CALIFORNIA’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON

Meeting Adult Learners Where They Are

Step into the lives of California’s adult learners, whose success is vital to our shared future.

Who Are Today’s Adult Learners?

California is home to six million adults under 65 who have some college but no credential. These learners are the beating heart of California’s workforce and communities. Many are working or career changers who must handle it all while enrolled. Learn more about this significant college-going population, and how they compare to their younger counterparts.

A large and overlooked group. Adult learners comprise a significant proportion of California’s college-going population. The opportunity to improve their outcomes is significant.

of all California Community College (CCC) students are 25 or older.

of California adults ages 25 to 64 hold a degree or high-value credential.

who begin postsecondary at a CCC complete a degree, earn a credential, or transfer within four years.

Not the first time they’ve enrolled. The majority of adult learners were enrolled in postsecondary education before. Among those 25 or older enrolled in CCC in 2023–24:

39% initially enrolled 10 or more years ago. 30% initially enrolled in the last decade. 14% were in their first year. 4% held a prior degree.

More likely to enroll part-time. In fall 2023, 84% of adult learners were enrolled part time, while only 58% of younger students were enrolled part time.

Download Full Data Report

What Do Adult Learners Want and Need?

Understanding the lived experience of adult learners is essential—for their economic mobility and for ours as a state. What are the aspirations of California’s adult learners and what realities do they face? What does it mean to pursue higher education while juggling work, family, and financial pressures? What barriers cause adult learners to stop out or never start?

Listen to Learners

Answering these questions begins with deep listening. Take a moment to hear their voices and step into their experiences.

Reflect with Learners

Adult learners believe in the value of education in getting ahead—but many face real questions and barriers along the way. Read their reflections and share your response.

Andrea, 43, stopped out

“I was working full-time and I had a full college load at the time. I remember one week I went in to take my test, and I had studied up and I was good, and the professor was like, ‘We did this test last week.’ I was like, ‘No we didn’t.’ Come to find out I had missed an entire week of school, and I didn’t even know because I was working so much. I wasn’t able to balance my work and school load at that time. If there were evening classes for the nursing program, I could have done that. It would have been hard, but I could have done it, and I would have done that. I did try over the years to go to different colleges and programs besides that, and it never worked out either… I think the only thing that would be helpful is if I knew, ‘hey, these credits don’t expire,’ or even if you take a class once every year or once every couple years, you can use these and you can get your degree and that’ll help you in your job.”

Nicholas, 34, never enrolled

“I can’t get any jobs that earn a decent wage. I can’t pay rent right now. I live in my car. I thought that I’d be able to exist without the college education or without higher education, and really you have to have something to offer when you apply to these jobs.

I don’t even know where I’m supposed to start. How do I get the financial aid for college? I have an idea of what kind of careers I wanna do, but which classes do I take? If you go online and look at the catalog, it tells you information, but it doesn’t really give you the full scope of what… Do you do financial aid and then apply? I don’t really know the steps to go through to do it.”

Monet, 33, stopped out

“I’m not an expert in all degree programs but I feel like when you get to higher education you should be able to take the classes that you want for your field. I feel like we got so bogged down in the GEs and the prerequisites that it was really hard to stay focused, stay passionate.

When I started school it was 2009 and that’s when a lot of the furloughs were starting so it was hard to get classes. That was the first year I ever heard the term ‘super senior.’ The seniors that were at Cal State Long Beach basically had priority for the classes I needed. I feel like it took so long to just get through the GEs and then the prerequisites for marketing, that it took so long to realize if I even liked this field or not.”

Stacey, 48, never enrolled

“Don’t get me wrong, I think we all need the [post]secondary education. It’s always like barriers to prevent them. It’s so funny because… when I was like fresh out of high school and me and my friends would talk, we knew we weren’t ready yet. We used to be like ‘dang, why high school can’t go to the fifteenth grade?’ The world and society tells you you’re 17, you’re 18, you’ve graduated high school, you’re an adult, you’re ready to be in the world—that’s not true. From birth to graduation to high school, we’re getting our hand held by our families. Then, like I said, society says you got your diploma, let go of my hand. And you gonna fall just like a baby learning to walk. You’re gonna fall… It is a lot of bumping your head and falling and getting back up… you still do need your hand held. And it’s not a bad thing. It’s just still getting help.”

How did these learners’ reflections land for you?

Colorful illustrations of silhouettes of four adult learners.

How Should We Reimagine and Rebuild?

California’s future depends on the success of adult learners. But a lot rides on their shoulders. As we collaborate to rebuild the California dream for everyone, we invite you to reimagine ways we can meet adult learners where they are.

Explore the profiles below and weigh in: What do adult learners have the right to expect from our learning systems and policies?

Add Your Suggestions