Resource Archive

Noncredit workforce education has emerged as a vital yet underexamined pathway in American higher education. Accounting for an estimated 40% of community college enrollment nationwide (American Association of Community Colleges, 2024), noncredit programs attract millions of adult learners annually. These programs serve diverse needs, providing occupational training geared toward adults seeking skills for new or…

Research has long shown that graduation likelihood is linked to a student’s financial resources, family’s educational background, gender, and ethnicity. But Lumina-funded research now reveals that an institution’s actions and culture matter as well.

The 2025 update to HCM's landscape analysis of state investments in short-term credential pathways. The latest and most comprehensive analysis identifies 111 active state-funded initiatives across 34 states.

California students now have more options to take courses offered by institutions that are geographically distant from them, expanding the course-taking landscape for students statewide. This brief explores how the growth of online course taking over the past 10 years has affected the geography of enrollment, specifically the choices students make about where they take…

College remains a strong financial investment even after accounting for student loan payments: degree holders earn on average $8,000 more per year than similar non-completers when accounting for debt ($10,400 without accounting for debt).

Net returns on educational credentials still yield substantial net earnings gains, reinforcing higher education as a worthwhile investment.

For many students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, college affordability concerns are not new. Generations of Asian American and Hispanic or Latino students have faced unmet need—the gap between what families can afford and what students must pay—that persists long after arriving in the United States. When broad averages mask differences within these groups, policymakers and…

The nation’s 35 tribal colleges and universities create value in many ways. For example, TCUs play a key role in helping students increase their employability and achieve their individual potential. TCUs provide students with the education, training, and skills they need to have fulfilling and prosperous careers. TCUs are also places for students to meet…

Press Release Guidelines for states participating in Lumina’s State Attainment Collaborative

Despite the Trump administration’s continued assault on colleges and universities, Americans’ confidence and favorability toward colleges and universities has increased from recent lows.

Dual enrollment is a proven strategy for aligning education with the needs of a rapidly changing workforce. By allowing high school students to earn college credit—particularly in career-aligned fields—these programs support smoother transitions into postsecondary education and employment.

​Nearly three-quarters of college presidents (74 percent) say they are “extremely concerned” about the Trump administration’s impact on higher education, according to a survey from the American Council on Education.

The U.S. economy is facing a skills shortage crisis in critical occupations, according to new research from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. From 2024 through 2032, 18.4 million experienced workers with postsecondary education are expected to retire, far outpacing the 13.8 million younger workers who will enter the labor market with…

Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances, and performance of education systems in OECD and partner countries.

Community colleges lead the charge in educating a diverse population of students with varying goals and backgrounds. This includes parenting students. About half of all undergraduate student parents attend community colleges. Given that community colleges offer more accessible, affordable, and speedy paths to workforce credentials and degrees than other institutional options, it is not surprising…

This report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows little improvement in transfer rates for first-time college students. But it does offer insight on various factors that could contribute improved outcomes.

Faced with a steep demographic cliff and a growing chorus of questions about value, higher education is wrestling with a somewhat unfamiliar question: How can the college admissions process evolve from gatekeeper to gateway?

Community colleges and broad-access universities (those with minimally selective admis­sions policies) provide an opportunity for students across the United States to attain post­secondary degrees and achieve economic mobility. However, graduation rates from such colleges are often low and there are many obstacles that can be difficult to overcome, es­pecially for students who must balance work…

This resource examines the role of stronger data systems in addressing challenges and barriers students must currently overcome to access postsecondary education, highlights efforts states and institutions are undertaking to streamline the admissions process, and identifies best practices that have emerged in the field.

More than 82 million adults 25 years old and over have never enrolled in any postsecondary education, and another 43.1 million adults have some college credits, but no credential. Black, Hispanic, and Native American adults are disproportionately represented in both of these categories. But the fundamental structures and practices of colleges were not built with…