A college degree should deliver on the promise of economic security and mobility for individuals who invest substantial time and money in their education.
But how will we know whether the systems we’ve designed to connect education with work are improving?
Today Strada releases the latest iteration of the State Opportunity Index, which measures state progress in five research-backed focus areas that help more learners achieve a return on their investment in education and better connect the nation’s education and employment systems.
The Index creates a framework to help policymakers, higher education system leaders, and colleges and universities better connect education with opportunity.
Nationally, 70 percent of America’s recent graduates of public colleges and universities experience a positive return on their investment within 10 years of graduation. It also measures graduates’ return on investment in education for each U.S. state and Washington, D.C.
The Index includes:
- An executive summary highlighting the Index’s key findings in five focus areas that research shows boost return on investment for more students nationwide.
- The full report, which is the second iteration of the annual State Opportunity Index and is based on a larger dataset from a greater variety of resources.
- 51 state summaries, which quantify progress across the focus areas for all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
- An interactive map that allows users to compare top-level data across up to four states simultaneously.
- States in Action reports, featuring 10 states that have made notable commitments to improving in at least one of the focus areas and some tools and resources they use in their work.
- A collection of answers to key questions that help explain the work and its purpose.
The State Opportunity Index reinforces the importance of helping clear the path between education and work, especially for those with the most standing in their way.
