State Opportunity Index
For many, an investment in education does not lead to the kind of meaningful work and economic security they had hoped for. Employers, too, are struggling to match talent with jobs.
Designed to guide state progress in five priority areas, the State Opportunity Index helps states assess how well they are leveraging post-high school education so students realize the full value of their education and employers have the workforce they need to fill high-demand jobs.
Key findings
Designed to guide state progress in five priority areas, the State Opportunity Index helps states assess how they are leveraging education after high school — including degrees, certificates, and other credentials — to strengthen workforce competitiveness. Baseline data in five focus areas - Clear Outcomes, Quality Coaching, Affordability, Work-Based Learning, and Employer Alignment - provide states with a research-driven framework for measuring and improving the policies and practices that connect education with opportunity.
When individuals choose to pursue education after high school, what can they expect their journey to look like? We envision a future in which everyone can access accurate information on education and employment outcomes that can help them make informed decisions about post-high school education.
What we measured:
Students, institutions, employers, and policymakers need access to specific data — graduate earnings and career outcome information — to understand what their educational choices may mean for work, life, and income. We identified 10 critical elements that contribute to the capacity of state education-to-employment data systems.
What we found:
- More than half of states are Leading or Advanced in some of the categories that are fundamental to strong education-to-employment data systems.
- Only a few states have enhanced their wage records to produce insights on the occupational outcomes of post-high school education programs.
- Fewer than half of states are Leading or Advanced in their ability to track outcomes from high school to employment or to provide open data files.
- Least common are the elements of enabling students to access their own data or having a unit dedicated to generating education-to-employment insights.
No one should have to map a career path and navigate challenges alone. We envision a future in which everyone has access to quality education-to-career coaching that helps them reflect on their talents and interests, choose a career goal, map pathways through education, and navigate challenges along the way.
What We Measured:
We conducted a national survey of individuals who graduated from public two- and four-year institutions between 2020 and 2023, as well as graduates of public four-year institutions from the four largest states: California, Florida, New York, and Texas. The survey examined the percentage of recent graduates who had access to education-to-career coaching while pursuing their degree that provided timely information and support to help them connect their education to a career.
What We Found:
- Nationally, about one-quarter of graduates from two-year institutions and one-fifth of graduates from four-year institutions experienced education-to-career coaching that included key information and support.
- A higher percentage of students experienced at least some of these dimensions — coaching or guidance, early information on education-to-career pathways, and support to develop a plan and overcome barriers:
- Support in setting education and career goals and developing plans and overcoming barriers to success is the most frequently experienced dimension of quality education-to-career coaching. About two-thirds of recent graduates (67 percent of four-year graduates and 65 percent of two-year graduates) experience this support.
- About half of recent graduates of public two-year (54 percent) and four-year (53 percent) institutions report receiving personalized coaching or guidance.
- Fewer than half of recent graduates received information on at least three of four education-to-career topics before the end of their first year in their program. Recent graduates of two-year (42 percent) and four-year (39 percent) institutions report similar experiences.
For many individuals, the cost of an education after high school is a significant barrier, limiting their access to further education and the opportunity education can generate.
We envision a future in which quality postsecondary programs are within everyone’s financial reach, allowing for equitable opportunity for success.
What We Measured:
We calculated the number of hours a student would have to work annually, earning their state’s median wage for college students, to cover the net price of their degree program (total cost of attendance, minus grants and scholarships).
What We Found:
- Based on the average net price of two- and four-year enrollment in relation to the median wage for employed students, California and Washington are the most affordable states to attend college. A student paying the average net price in these states would be able to cover the costs of tuition, fees, and living expenses after aid by working fewer than 10 hours per week during the school year and full time during the summer.
- The least affordable states are Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. In these states, even a student working more than 30 hours per week during the school year and full time during the summer could not cover their expenses.
- Some states, such as Mississippi and Wyoming, have a relatively low average net price but are not considered among the most affordable because wages in those states also are relatively low. Others, such as Rhode Island, have a higher average net price but also higher wages, making education after high school relatively more affordable.
Learning by working is a vital ingredient to success after completing a degree or other credential. We envision a future in which all students have access to work-based learning experiences, such as paid internships, that help connect their education to their career goals.
What We Measured:
We conducted a nationally representative survey of individuals who completed their college education (public two- and four-year institutions) between 2020 and 2023. Additionally, we oversampled public four-year graduates in the four largest states: California, Florida, New York, and Texas. The survey asked these recent graduates whether they participated in an internship during the course of their education, and if so, whether they were paid.
What We Found:
- Nationally, just under half of recent graduates from four-year colleges and universities and one-quarter of recent two-year college graduates completed an internship (both paid and unpaid).
- Slightly more than one-quarter of recent bachelor’s degree graduates and 10 percent of recent associate degree completers held a paid internship while enrolled.
- Graduates who completed a paid internship are much more likely to have a first job that requires a degree (73 percent) compared to those who did not complete an internship (44 percent). They are also more likely to be satisfied with their first job and with the progress they are making toward their long-term career goals compared to students who had an unpaid internship or no internship at all.
An education after high school has multiple important purposes. Preparation for a career is just one of them — but for many people it is the most important one.
We envision a future in which students can readily access programs that lead to quality jobs and mobility, and employers assess and advance individuals based on skills and experiences, not just degrees.
What We Measured:
We calculated a supply/demand ratio for a variety of high-demand, high-wage jobs in each state and estimated the percent of terminal bachelor’s degree holders (age 26-30) employed in a college-level job.
What We Found:
- No states meet the criteria for Leading at this time. Thirteen states are Advanced, led by Rhode Island and Utah, 28 states are Developing, and 10 states are Foundational.
- Top states for meeting the demand for talent in opportunity jobs (i.e., high-demand, high-wage jobs) include Alabama, Rhode Island, Utah, and West Virginia. States most underproducing talent in these occupations relative to demand are Alaska, Montana, and New Hampshire.
- The range of young people with bachelor’s degrees who are employed in college-level jobs is tighter across states than the range of supply/demand ratios. Top states for college-level employment are Maryland, Massachusetts, Utah, and Washington, D.C. States that struggle most with college-level employment are Hawaii, Maine, Montana, and Oregon.
State-by-state data
One measure of the current strength of the link between education and opportunity is how consistently college graduates achieve a positive return on investment (ROI)—the percentage of graduates better off financially because they went to college.
Use the dropdown to see a snapshot of state progress for return on investment. Click the button to download more data.
Browse researcher-answered questions about the State Opportunity Index or dive deeper with our downloadable appendices.