- Gardner Institute report indicates higher education's proven financial return on investment.
- College graduates in Utah are more immune to unemployment and poverty than those without college.
- Utahns who attain higher education are also more likely to volunteer — and vote.
The mission statement of the state’s flagship college — the University of Utah — defines its success as preparing its students “for lives of impact — as leaders and citizens.”
That directive would likely be seconded by any of Utah’s 16 public colleges and universities. It asserts that higher education’s benefits stretch beyond merely landing a solid job. Communities, local economies and innovation are also the beneficiaries when Utahns pursue postsecondary education.
Such claims are affirmed in a higher education policy brief released Tuesday by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.
The state’s well-trained workforce, a sturdy economy and broad social cohesion, according to the report, are all linked to Utah’s commitment to formal higher learning.
The Gardner policy report also doubles as a response to growing skepticism across the country that traditional hallmarks of higher education, such as a four-year college degree, remain key elements of the American dream.
Almost two-thirds of registered American voters believe a bachelor’s degree isn’t worth the cost, according to an NBC News poll released late in 2025.
Utahns, however, are a bit more “college bullish.”
Tuesday’s Gardner report suggests such confidence is well earned.
“Postsecondary education pays dividends across Utah — boosting incomes, improving health and civic life, and fueling research and jobs that sustain our communities,” said Andrea Brandley, senior education analyst at the Gardner Institute and the report’s lead author.
“Our research provides an overview of how higher education contributes to Utah’s success.”
Added Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education Geoffrey Landward: “(The Gardner report) underscores how higher education fuels Utah’s economy, workforce and quality of life.”
Study: Most Utahns are linked to higher education.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of Utah’s faith in higher education is reflected simply by its participation. Almost 63% of Utahns between the ages of 25 to 64 have attained a postsecondary degree, certificate or certification, according to the report.
That’s almost 10% above the national average of 54.8% — and second only to Colorado.
Meanwhile, the average systemwide tuition and fees for a Utah undergraduate attending one of the school’s four-year public colleges full time was $6,979 in 2024-2025 — almost $3,000 below the national average of $9,732.
The Beehive State also cracked the nation’s top 10 in four-year college affordability.
In a recent Deseret News interview, Landward said many Utahns gain entry into life-changing higher education opportunities because of its accessibility. “One of the hallmarks that you see in Utah is we have some of the lowest tuition in the entire country and that we have the lowest amount of student loan debt.”
What are the personal benefits of seizing higher education?
The typical graduate from the Utah System of Higher Education earns 10% to 64% higher wages five years after completion compared to those who do not receive a degree or award.
The Utah median earnings for individuals with a graduate or professional degree was $94,608 in 2024. That earnings figure dips to $65,239 for Utahns with only a bachelor’s degree — but that is still more than $20,000 above the median earnings for Utahns with only a high school diploma ($43,090).
College graduates in Utah are also more immune to unemployment. The jobless rate in 2024 for Utahns ages 25-64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher was 2%, almost half the unemployment rate for those with only a high school diploma.
And under 4% of college graduates in Utah were living below the poverty level in 2024 — a sizable difference from the 10% poverty rate experienced by those who have only attained a high school education.
The ongoing challenge of buying a home in Utah continues to grab headlines. Tuesday’s Gardner report indicates Utah homeownership is also stratified by education attainment levels.
More than 76% of Utah adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher were estimated to be homeowners in 2024. By comparison, that homeownership figure dropped to 63.1% for high school graduates.
And perhaps even more significant than income and homeownership figures are the impacts higher education attainment in Utah appears to have on physical and emotional health.
The Gardner higher education report revealed that 91.2% of surveyed college graduates, ages 25 and older, report “excellent, very good or good” general health.
That’s almost 10% higher than those with only a high school diploma.
And in a survey measuring “life quality” metrics, Utahns who have completed some form of postsecondary education report significantly higher rates of happiness and confidence in their future career success.
Higher education equals social capital
But attaining higher education, according to Tuesday’s report, benefits more than simply individuals. Society also profits. Call it “social capital.”
Utahns with more education are more likely to volunteer in their communities — and to cast ballots at the polls.
The Beehive State ranks first in the nation for both formal volunteerism and “informal helping.” And 78% of Utahns who have claimed a college degree voted in state elections, compared to 53% of Utah voters without a degree.
Higher education also prompts societal “spillover effects.”
“Communities with higher average education levels offer more opportunities for civic participation, foster trust among neighbors, and promote a stronger sense of shared responsibility,” noted the report.
“This generates positive ‘spillover effects’ that extend to individuals living in those communities regardless of their education level.”
Utahns with higher educational attainment also reportedly rely less on public assistance programs such as Medicaid and SNAP — even while contributing “substantially more” to tax revenues over their working lives.
Creating Utah jobs and fueling innovation
Higher education, the Gardner report concluded, is also a boon to Utah’s economy by developing skilled workers in high-demand industries — while creating jobs and fueling research and innovation.
The state’s public higher education institutions reportedly awarded more than 70,000 degrees and certificates in the 2024-2025 academic year — and over 76% of those grads earned high-yield degrees valued by high-demand occupations.
Meanwhile, Utah’s public higher education system directly employed about 73,000 Utahns — and indirectly supported another 65,000 jobs. Public higher education, added the report, contributes $14 billion in GDP to Utah’s economy.
Reaffirming higher education’s ROI
Moving forward, Landward said that Utah’s colleges and universities can reaffirm confidence across the state by “meeting a changing marketplace for higher education.”
For some, that means a traditional four-year degree. For others, higher education might be claiming a technical certificate in a high-demand industry.
The data articulated in Tuesday’s Gardner Institute report strongly suggests high returns on investment are typically found in attaining higher education.
The commissioner added it’s the state’s higher education system’s duty to continue to build trust with Utahns.
“I want to know what the taxpayers feel is most important for this investment — and I get that feedback oftentimes, not only from our students and from the parents and others who are in our system, but from the legislators and elected officials who represent the taxpayers.”