The 2025 State of California Learners

At College Futures Foundation, everything we do is grounded in our belief that rebuilding the California Dream starts with listening to the learners shaping our state’s future. We also understand that postsecondary education has the potential to unlock opportunity and power economic and social mobility for all Californians, but only if it’s built around the people it is meant to serve.

Conversations focused on college students have remained fixed for far too long: 18 to 24 years old, enrolled full time, supported by parents or guardians and living on or near campus. While that experience matters, and this report includes critical insights from younger adult learners, it’s not the full picture. Today, a growing share of learners are older, working full time, parenting, caregiving and navigating a rapidly shifting economy. Their educational journeys are not linear, and they shouldn’t have to be. Higher education in general has long recognized this, yet institutions cling to outdated assumptions and operating systems that serve too few.

The 2025 State of California Learners report reflects our actionable commitment to listen regularly and rigorously to what learners across California are telling us. In partnership with Gallup, we asked learners of all ages what they need from postsecondary education, what gets in the way, and what would make it more accessible, relevant and aligned with their goals. The message is clear: They want to grow, contribute and build better lives for themselves
and their families. Yet too often, they are navigating institutions that were not designed with them in mind.

Now, in the second year of this work, we are intentionally shifting our focus to adult learners because their success is essential to California’s civic and economic future. With six million Californians under 65 who have some college but no credential, reaching our attainment goals and honoring our commitment to equity depends on better serving this population — especially those 25 and older. When we design systems that support adult learners, we not only help them succeed, we also strengthen outcomes for all students.

We are at a pivotal moment. Learners are clearly and consistently telling us what they need. It’s up to us to listen with humility, act with urgency and build with equity at the center.