Dual credits and the community college pathway toward STEM degrees

Abstract Community colleges are an important entry point and pathway for students to obtain a postsecondary degree in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. To broaden STEM participation and increase STEM persistence, it is important to support community college students’ college‐level course completion and academic performance. This article explores whether earning dual credits in high school is related to community college students’ probability of completing any STEM/career and technical education (CTE) degree or persisting in a STEM program at a 4‐year institution. Using a nationally representative dataset, we find that earning dual credits, especially in the subject of math/science, is positively associated with community college students’ STEM/CTE success. We conclude the article with implications, recommending practitioners to highlight the benefits of dual credit on STEM success, streamline high school collaborations into STEM access and success strategy, and reimagine the role of CTE programs in STEM success for community college students.