About one-fifth (21%) of community college students in New Jersey transfer to four-year schools and earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. This is higher than the national average of 16% but far below the almost 80% of students who say they want to earn a bachelor’s degree, according to recent reports from the Community College Research Center, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

New Jersey is ranked No. 1 in the country for bachelor’s degree attainment among community college students. For low-income students, the ranking drops to No. 24, according to the reports.

“These findings show us that while much more needs to be done, especially in support of low-income and students of color, New Jersey is ahead of most other states in helping students who start at community colleges reach their goals of attaining bachelor’s degrees,” Tatiana Velasco, lead author of the reports and research associate at the Community College Research Center, said in a statement.

The reports identify several strategies for education leaders and policymakers to improve transfer practices and degree completion, such as increasing dual enrollment opportunities and promoting associate-degree completion before transfer.

“Both four-year institutions and community colleges have important roles to play, as do state policymakers,” Velasco said. “They all must pay more attention to assessing whether transfer students succeed, understanding which student groups are best and least well served, and incentivizing solutions that will help more low-income and diverse students achieve their goals and support their families.”