The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration has published a comprehensive analysis concerning the fiscal efficiency and operational expenses of the Job Corps Program. This program provides residential career training and education for eligible low-income young adults aged 16 to 24.
Labeled the “Job Corps Transparency Report 2025,” the document evaluates program expenditures and efficiency metrics, utilizing unaltered financial data and performance assessments from the national Job Corps Office. The report targets metrics from the program year 2023, focusing on costs per enrollee and graduate.
“Taxpayers deserve to know the facts and outcomes of their multi-billion-dollar investment,” commented Lori Frazier Bearden, Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training. Bearden emphasized the department’s dedication to transparency and accountability as crucial elements for improved oversight, informed policymaking, and sustaining public trust.
The analysis differentiates between two definitions of graduates: one corresponds to traditional program completion in good standing, and the other aligns with the statutory criteria from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Under WIOA, a graduate is described as “an enrollee that 1) receives a High School Diploma (HSD) or High School Equivalency (HSE), and/or 2) completes the requirements of a career technical training (CTT) program.”
From the findings of PY2023, the average graduation rates stand at 32% for traditional definitions and 38% under WIOA. The cost per enrollee, regardless of stay length, is averaged at $49,769.53, while the cost per student per year averages at $80,284.65. For total costs per graduate, traditional graduates average $187,653, whereas those under WIOA definition average $155,600.
Upon completion of the program, Job Corps participants earn an average of $16,695 annually. The report highlights the significant variation in the efficiency of different centers. Under traditional data, the 10 least efficient programs incur $512,800 per graduate on average, with the top 50 least efficient programs averaging $319,085. The WIOA data presents the costs for the 10 least efficient programs at $385,370 per graduate and $252,285 for the top 50 least efficient programs.
The full Job Corps Transparency Report is available for further details.
