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We know that education is a powerful tool for opportunity. But with rising college costs and more students relying on loans, this pressing question remains: Is college still worth it?

If we can align affordability, value, and trust, we can once again make higher education the engine of upward mobility.

More than 1M short-term workforce credentialing programs are offered today, but little has been done to help adults identify which programs meet industry standards and lead to higher-paying jobs. That’s changing.

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.

Lumina Foundation’s Jamie Merisotis offers insight from his decades of experience as an author, policy innovator, and philanthropist on the future of education and work—and his vision for a world where learning and human potential drive progress and opportunity for everyone.

Thirteen states are working to set new goals for better-educated, better-trained residents.

States need to help people complete credentials that pay off—in wages, career mobility, and community vitality.

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.

Linh Le is Lumina’s investment analyst. He researches and analyzes investment managers, asset allocation, risk, and liquidity to help manage the foundation’s endowment.

Once a global leader in higher education, the United States now finds itself spending more than nearly all of its peer nations while delivering outcomes that fall increasingly short of expectations.

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 researchers risk missing the nuances that shape the students who enroll, persist, and complete their degrees.

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 new people, increase their self-confidence, and promote their overall health and well-being.

Few aspects of modern life are as closely scrutinized as higher education, and no wonder: Though most Americans believe that a college degree leads to better jobs, many also think it costs too much and may not be worth the time and money.

The Humanity AI initiative recognizes that AI’s impact on our jobs, communities, and democracy will be shaped by our choices today. This effort is needed because AI will have enormous social and economic consequences.

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

The announcement today of Humanity AI marks one of the most ambitious philanthropic responses yet to the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence. Backed by an initial $500 million in commitments, this five-year collaborative seeks nothing less than to rebalance the trajectory of artificial intelligence development, shifting power toward the public good.

As vice president, Rachel leads DQC’s work to understand and support the field’s progress and impact in using data in service of student learning through postsecondary and into the workforce. She guides the organization’s privacy efforts, research strategy, and collaborates with partners and policymakers to identify best practices and success stories.

Veronica clarifies complex communications challenges by listening to what really matters to people, and shaping strategies that speak to them—not past them.