This month, the HEA Group marks its third anniversary. When we launched our organization, #highered leaders were still largely resistant to post-college earnings data. Today, that data is reshaping federal law, state policy, and how millions of students choose where to enroll.

Call it denial: Many in higher education were hesitant to use data that provided insights into students’ post-graduation earnings. @mitzkow.bsky.social on why grief, acceptance, and even enthusiasm will follow.

Which college degrees are worth it? @mitzkow.bsky.social crunched the numbers from the latest @usdeptofed.bsky.social data dump. Fascinating. in 14% of all programs, or 4,441 of them, graduates earned least $50,000 more than typical high school graduates within 4 years. That's 435,722 students.

Two students. Same degree. Same cost. One doubles her income within 6 months. The other struggles to earn more than a high school graduate. The difference? WHERE they went to school matters more than you think. My new piece in Washington Monthly. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/02/e...

Join us August 7 for a webinar with Inside Higher Ed on a groundbreaking ROI analysis of 327 California community and career colleges across 12 regions. This nuanced view is a critical next step in our value & mobility research with College Futures. 👉 access.ihenow.com/golden-retur...

Most undergraduate students in the United States stay close to home – within just 17 miles – for college. And over 2/3 attend college within 50 miles of their house. Report: ticas.org/wp-content/u...

Great piece from @mitzkow.bsky.social on @hechingerreport.org on the need for publicly available highered data: "Good data helps policymakers direct resources toward schools that drive economic impact, turning education dollars into long-term growth." #edusky hechingerreport.org/opinion-clam...

Important op-ed on the critical need for reliable publicly available data to measure college outcomes and track our progress. "Now is not the time to stop measuring progress or to disinvest in our future."

The inability to measure and publish data on college outcomes weakens the U.S' global competitiveness, potentially triggering a decline in the very qualities that have made American higher education the envy of the world. New op-ed from me @hechingerreport.org. hechingerreport.org/opinion-clam...

OPINION: The inability to measure and publish data on college outcomes weakens the ability of the U.S. to maintain its global position as a leader in higher education: hechingerreport.org/opinion-clam... via @mitzkow.bsky.social

I'm wondering if the time and attention spent by the Administration on Harvard and Columbia may better allocated toward postsecondary education and success for students who attend other institutions.

And for some reason I thought we were supposed to be against the gov trying to control our schools. I’m not always the biggest fan of the Ivy Leagues, but it takes a lot of political will to push back, and it’s important to see @Harvard do just that. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/u...

Over the past year, the Education Department's College Scorecard had over two million visits. It serves as a critical source of information for students and families in determining where they can get the best bang for their educational buck. 1/2

“The Department was arguably the most efficient government agency. With 4,200 employees in 2024, it was the smallest cabinet agency by roughly a factor of two. Yet its annual $79 billion appropriation was the fourth largest…” www.slowboring.com/p/what-the-d...

Preparing Californians for the future of work is an economic imperative. Eloy Ortiz Oakley, president & CEO of College Futures Foundation, shares more about the opportunities ahead: buff.ly/mr6990l. #TheRant #CAMobilityIndex #EconomicMobility

Many of today's private institutions have really mastered the art of discounting. Essentially, they first say "Look at how much we actually cost! We are really expensive, so we must be super high quality!"...1/3

I’m excited to share news about our latest collaboration with College Futures Foundation: the launch of the California Mobility Index, a groundbreaking new ranking system for four-year institutions that reimagines how we measure higher education success. 1/5 collegefutures.org/california-m...

Over the past 30 days, the US Department of Education's College Scorecard has received over 215,000 visits — a rate much higher than average.

Look, there’s a lot going on right now. Like a lot a lot. That being said, no matter where you sit, there is something we can all agree upon: We must do more to ensure college is worth it for all students. More from me & EloyOakley. edsource.org/2024/we-must...

We have a lot of things we can worry about in #highered, but the path to economic success and continued global competitiveness should remain at the top of our minds. Everyone is entitled to a living wage through higher ed, but it's not always offered. www.theheagroup.com/blog/ensurin...

In case you were wondering, no, the Trump Administration’s federal aid pause does not extend to student loans or Pell grants (yet). @nytimes.com @ronlieber.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/b...

🦋 Hello, world! Welcome to our Bluesky page! Here, you'll find out about our efforts and initiatives to inform important policies related to educating students and preparing workers for a future without limits. Please follow, share—and stay tuned!

As a former UF student, I love talking with the Independent Florida Alligator. Florida is conducting a ROI study on Women's Studies majors, but I don't think they'll find what they're looking for. Salaries top $50,000 for those with this degree at UF. Article 👉 www.alligator.org/article/2025...

Unsurprisingly, today, the US Department of Education announced many senior staff from the America First Policy Institute where Linda McMahon previously served as Board Chair.

A few weeks ago, I published completion data for some of the largest online colleges in the US. Today, @insidehighered.com covered it. Should we deem it OK for online programs to show much lower completion rates for the students they enroll? www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-in...

With the number of high school graduates declining, and 72% of future jobs requiring some sort of postsecondary education by 2031, we need to ensure better: 👉Access 👉Completion 👉Outcomes If we wish to remain globally competitive, we need a strong postsecondary system.

Ivy League institutions are small. If they wanted to show their commitment to increasing economic opportunity, all eight of them would only need to enroll an additional 682 Pell Grant students in order to see a 5% across the board increase. Report: www.theheagroup.com/blog/ivy-lea...

#AI is a groundbreaking technology, but it won’t teach leadership, curiosity, collaboration, discernment, etc. With advancements in #AI, we should consider which human skills need to be further developed within #highered to build an effective 21st century workforce.

It’s becoming more common place to hear about selective colleges covering tuition for their lower-income students (and that’s a good thing). However, it would be truly amazing if state lawmakers would do the same for their larger public institutions. www.yahoo.com/news/more-co...

College completion remains of utmost importance. Increasing completion rates equips the next generation of workers to succeed, keeps the US globally competitive, and makes student loans more manageable for those who who wish to pursue a postsecondary credential. www.theheagroup.com/blog/college...

New data was recently released from the Education Department. I decided to take a glance at some of the largest institutions and their completion rates. Only two of the largest seven four-year colleges graduate more than half of their students within eight years. What do you think?

Yesterday, we saw some news from the National Student Clearinghouse that the national six-year college completion rate is the highest it's ever been since being measured. Yay for college completion! However, that translates to only 61% of students completing a degree. Let's break this down. 1/5

The incoming administration will be looking to rescind the protections that provide relief on unmanageable student debt. These could affect struggling borrowers by: - increasing payments - allowing interest accumulation - no cancellation if school misled or shut down

Especially given the demographic changes within the US over the past few decades, important findings regarding the very small percentage of Latino/a Studies majors offered at four-year colleges nationwide (only 3%).

Institutional leaders and elected officials must lean into discussions that are happening right now about the value of a college education, how it ties to learners’ futures, and where improvements can happen. New @edsource.org op-ed from me & Eloy Oakley. edsource.org/2024/we-must...

A good reminder at the #NWCCU conference from Georgetown CEW’s Jeff Strohl. We need to provide more postsecondary training if we wish to remain domestically and globally competitive over the next decade. There’s a job gap, and we need #highered to help fill it.

A new study by the Institute of Education Sciences reveals no significant difference in employment outcomes for Pell and non-Pell students at short-term certificate programs (8-15 weeks). However, what sticks out to me is that grads of these programs only earn ~$25K/year 3 years after completion.

This op-ed offers one (and maybe only) #highered issue that Linda McMahon has weighed in on. You can assume advocacy to open the federal floodgates to very short-term programs. Historically, these have been disproportionately offered by for-profits with poor outcomes. thehill.com/opinion/cong...

Believe it or not, some institutions leave their graduate students owing more than $100 million in addition to the amount they initially borrowed five years prior in their pursuits to obtain a sought-after graduate credential. Full report 👉 www.theheagroup.com/blog/grad-sc...

Very much enjoyed joining my confidant Eloy Ortiz Oakley on @npr.org's Cap Radio this week to discuss our recent report on the ROI of specific college majors across California. I also learned about white-nose syndrome in bats. Truly a win-win for all listeners. www.capradio.org/news/insight...

Something to look out for from the US Department of Education (ED) before the Administration change… A while back, ED suggested it would be publishing a list of college programs that are of “low financial value.” This would apply to all programs, not just those covered under Gainful Employment.

Here’s your friendly reminder that the US Department of Education can’t simply be eliminated. It would require significant legislation to work its way through both chambers including 60 votes in the Senate.

Want to become a teacher, but think you simply can't afford to do so? The HEA Group's latest report with College Futures shows the costs—and earnings—associated with each degree program within the state. Take a look and explore the data yourself 👉 www.theheagroup.com/blog/college...

Thrilled to have my research with the College Futures Foundation featured in yesterday's @latimes.com. Depending on the college program learners choose—and the credential they obtain—their likelihood of paying down their educational costs may vary considerably. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Today, we released a report with College Futures. "California College Programs That Pay: Measuring Return on Investment Across Majors and Credentials," evaluates the ROI of fields of study within higher education institutions. www.theheagroup.com/blog/college...

The top 1% of earners continue to have disproportionate access to America's most selective universities.

Is it possible that subpar outcomes are a cause for American's dwindling confidence in higher ed? Earlier this year, @nytimes.com covered our report that examined just how many colleges exceed — or fail to meet — basic financial outcomes for the students who attend. www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/y...

Earlier this year, the HEA Group worked with the Carnegie Postsecondary Commission on access, affordability, and economic outcomes. Please check out our bird's-eye view on who's attending college, how much it costs, and the expected economic outcomes. www.theheagroup.com/blog/three-p...

ICYMI: New College Scorecard earnings data out today. New data include: 1) An update to institutional-level earnings; and, 2) Earnings outcomes at the program-level up to five years after graduation. I’m thrilled to see ED continue to update these data on a regular basis.

Our new report, “Golden Opportunities,” delves into how long it takes low- and moderate-income learners to recoup the cost of a postsecondary degree or certificate in California. Download it here: collegefutures.org/insights/gol...