Earning an associate’s degree at Golden West College really pays off. Of California’s 112 community colleges, it is top-ranked in earnings and returns on investment, both for students and the state.

GWC graduates with an associate’s degree earn an average of $711,812 more over their work life than high school graduates, according to The American Institutes for Research and Nexus Research and Policy Center.That is more than twice the average lifetime income of $352,011 for all California community college graduates.

Nationwide, the average lifetime earnings for those with associate degrees is $259,000 more than for those with a high school diploma.

Tracking salary levels of Golden West College graduates’ earnings has shown that they are the highest paid among community colleges in Southern California, and No. 3 in the state, just below Foothill College and Ohlone College, which are both in Northern California.

The earning power of graduates is due in large part to the college’s highly regarded programs, from nursing and criminal justice to automotive technology, digital media, computer science and more.

GWC students receive a 17.4 percent return on their investment of time spent in school.

Students who earn a degree or certificate from GWC nearly double their income within three years.Tracking of graduates also shows that 88 percent of GWC students who completed a career certificate program are employed, and 80 percent work in the same or similar field as their community college training.

The correlation between higher education and quality-of-Iife benefits produces annual savings of over $5 million in avoided healthcare costs, in the communities Golden West College serves.

Improved health and lifestyle habits save more than $2 million through lower absenteeism from work, reduced smoking, and reduced alcohol abuse.

Lower crime rates save approximately $2.3 million through fewer incarcerations, less negative impact on productivity due to incarcerations, and fewer costs incurred by victims of crime.

Lower incidences of welfare and unemployment saves approximately $1 million.

For communities, annual income and quality-of-life improvements increase about $121 for each credit hour of instruction.

The graduates also have greater participation rates in the community and are more likely to vote.