Data Narrative: The Role of Student Momentum on Postsecondary Awards

The back of sitting graduate's caps

Not completing college has serious consequences. College students who drop out earn lower salaries (Beagley and Brandley 2024; Rooney et al. 2006). They also report higher poverty levels, unemployment, and incarceration rates (Tinto 2012). College dropouts are less engaged in their community and volunteer less (Barbera et al. 2020). However, students can finish their programs […]

Data Narrative: Student Transfers — Strategy or Frustration

Eighty percent of community college students intend to earn a bachelor’s degree (Crisp and Nunez 2014; Jabbar et al. 2021; Handel and Strempel 2018), but only 37% of these students transfer from their original higher education institution (Kintzer and Wattenbarger 1985; McCormick and Carroll 2003; Shapiro et al. 2018). Only 42% of these students do […]

USHE graduates earn higher wages and boost Utah’s economy 

USHE graduate smiling

Utah System of Higher Education graduates saw significant short- and long-term financial benefits after completing a college education, according to a new analysis from the Utah Data Research Center, which included outcomes of 2014-16 USHE graduates.  The study found that a typical USHE graduate earned 79% to 167% higher wages one year after graduation compared […]