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The Golden Ticket: How Raising Postsecondary Attainment Rates to 70 Percent for All Demographic Groups Would Unlock Decades of Prosperity in California

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Golden Ticket: How Raising Postsecondary Attainment Rates to 70 Percent for All Demographic Groups Would Unlock Decades of Prosperity in California
Language: English
Authors: Zachary Mabel, Irene Koo, Jeff Strohl, Georgetown University, Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. 2026.
Availability: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. 3300 Whitehaven Street NW Suite 5000 Box 571444, Washington, DC 20057. Tel: 202-687-4922; Fax: 202-687-3110; e-mail: cewgeorgetown@georgetown.edu; Web site: http://cew.georgetown.edu
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 94
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: College Futures Foundation
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Educational Attainment, Postsecondary Education, Economic Impact, Disproportionate Representation, Racial Differences, Gender Differences, Older Adults, Credentials, Low Income Groups, Education Work Relationship, Geographic Regions, Regional Characteristics, Differences
Geographic Terms: California
Abstract: In today's knowledge economy, increasing postsecondary attainment is critical to ensuring that people have the skills and training they need to succeed in the workforce. The economic and societal benefits of credential attainment have long justified public investment in postsecondary education. In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom established the goal of raising the statewide attainment rate to 70 percent by 2030, pledging to invest $39.6 billion in the higher education system and other career education pathways to support the state's economic future. But ensuring that the gains associated with increased attainment accrue more equitably and deliver shared prosperity will require the state to address persistent disparities in attainment by race/ethnicity, economic background, age, and geography. This study set out to determine how California and its residents would benefit from raising attainment rates to at least 70 percent for all demographic groups. Findings show that there would be a transformative impact on the state and its residents, and the monetary returns would outweigh the up-front costs within six years. Over the full payback horizon spanning 50 years, the total anticipated impact of achieving the attainment target for all demographic groups would exceed the size of the entire state economy today and surpass California's historical economic growth over the past 50 years. The evidence makes clear that raising attainment rates to at least 70 percent across all demographic groups in California would drive significant economic growth and mitigate long-standing inequities that have left too many individuals and communities behind.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED680378
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:In today's knowledge economy, increasing postsecondary attainment is critical to ensuring that people have the skills and training they need to succeed in the workforce. The economic and societal benefits of credential attainment have long justified public investment in postsecondary education. In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom established the goal of raising the statewide attainment rate to 70 percent by 2030, pledging to invest $39.6 billion in the higher education system and other career education pathways to support the state's economic future. But ensuring that the gains associated with increased attainment accrue more equitably and deliver shared prosperity will require the state to address persistent disparities in attainment by race/ethnicity, economic background, age, and geography. This study set out to determine how California and its residents would benefit from raising attainment rates to at least 70 percent for all demographic groups. Findings show that there would be a transformative impact on the state and its residents, and the monetary returns would outweigh the up-front costs within six years. Over the full payback horizon spanning 50 years, the total anticipated impact of achieving the attainment target for all demographic groups would exceed the size of the entire state economy today and surpass California's historical economic growth over the past 50 years. The evidence makes clear that raising attainment rates to at least 70 percent across all demographic groups in California would drive significant economic growth and mitigate long-standing inequities that have left too many individuals and communities behind.