Publications

Adult Learners: A review of national and California Trends

November 19, 2025

Across the country, adult learners are a growing and essential part of higher education. 43.1 million adults in the U.S. have some college experience but no credential, while millions more have never enrolled. Many want to return to education or pursue new training opportunities, but they face barriers such as cost, time, and complex enrollment systems that were not designed with their realities in mind. This brief draws from existing reports to identify the barriers adult learners face and highlight promising policies and practices.

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