PayScale released its 2016-17 College Salary Report earlier this month, and College of the Canyons cracked the top-15 list of community and career Colleges by Salary Potential, tying with San Bernardino Valley College at 15th.

COC graduates make an average of $38,100 annually in the early portion of their careers defined as having 0-5 years of experience on the job, according to the report, up to an average of $64,600 in mid career pay defined as having 10-plus years of experience.

“College of the Canyons is committed to preparing our students to enter the workforce with the education and skills they will need, and providing additional educational opportunities to remain competitive,” said Dr. Jerry Buckley, assistant superintendent and vice president of instruction at the college. “It is an honor to be included among the top 15 two-year colleges who produce graduates that enter high-earning jobs.”

Around 6 percent of College of the Canyons graduates are awarded degrees in the STEM fields(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

The list ranks 381 two-year colleges across the nation by post-graduation earnings to help associate degree-seeking students make informed choices when selecting a college to attend. The list also allows students to compare the salaries of workers who graduated from other schools and graduated with an associate or bachelor’s degree.

The rankings were created from data submitted by employees who completed the PayScale’s employee survey online for compensation. PayScale provides survey participants with a detailed compensation report regarding their value in the labor market.

The accompanying article mentioned that “public community colleges produce the highest earners” and “are usually the most affordable way to get a college education whether you want an AA or want to transfer to a 4-year school.”

PayScale is an online company that gathers salary information by allowing employees to submit salary and job data.

COC provides current and former students with numerous employment-related resources, such as student internships through the Cooperative Work Experience Education (CWEE) program and access to on-campus job fairs with a wide range of employers.

This information has been provided to KHTS AM-1220 through a Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles press release.