WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education today released the 2026 edition of Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States, the nation’s leading historical trend report examining educational opportunity, college access, affordability, and attainment across income, race, ethnicity, and first-generation status.
The tenth edition of the report, titled The State of Higher Education Opportunity: Examining Differences Between Equity and Equality, documents both the tremendous expansion of higher education opportunity in the United States over the past century and the persistent inequities that continue to shape who enrolls in college, who graduates, and who benefits economically from higher education.
Among the report’s findings:
- A 32 percentage-point gap remains in college participation between students from the highest- and lowest-income quartiles.
- Students from low-income families face approximately $20,000 in unmet financial need, while high-income families experience a financial surplus after grants and aid are applied.
- College costs have increased 2.5 times since 1974, after adjusting for inflation.
- First-generation students in the United States attain tertiary degrees at rates below the OECD average.
- Bachelor’s degree attainment continues to vary dramatically by race, income, and parental education levels.
The report argues that while equality distributes the same resources to everyone, equity requires strategically targeting support to students who face the greatest barriers to educational opportunity.
“The data in this report should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers across the country,” said Kimberly Jones, President of the Council for Opportunity in Education. “The United States has made remarkable progress in expanding access to higher education, but progress has slowed, affordability challenges are intensifying, and opportunity gaps remain deeply entrenched. At a moment when programs supporting first-generation and low-income students are under unprecedented pressure, this report makes clear that the nation cannot afford to retreat from its commitment to educational opportunity.”
The report also highlights the broader societal benefits of higher education attainment, including higher lifetime earnings, reduced reliance on social safety net programs, lower incarceration rates, and longer life expectancy among college graduates.
Aaron Brown, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of the Council for Opportunity in Education, said the findings demonstrate why targeted federal investments remain essential.
“Educational opportunity is not only a moral imperative—it is an economic necessity,” Brown said. “This report reinforces what TRIO professionals and student advocates have known for decades: when students from low-income and first-generation backgrounds receive intentional support, the benefits extend far beyond the individual student. These investments strengthen communities, increase workforce participation, reduce public costs, and improve economic mobility nationwide.”
The report emphasizes that higher education opportunity remains heavily shaped by family income, parental education, race, and geography. For example, only 17% of low-income students attain a bachelor’s degree within six years, compared to 47% of higher-income students. Similarly, first-generation students attain bachelor’s degrees at substantially lower rates than students whose parents hold bachelor’s degrees.
Sean Simone, Ph.D., Vice President of Research at COE and Director of the Pell Institute, said the report is intended to provide policymakers, researchers, and institutions with long-term trend data needed to understand the current state of educational opportunity in America.
“One of the most important findings in this year’s report is that progress is neither automatic nor guaranteed,” Simone said. “The data show that targeted interventions matter. Financial aid, student support services, and policies designed to reduce barriers continue to play a critical role in expanding access and attainment for underserved students. Without sustained investment and intentional policy action, these gaps will persist or widen.”
The Indicators report draws from decades of federal datasets, including the Current Population Survey, American Community Survey, National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study, IPEDS, OECD international attainment data and other sources.
The full report is available at pellinstitute.org.
Media Inquiries
For media inquiries or to arrange an interview, please contact Terrance L. Hamm, vice president for communications and marketing at COE via email at [email protected] or call (202) 347-7430.