Research and Reports
Our latest research, data releases, and analysis on college value, earnings, and economic mobility.
The Payoff of College Credentials
A state-by-state analysis of what certificate, associate’s, and bachelor’s degree graduates earn compared with high school graduates. Explore the State Snapshot for a one-page briefing on any state, or The Payoff Map to compare every field and credential across all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Finding the Right College Fit: What Families Want & What They Think Everyone Else Wants
Families often feel pressure to prioritize prestige. Yet in a survey of more than 3,000 parents, only 16% said prestige mattered most for their own child, while 61% believed other parents valued it highly. Jeff Selingo explored this disconnect in a webinar, Finding the Right College Fit, featuring Michael Itzkowitz of The HEA Group.
What Your Major is Worth in California
As the cost of college rises and confidence in its economic value declines, students and families increasingly need clear information about what different degrees and credentials deliver. This report analyzes federal earnings data for 276,963 graduates across 2,958 programs, 225 fields of study, and 386 California institutions to show how outcomes vary by field and credential level.
Public Agenda and The HEA Group Partner to Transform Transparency and Economic Mobility in California Higher Education
Public Agenda and The HEA Group announced a two-year collaborative initiative to improve data transparency and economic mobility across California’s higher education landscape.
Understanding the Value of Short-Term Credentials in Colorado
Are certificates worth it? For which programs? Do they align with Colorado's future economy? With a new short-term Pell Grant program launching on July 1, 2026, The HEA Group President Michael Itzkowitz argues that Colorado policymakers have a real opportunity to boost the state’s economic prosperity if they can answer those questions.
Certificate Earnings Explorer: A National Tool for Exploring Certificate Program Outcomes
The Certificate Earnings Explorer includes actual earnings outcomes for 5,592 certificate programs, representing more than 462,000 graduates across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Three Years of Changing How America Thinks About College Value
The HEA Group’s three-year anniversary reflects its significant role in shifting higher education toward the use of earnings and ROI data to evaluate institutional and program effectiveness, influencing federal policy, accreditation, and student decision-making. Our research has helped drive new accountability measures, transparency tools, and policy reforms at both the state and national levels. Looking ahead, we aim to expand its impact by continuing to promote outcomes-based evaluation and ensuring that higher education delivers greater economic mobility for students.
Colleges Are Finally Confronting Their Outcomes Data
HEA Group President Michael Itzkowitz argues that higher education institutions have moved through stages resembling the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) as they confront increasingly transparent data on graduates’ earnings and economic mobility. Itzkowitz contends that once institutions reach acceptance, they can use outcomes data constructively to redesign programs, improve advising, and better align education with labor-market opportunities for students.
A Conversation with SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.
At a time when students and families are questioning the value of college and higher education leaders face difficult decisions about improving outcomes and economic mobility, Michael Itzkowitz of the HEA Group hosted a timely conversation with Former U.S. Secretary of Education and current SUNY Chancellor John King.
HEA Group Partners with ACCJC on Strategic Use of Program-Level ROI Data
The HEA Group is proud to have worked with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges' (ACCJC's) on its new framework highlighting how program specific outcomes offer a more precise and actionable understanding of how individual fields of study contribute to students’ long-term economic mobility.
New Earnings Test Data: Only 2% of College Degree Programs at Risk
The HEA Group has analyzed all 32,578 undergraduate programs in the Education Department’s new data determining which college programs may remain eligible for federal student loan participation.
Is College Still Worth It? The Harlan Cohen Podcast with Michael Itzkowitz
Harlan Cohen sat down with Michael Itzkowitz, director behind the College Scorecard and founder & president of The HEA Group.
Equity Chat 2.0 with Michael Itzkowitz: Return on Investment in Higher Education
In this episode of Equity Chat 2.0, Dr. Keith Curry sits down with Michael Itzkowitz, a nationally recognized higher education policy expert with more than 15 years of experience inside and outside the federal government.
Why America has lost faith in college and what to do about it
A new op-ed by Michael Itzkowitz argues that our higher education institutions must be willing to demonstrate their value through the transparency and accountability that students, families, taxpayers and our national economy rightfully demand.
“Golden Returns: Which Community Colleges Deliver the Best Economic Outcomes” on The Rant Podcast with Eloy Ortiz Oakley of College Futures Foundation
Season four of the Rant Podcast kicks off with a deep dive into educational value and economic mobility. Host Eloy Ortiz-Oakley welcomes returning guest Michael Itzkowitz to discuss their groundbreaking "Golden Returns" report examining which California community colleges and certificate programs deliver the strongest financial returns for students.