Impacts of State Aid for Non-Traditional Students on Educational and Labor Market Outcomes

Up to three-fourths of college students can be classified as “non-traditional”, yet whether typical policy interventions improves their education and labor market outcomes is understudied. The author uses a regression discontinuity design to estimate the impacts of a state financial aid program aimed towards non-traditional students. Eligibility has no impacts on degree completion for students intending to enroll in community colleges or four-year colleges but increases bachelor’s degrees for students interested in large, for-profit colleges by four percentage points. The author finds no impacts on employment or earnings for all applicants. This research highlights challenges in promoting human capital investment for adults.