all disciplines, with 1,108 graduates. Miami Dade finished No.1, with 4,325 graduates. El Paso Community College finished second and South Texas College finished third.
     
  • Among Asian American students, Broward finished No. 2 in Florida, with 202 graduates and 31st overall.  Only Valencia, who finished 17th, with 265 graduates, was higher in the state. No. 1 in the nation was California’s Pasadena City College, with 585 graduates.
     
  • Among American Indian students in all disciplines, Broward was the highest-ranking Florida college, 56th overall, with 23 graduates. The No.1 associate degree-granting institution in the nation was Arizona’s Dine College, with 229 graduates.
     
  • Finally, among non-minority associate degree recipients in all disciplines, Broward was ranked eighth nationally, with 1,997 graduates. Four Florida community colleges were ranked higher than Broward: St. Petersburg (fourth, 2.162) Valencia (fifth, 2,234), Florida Community College at Jacksonville (2,165) and Santa Fe (seventh, 2,096).

 

Colleges also were divided into subgroups by professional categories. In the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Students and Humanities category, Florida community colleges dominated the top 10. Broward ranked second nationally with 3,550 graduates, behind Miami Dade (5,580). Trailing Broward were Valencia (third, 3,317) FCCJ (fourth, 2,287), Santa Fe (fifth, 2,199), Palm Beach (sixth, 2,046), Tallahassee (seventh, 2,030), St. Petersburg (eighth, 2020), Brevard Community College (ninth, 1,757) and Hillsborough Community College (tenth, 1,644).  In other subcategories by profession:

 

  • Broward finished third nationally, and second in the state among associate-degree-producing colleges for nurses, with 407. Excelsior College, of New York, was ranked No.1, with 1,571. Miami Dade ranked No.2, with 479. Ten Florida colleges finished in the Top 50.
     
  • Nine Florida community colleges, (eight of them public), finished among the Top 50 colleges awarding associate degrees in the Health Professions & Related Clinical Sciences. Broward College was ranked second in the state and fourth nationally, with 688 graduates. The University of Phoenix Online finished first, with 1,678. Miami Dade College, third overall, awarded 868.

Broward College also showed strength among the numbers of students earning certificates, ranking 74th for one-year certificates in all disciplines, with 768, and 94th among students earning two-year certificates, with 392. The top certificate-awarding colleges were the Gemological Institute of America, among the one-year certificates, with 5,899 and Florida-based Universal Technical Institute-Automotive and Marine Mechanics, with 1,970 two-year certificate recipients.