In California and throughout the country, the cross -party support of measures that help people help to register for studying, pay it and complete it, has long been a key role in strengthening social, economic and political engagement in all communities. The increase in the level of education of all breeds/ethnic groups, income levels and immigration status leads to higher tax revenue, a more qualified workforce, less dependence on public support, lower detention rates and a more informed and more committed citizen. Since we start a change in national leadership in 2025, it seems helpful to rethink some important cross -party guidelines and to sketch some of the challenges and opportunities that are ahead of us.
Access to college and affordability. The nationwide PPIC survey has repeatedly shown that Californians have great ambitions for higher education, but are worried about whether they can study. State, federal and institutional financial aids help to clear up these concerns about the affordability.
It is not surprising that both red and blue states have an interest in improving access to financial aid in order to increase the level of education and to strengthen the regional and state economy. It is noteworthy that Texas passed a state policy in 2001 that aimed at gaining access to state tuition fees and financial support without papers; California issued a state tuition fee directive for students without papers in the same year, but granted no access to state financial support for another decade. Pioneering work already performed by the Republicans like Louisiana, Alabama and Texas in 2017 in the introduction of a general financial aid policy. California politics, which demands high school graduates to fill out an application for state or federal financial aid or to register, was first implemented in 2022. 23.
In the coming year, evidence of the positive contribution of education and qualified workers to communities and economies should initiate further cross -party measures that aim to improve the accessibility and affordability of universities.
University degree. California is one of many states in which managers from the entire political spectrum determine goals for university degree as part of a strategy for personnel development. Our most recent analysis of the university degrees in California has shown promising improvements: The system of California State University (CSU) has almost doubled its four -year final rate within ten years. It will be of crucial importance to maintain and expand progress in terms of time and to close gaps between demographic groups, considering that the acquisition of a university degree – in contrast not to register yourself at a university or without a degree – a key role Well -being plays in business development. In addition, university graduates with the advent of artificial intelligence will be better able to adapt to the rapidly changing technologies.
Our work to the paths to the university degree indicates that the increase in the number of high school graduates who register directly to four -year college and increasing the proportion of students who switch from a community college to a four -year school, which could contribute to it, to improve the university degree. The improvement of the college willingness of K-12 students who were historically underrepresented in university formation is a particularly promising strategy for the university degree, and the effectiveness of the double enrollment has also been documented in California and throughout the country. It is important that the high bachelor's degree rates among students who change from Community Colleges indicate that the strengthening of the transfer path for the diversification of the pool of university graduates is of crucial importance, since the community college in California accommodates a large proportion . In 2025, the continuous commitment to guidelines and practices will help improve the university degree to make the decisive factor.
The value of the college. In 2025, more work will be necessary to counteract the costs that a degree is not worth the costs. Long -term data and examinations, including our own, have shown that a university education is one of the safest ways of economic mobility. In particular, we find that a university graduate in 2021 earned 62 % more than a high school graduate. The latest investigations have shown that the average earnings of Americans without a university degree in the early 1970s fell below average earnings, while earnings increased by university graduates.
It is important to recognize that there are considerable income differences between the study programs for those who have a degree, whereby graduates in MINT subjects earn almost twice as much as those who strive for an educational qualification ($ 115,000 compared to $ 65,000 Dollar). The return on capital is generally high in California, although the return varies here, depending on the subject and the type of completion. In addition, there are still wage differences according to breed/ethnic belonging and gender, even after taking into account education and experience. In order to eliminate these differences, long -term changes are required in both politics and in practice, including efforts to tackle the segregation on the labor market.
In the short term, it will be important to inform public opinion by emphasizing the connection between the university, career and labor market returns. With better accessibility and transparency of the data, individuals can make well -founded decisions about whether and where they study and what they want to study. A closer connection between study programs and employment opportunities will also be of crucial importance, especially for the first generation university graduates who want to make their way to the first generation specialist personnel. In 2025, the Californian master plan for vocational training and the “Cradle to Career” data system, which includes free tools for university and career planning, can help the state to support these efforts.
In the coming year, the independent, impartial and data -controlled work, which we do at the PPIC Higher Education Center, will be more important than ever. In order to support a better future for all Californians, we will continue to examine the access, the results and the affordability of universities with the aim of contributing to a more efficient, more efficient and fairer university system.