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Introducing the 2026 edition of Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States
The 2026 Indicators report reveals that while bachelor’s degree attainment has increased across all income groups over the past five decades, profound inequities persist, with students from the highest-income families earning bachelor’s degrees at rates more than four times higher than students from the lowest-income families, underscoring that access to higher education in America remains far from equitable.
2026
Exploring and Increasing TRIO’s Capacity for Career Development Partnerships
The Pell Institute has released its latest report, Exploring and Increasing TRIO’s Capacity for Career Development Partnerships. Funded by Ascendium Education Group®, the Phase I study examines the current landscape of collaboration between TRIO programs and campus career centers, identifying key barriers, promising practices, and actionable strategies to expand access to high-impact career development opportunities. The report draws on a multi-method research design, including a national survey of more than 1,100 TRIO professionals, a web analysis of 1,500 institutional sites, and in-depth case studies across seven colleges and universities.
2024
Is College Worth It?: Black, Latinx, and Indigenous Student Voices on the Value of Postsecondary Credentials
The Pell Institute has released its latest report, Is College Worth It?: Black, Latinx, and Indigenous Student Voices on the Value of Postsecondary Credentials. With the support of the Lumina Foundation, this comprehensive report delves into both the economic and non-economic benefits of postsecondary education, leveraging student voices to highlight their experiences. The report highlights critical insights into the barriers to equitable access and completion faced by these student populations, as well as important implications for delivering value through more inclusive practices and policies in higher education.
2024
Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States 2024: 50-Year Historical Trend Report
This 2024 edition is the 9th in the current series, begun in 2015. This publication brings together again in partnership the Pell Institute with the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy of the University of Pennsylvania (PennAHEAD). Both organizations have a core mission to promote a more open, equitable, and democratic system of higher education. The Pell Institute, with its historical and ongoing ties to the federal TRIO programs, has a special mission to promote more opportunity for low-income and first-generation students, and students with disabilities.
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The Pell Institute is the first research institute to specifically examine the issues affecting educational opportunity for low-income, first-generation, and disabled college students. Learn more about the Pell Institute, including our mission, purpose, goals, and history.