More than half of Arizona's working adults now hold a credential beyond a high school diploma — a milestone tracked by Education Forward Arizona, whose goal is to push that number to 60% by 2030.
The reason the target matters: an adult under 35 with a bachelor's degree earns nearly 60% more than a high school graduate of the same age.
But Arizona students aren't keeping pace. College enrollment rates are down in 12 of 15 counties since 2019, with 4 seeing double-digit declines.
In the Valley, enrollment is down in 9 of the 10 most populous cities and towns. And of the 7 measures Education Forward Arizona tracks, 4 are currently trending in the wrong direction.
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