Postsecondary Value Commission

In 2019, the Postsecondary Value Commission, whose members included 30 diverse leaders representing colleges and universities, policymakers, advocates, researchers, the business community and students, set out to determine how the value of higher education can be defined, measured, and acted on. This effort was rooted in the belief that all students should have equitable opportunities for economic and social mobility post-college, and that access to data and greater transparency is part of the solution.

In its final report and action agenda, the commission proposed a new approach to measure value that includes who benefits from education after high school as well as how and how much they benefit. This critical information can empower students and families to ask key questions about the returns from specific institutions and programs.