We’re at a pivotal moment in American education policy. As someone who has advised on postsecondary education at the federal level, serves as a university trustee and is currently navigating college decisions with my own high school senior, I see firsthand how the historic “college for all” narrative is being challenged—and needs to be.
This shift is being documented and accelerated by new research, including a guide from longtime education journalist Lauren Camera that maps the expanding landscape of postsecondary options for students who are “thinking differently” about their futures. Camera’s work was born from data that show families and school counselors want more information about the range of quality postsecondary choices that are available to learners.
“Families and students have all the information in the world on colleges and universities, but not nearly enough on alternative pathways,” says Lauren Camera, who has spent over 15 years covering education for U.S. News and World Report, Education Week, and CQ Roll Call. “And that’s turning out to be a problem since today’s high school graduates are thinking more creatively than ever about what will serve them best after graduation. In part, it’s a reaction to rising tuition at traditional four-year programs and ballooning student debt. But their fresh thinking is also driven by more affordable certificate and degree programs that offer real-world experiences aligned to a clear pathway to work.”
The question isn’t whether higher education matters—it absolutely does. The question is whether our traditional four-year degree obsession is serving students, families and the economy as well as it could. The evidence increasingly suggests it’s not.
The Policy Reality Check
From a policy perspective, the numbers are sobering. We’ve created a system where nearly one-quarter of college graduates earn less than $15 per hour a decade after graduation. Student debt has tripled since 2008 to $1.77 trillion. Meanwhile, 40% of students who start four-year programs don’t finish within six years.
As a university trustee, I observe the broader higher education landscape where many institutions are grappling with enrollment declines, questions about return on investment and employer feedback that graduates lack practical skills. Across the sector, the disconnect between what we’re producing and what the economy needs is real and growing.
Yet as a parent, I also understand the fear. When your child is weighing options, the four-year degree still feels like the safe choice—the path that keeps the most doors open, even if it comes with significant financial risk.
Beyond False Choices
The data confirms what many families are feeling: it’s time to move beyond the artificial choice between “college” and “no college.” The emerging landscape of postsecondary options offers a way out of this dilemma, and the data shows families are ready for this shift. A recent Gallup study found that only 35% of Americans now view college as “very important,” down dramatically from 75% in 2010, with the decline occurring equally among both major political parties and suggesting broader concerns about cost, value and whether higher education is preparing students with the right skills for today’s economy.
This sentiment is precisely what New York Times best-selling author Jeff Selingo addresses in his new book, Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You. Based on research with more than 3,000 parents, Selingo argues that families need to move beyond the ‘elite college or bust’ mentality and focus on ‘quality, affordable choices’ that deliver strong outcomes. His book includes 75 “new dream schools” that prioritize student success over prestige—exactly the kind of institutions and providers that are reshaping how we think about postsecondary value.
We’re moving toward a more nuanced understanding of how people can gain the skills, knowledge, and credentials they need for economic mobility.
“That mindset of only college is outdated,” says Kathryn Harris, president and COO of ActivateWork, a Colorado-based tech training provider where nearly 90% of graduates have become direct hires or stepped into a tech-focused apprenticeship.“Today, families and job seekers need real options, not false choices. Programs like ActivateWork prove that you don’t have to choose between economic mobility and a four-year degree—you can build skills, earn industry credentials and move directly into good-paying jobs with clear advancement paths. College remains one option, but it is not the only ticket to opportunity.”
Today’s landscape offers genuine alternatives.
Structured gap years that combine global experience with college credit, building maturity and independence while maintaining academic momentum. Programs such as Verto Education combine classroom education from accredited providers with expeditions and hands-on learning projects around the globe.
Intensive skills training programs that place graduates directly into well-paying careers in technology and healthcare—often with better job placement rates than traditional colleges.
Innovative associate degree programs such as Campus, which offers credentials taught by professors from elite universities at community college prices, with built-in supports that dramatically improve completion rates.
“Students are savvy today,” says Tade Oyerinde, founder and chancellor of Campus. “They’re not willing to become slaves to debt just to get a degree anymore. It’s up to us, the colleges, to make education more accessible, practical and dynamic in today’s environment, especially with AI.”
Reimagined bachelor’s degree models that integrate substantial work experience, focus on real-world problem-solving or combine liberal arts depth with practical skills. This includes dual-mission institutions like Colorado Mountain College and Weber State University that blend traditional academics with workforce-focused programs.
Apprenticeships and apprenticeship degrees combine hands-on work experience with academic coursework, allowing students to earn while they learn. These programs—available through providers like Reach University and OpenClassrooms—are offered through partnerships between employers, unions, and educational institutions; typically take two to four years to complete and result in both a recognized industry certification and an associate or bachelor’s degree.
The Employer Evolution
From a policy standpoint, one of the most significant shifts is happening in hiring practices. When Maryland eliminated four-year degree requirements for most state positions in 2022, opening up more than half of 38,000 jobs to non-degree holders, it sparked a movement. According to Preston Cooper at the American Enterprise Institute, at least 25 states followed suit and major private employers are increasingly focusing on demonstrated skills rather than credentials.
This isn’t just about blue-collar work. Companies are recognizing that competencies in data analysis, project management, customer service and even AI applications can be developed through focused training programs, apprenticeships and alternative credentials—often more effectively than through traditional degree programs.
What Students and Families Need to Know
From my experience navigating this with my own family, several principles have become clear.
Match pathway to purpose: Learners who have clarity about their interests and goals can often reach them more efficiently through targeted programs than through general education requirements.
Consider total cost and time to employment: What are the actual starting salaries for graduates of this program? How long does it take to reach employment? What are the debt loads compared to four-year alternatives?
Don’t underestimate transferability: Many postsecondary pathways now offer clear routes to continue education later—whether that’s stackable credentials, transfer agreements or employer-sponsored degree completion. Oftentimes, these pathways begin at community colleges with transfer agreements to bachelor’s degree-granting institutions.
Colorado as a Laboratory for Change
This policy imperative is becoming reality in states like Colorado, where I’m working to launch a new coalition focused on expanding postsecondary pathways. The state offers an ideal laboratory for this work, combining innovative providers, supportive policy frameworks, diverse economic sectors and crucially, the evaluation infrastructure needed to measure what works.
In fact, recent evaluation work by the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab (Colorado Lab) with the Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative (CEEMI) has provided rigorous outcome data showing how postsecondary providers deliver measurable economic mobility for learners.
“A college degree is only really working for, at best, one in four learners in America today,” says Roger Low, executive director of CEEMI. “We urgently need better coordination and clearer outcome data to help students and families navigate all the other options. That’s why we’re collecting data on high-quality alternative pathways, and we need to scale this approach across the Colorado ecosystem.”
The passage of Colorado Senate Bill 315 is particularly significant. The legislation, signed in May, modernizes the state’s Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) programs and sets a goal for every high school graduate starting with the class of 2029 to achieve at least one of “the big three” milestones: earning postsecondary credits, receiving an industry-recognized credential or completing a work-based learning experience. This moves beyond the college-for-all assumption to recognize multiple forms of postsecondary preparation as equally valid.
The new coalition will connect these evidence-based programs, share best practices and align policy to reflect the range of pathways available to Colorado learners. The coalition is driven by a desire to better elevate the outcomes of programs and providers as a way to drive a new narrative about postsecondary options for learners and families. It’s the kind of coordinated approach that could be replicated nationally.
From a federal policy perspective, we also need broader changes:
- Expanding financial aid eligibility to high-quality alternative programs beyond just Title IV institutions.
- Improving data collection on employment and earnings outcomes across all types of postsecondary programs.
- Supporting employer initiatives that create apprenticeships and skills-based hiring practices.
- Encouraging innovation in stackable credentials and alternative quality assurance models.
The Parent’s Dilemma: A More Honest Conversation
As someone currently having these conversations at home, I know the emotional complexity involved. The cultural pressure toward four-year college remains intense.
But I’m increasingly convinced that the riskier choice may be defaulting to an expensive four-year program without clear purpose or direction. The students I see succeeding most—whether in traditional college or postsecondary pathways—are those who have taken time to understand their own interests, learning styles and goals.
“Young people face more options than ever, and the stakes are high,” says Jeff Bulunda, vice president of the ASA Center for Career Navigation at Jobs for the Future. “Students and families do best as informed, intentional consumers— so we have to make it easier to know which programs deliver. And, it’s not just that first choice after high school. We must also help young people recognize that career navigation doesn’t end with a credential. It also means staying agile as circumstances evolve, by building transferable skills, tapping networks and gaining experiences that connect learning to opportunity.”
What we need is a more honest conversation about what different pathways actually offer. A coding bootcamp isn’t inferior to a computer science degree—it’s different, with different strengths and limitations. An apprenticeship program isn’t a consolation prize; rather, it’s a direct route to skilled employment with earning potential that often exceeds that of college graduates.
The liberal arts degree isn’t obsolete either. It offers intellectual development, broad knowledge and long-term adaptability that remain valuable. But it works best for students who understand and value those benefits, not those pursuing it by default because “that’s what you do.”
The Stakes Are High
We’re not just talking about individual career choices—we’re talking about economic competitiveness, social mobility and the future of the American workforce. Countries like Germany and Switzerland, with their robust apprenticeship systems and polytechnic universities, are producing workers better aligned with economic needs while offering multiple pathways to success.
The recent surge in postsecondary program enrollment—16% growth in vocational community college programs, 10% growth in certificate programs—suggests American families are already voting with their feet. The question is whether our policies, funding mechanisms and cultural attitudes will catch up.
As both a policy advisor and a parent, I believe the answer has to be yes. Our learners deserve a system that offers genuine choice, clear pathways to economic security and recognition that there are many ways to build a successful life. The future belongs to those who can adapt, solve problems and continue learning throughout their careers, regardless of where they developed those capabilities. Our postsecondary system should reflect that reality.