Brand-Building at Community Colleges
In an age of information overload, how do you tell the story of who your college is to students and your community? How do you take charge of your own narrative and showcase all that your college has to offer?
Featured Resources
Some highlights of Lumina's work
We're sharing tools and takeaways from our efforts to create a better-educated nation.
The Great Admissions Redesign
Lumina Foundation is seeking to work with states, higher education systems, and groups of colleges and universities ready to transform how potential students apply, enroll, and access their institutions.
A Stronger Nation
We're tracking America's progress toward the nation's 60% attainment goal.
Community College Challenge
The Million Dollar Community College Challenge team is shining a spotlight on the great work of community colleges around the country.
REACH Collaborative
We're supporting community colleges in six states to create short-term credential-to-degree pathways for adults who are Black, Latino, Hispanic, and Native American.
Changing the Narrative on Student Borrowers of Color
A collection of essays from student loan experts sets the record straight on borrowing among students of color.
Community Grants
Our community grants portfolio supports local organizations in our hometown of Indianapolis and around central Indiana.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Hear stories about how HBCU's help students thrive.
Tuition Reimbursement
Meet a few of the workers and employers participating in tuition reimbursement programs.
Lumina Impact Ventures
Lumina Impact Ventures is the Foundation's impact investing arm partnering with mission-aligned social enterprises.
Local Talent Handbook
A guide for local leaders to build talent pool in their communities.
I Want That Job!
A series from WorkingNation on promising career paths for early career workers
History of Federal Student Aid
A film series documenting the policy and the political origins of federal financial aid programs
Beyond Financial Aid
How colleges can strengthen students’ financial stability, leading to higher completion rates
Degree Qualification Profile
A learning-centered framework for what college graduates should know and be able to do to earn the associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree.
SAC Data Workshop
April 8, 2026
Creating Indicators, not Answers, Stronger Nation: Data Management, The Five-part Harmony, Setting Benchmarks
Prosperity Benchmark Calculations
April 8, 2026
The steps below describe the methods ECOnorthwest uses to calculate Lumina Foundation’s credential-of-value benchmark and identify the number and share of individuals meeting the benchmark, using Census Bureau’s American Community Survey Public Use Microdata (PUMS).
Methodological processes to estimate short-term credential of value
April 8, 2026
This document details the methodology for counting certificates and certifications that are used for reporting beginning in 2024 (applies to 2023 data and forward).
State Attainment Collaborative newsletter, March 2026
March 25, 2026
Across Lumina’s State Attainment Collaborative (SAC) cohort, states are making significant progress in engaging stakeholders to advance value-centered attainment goals.
Aligning education and work
March 24, 2026
Higher education continues to play a central role in hiring decisions. However, employers report growing challenges in finding candidates with the right skills and preparing recent graduates for immediate effectiveness. The 2026 Gallup survey of 2,000 U.S. employers from Lumina Foundation and Gallup examines how employers view the state of higher education and the talent…
Lessons (So Far) From Lumina Foundation’s FutureReady States Initiative
March 5, 2026
This report synthesizes landscape assessments from 12 states participating in Lumina Foundation’s FutureReady States (FRS) initiative.
Understanding Black Students’ Experiences and Outcomes at For-Profit Colleges to Inform State Oversight
March 5, 2026
A snapshot of Black student enrollment and outcomes at for-profit colleges paired with the perspectives of Black alumni of for-profit undergraduate and graduate programs
The College Reality Check
Feb. 24, 2026
While public confidence in higher education has declined sharply in recent years, current students and graduates report far more optimistic experiences. The College Reality Check: What Students Experience vs. What America Believes report from Lumina Foundation and Gallup examines this divide, highlighting public skepticism alongside the positive outcomes described by those on campus and beyond.
The Future of Fair Admissions
Feb. 2, 2026
Class Action’s new report, The Future of Fair Admissions: A First Look at College Enrollment Outcomes After the End of Affirmative Action, compares first-time enrollments in 2022 and 2023 to enrollments in 2024 at over 3,000 colleges and universities for more than 3 million freshmen.
IPEDS’ Post-SFFA Enrollment Dashboard
Jan. 30, 2026
See the enrollment outcomes at more than 3,000 institutions in 2024, the first year affected by the Supreme Court's elimination of race-conscious admissions compared to 2018 and 2019. Enrollment data are drawn from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
Understanding Pathways to Enrollment in Community College Noncredit Workforce Programs
Jan. 28, 2026
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…
5 Ways Colleges Can Boost Graduation Rates
Jan. 13, 2026
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.
How States Are Funding and Expanding Short-Term Credential Pathways
Dec. 10, 2025
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.
The Geography of California Community College Enrollment
Dec. 1, 2025
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 is still worth it, even with student debt.
Nov. 3, 2025
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).
Beyond Earnings Premia
Oct. 25, 2025
Net returns on educational credentials still yield substantial net earnings gains, reinforcing higher education as a worthwhile investment.
Vanderbilt Unity Poll: Confidence in Higher Education Rebounds, Though Affordability and Political Bias Are Still Concerns
Sept. 24, 2025
Despite the Trump administration’s continued assault on colleges and universities, Americans’ confidence and favorability toward colleges and universities has increased from recent lows.
From High School to Workforce
Sept. 23, 2025
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.
Testing a Lower Cost Model of Student Supports
Sept. 22, 2025
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…
2025 Fall Term Pulse Point Survey
Sept. 12, 2025
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.