Free MetroCards and College Retention: New Findings from The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs & CUNY
For many students at the City University of New York (CUNY), getting to class isn’t just a matter of time—it’s a matter of cost. Community colleges primarily serve low-income and working-class students, many from households earning under $50,000 a year. While tuition is often subsidized, non-tuition expenses like transportation, textbooks, and childcare remain significant barriers. In a city where the cost of living is high, something as basic as a MetroCard can determine whether a student stays on track for graduation—or drops out.
Testing the Impact of Free Transportation on Student Success
To better understand how transportation costs affect college persistence, The Hope Center conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) at two CUNY community colleges—Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) and Queensborough Community College (QCC). From November 2023 to June 2024, students in the treatment group were provided with free monthly MetroCards, with reminders to pick them up. Researchers then tracked academic progress and surveyed students on their experiences.
Key Findings: A Lifeline for Students, A Boost for Retention
- Overwhelming Financial Burden: 90% of survey respondents reported that public transportation was unaffordable or somewhat unaffordable. Nearly all these students relied on public transit to get to class.
- Retention Gains for Those Who Used the Benefit: While no significant differences were found between the treatment and control groups overall, students who actually picked up their MetroCards at least once were significantly more likely to stay enrolled in Spring 2024 and also more likely to stay enrolled in Fall 2024 (or graduated in Summer 2024).
- More MetroCards, Better Outcomes: The more consistently students picked up their MetroCards, the stronger their academic outcomes—even after controlling for race, gender, age, prior credits, and GPA.
What This Means for Policy & Practice: The Link Between Transportation and College Success
According to The Hope Survey for Student Basic Needs, 1 in 8 students reported missing class or work due to transportation problems during the academic term. Other research has shown that 99% of community college students commute – not just to school, but also to work and other obligations that help them stay afloat.
Despite this, public transit infrastructure often fails to meet students' needs. While 57% of community colleges have transit stops within walking distance, an additional 25% could become accessible simply by extending existing public transit lines. These improvements wouldn’t just benefit students—they would make entire communities more connected and economically vibrant.
Federal and state policymakers could encourage transit agencies to collaborate with colleges to expand or improve transit options, as in the bipartisan PATH to College Act. They could do so with the help of new grants. The U.S. Department of Education could also remove financial aid barriers that prevent students from purchasing a car when they don’t have access to transit—especially students from rural areas.
From this RCT, students’ own words reinforced what the data shows: free MetroCards relieved stress, allowing them to focus on their studies and participate fully in campus life. Addressing non-academic barriers like transportation isn’t just about convenience—it’s about equity and student success.
However, it was also noticed that in the RCT, not all students in the treatment group picked up their MetroCards each month, and some never picked them up at all. Future research should explore who benefits most from transportation support, when they need it most, and how to ensure resources reach those who need them.
The findings of this study make it evident that there is an economic benefit for public transportation providers, such as MTA, to provide public transportation to college students to improve their chances of earning a degree and contributing to the local workforce.
Peter Sloane
Chairman and CEO of The Heckcher Foundation for Children
Students living with low incomes often attend college in urban areas with a disproportionate number of nonacademic or off-campus barriers to success. One of Kresge’s strategies toward fulfilling our vision of enabling more low-income college students to obtain high-quality higher education credentials beyond high school is strengthening the urban higher education ecosystem, which includes addressing transportation barriers. This study provides evidence that free MetroCards can have an outsized positive impact on students who need them.
Ashley Johnson
Program Officer at The Kresge Foundation
Yet, as the most recent Hope Center for Student Basic Needs national report has shown, transportation challenges persist nationwide. Nearly all two-year students (93%) and a majority of four-year students (55%) rely on a vehicle or public transit to get to class. With rising transportation costs and misaligned public transit schedules, students are forced to juggle basic mobility with the demands of school, work, and family responsibilities.
Expanding and aligning public transit infrastructure with students' schedules could dramatically improve college persistence—because getting to class should never be the reason a student can’t graduate.
To discuss this study further, please contact The Hope Center: hopectr@temple.edu
