September 17, 2025
The educational landscape is marked by significant disparities, particularly when it comes to the socioeconomic status of high schools. Recent findings reveal that only about 25% of graduates from high-poverty high schools manage to earn a college degree within six years, a stark contrast to their counterparts in low-poverty schools, where the completion rate exceeds 50%.
A recent study conducted by a prominent research organization has highlighted the alarming differences in postsecondary outcomes for students based on the socioeconomic conditions of their high schools. This analysis sheds light on the challenges faced by students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The annual report examined data from high school graduating classes spanning several years, specifically 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. It provided a comparative analysis of various school types, including urban versus rural institutions, and those serving predominantly low-income versus higher-income populations. The report categorizes schools based on the percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, defining low-income schools as those where at least half of the students meet this criterion.
Overall, the report indicates that socioeconomic factors have a more pronounced impact on educational outcomes than other institutional characteristics, such as the urban-rural divide or the demographic makeup of the student body. This finding underscores the critical role that economic conditions play in shaping students’ futures.
According to the report, just over half of the graduates from high-poverty high schools enrolled in college immediately after graduation, compared to nearly 75% of graduates from low-poverty institutions. The completion rates also exhibited a significant disparity; only about 25% of graduates from high-poverty schools completed their degrees within six years, while 58.7% of graduates from low-poverty schools achieved this milestone. Notably, low-poverty high schools were the only category where more than half of the graduates earned degrees within the specified timeframe.
Furthermore, students from economically advantaged schools were more likely to pursue and complete degrees in STEM fields, with completion rates of 22.4% and 17.5% for low-poverty and high-income schools, respectively. In contrast, only 8.1% of graduates from high-poverty schools and 9.1% from low-income schools completed STEM degrees within six years.
Persistence rates, which measure students’ ability to continue their education from the first to the second year of college, also revealed disparities. While persistence rates remained relatively stable across various school types, high-poverty schools experienced a decline of 1.1 percentage points, indicating a troubling trend for students from these institutions.
Despite the overall stability in college enrollment rates over time, the report emphasizes that socioeconomic gaps continue to persist. For the graduating classes of 2023 and 2024, the percentage of students enrolling in college immediately after high school remained consistent, with minimal fluctuations across most school types. However, there was a slight increase in enrollment rates for students from low-income, high-poverty, and high-minority schools between 2022 and 2023.
Doug Shapiro, the executive director of the research organization, noted that while enrollment outcomes have remained stable, the socioeconomic disparities in college access and degree attainment are concerning. He emphasized that many students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, are not reaping the benefits of higher education opportunities.
In conclusion, the findings of this report highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to address the educational inequities faced by students in high-poverty schools. By understanding the root causes of these disparities, stakeholders can work towards creating a more equitable educational system that provides all students with the opportunity to succeed.