Georgetown Report Says Raising Postsecondary Attainment to 70% Could Add $4.4 Trillion to California Economy
Photo Credit: College Futures Foundation
OAKLAND, Calif., May 1, 2026 (CALIFORNIA NEWS TODAY) — Education research center Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), in partnership with College Futures Foundation, has released a report stating that California could generate $4.4 trillion in economic gains over the next 50 years if 70% of working-age adults across all demographic groups earn postsecondary degrees or credentials of value.
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The report, titled The Golden Ticket: How Raising Postsecondary Attainment Rates to 70 Percent for All Demographic Groups Would Unlock Decades of Prosperity in California, projects that achieving the 70% attainment rate would be equivalent to $214,000 per working-age adult. According to the research, the projected gains would result from increased earnings, higher tax revenues, economic expansion and reduced public spending.
The study found that economic benefits would not be limited to bachelor’s degree attainment. Associate degrees, industry-recognized certificates and other workforce-aligned credentials would account for a significant portion of the projected gains. Even if new credential holders earned only non-degree credentials or associate degrees, the report estimates the economic impact would approach $4 trillion.
“California is looking at a $4.4 trillion opportunity, but it will not be captured through the same old structures of the current higher ed system. We need all secondary leaders and employers working together to identify the credentials that matter most in each region - whether in the skilled trades, healthcare, technology, teaching or advanced professional professionals - and create clearer pathways for working learners to earn them,” said Eloy Ortiz Oakley, president and CEO of College Futures Foundation.
The report emphasizes that recent high school graduates alone will not meet the target. It highlights the need to expand flexible pathways for working adults, parents and mid-career learners.
“Importantly, although bachelor’s degrees would deliver the highest total monetary gains overall, attainment gains at all levels would be transformational,” said Zack Mabel, lead author and director of research at CEW.
Among the report’s key findings:
Achieving 70% statewide attainment would generate $4.4 trillion in net gains over 50 years.
The projected gain equals $214,000 per working-age adult.
A $198 billion public investment in postsecondary education could yield a 22-times return, according to the modeling.
More than $1 trillion in projected gains would be generated in the Inland Empire region alone if attainment reached 70% across all demographic groups.
Broad-based inclusion would account for $4.2 trillion of the projected total impact.
The study also notes that by the end of the decade, nearly three out of four jobs in California are expected to require education or training beyond high school.
“California’s future competitiveness depends on whether we connect more people to credentials that lead to real opportunity,” Oakley said.
College Futures Foundation has launched a campaign titled Our Golden Ticket to Rebuilding the California Dream, calling for coordination among employers, education leaders and policymakers to align education pathways with workforce needs.
View the full report here.
For more information, visit www.georgetown.edu and www.collegefutures.org.
Source: College Futures Foundation
