Independent pathway research for Utah families
Compare Utah pathways from K–12 preparation through college, apprenticeship, and certificates using public state and federal data families can verify.
Compare Utah pathways
Headline numbers from our nine-part Utah Opportunity Chain — K–12 through postsecondary.
Pathway types in Utah
Typical middle values for each college type in Utah, from federal College Scorecard data. These are starting points. Each school and major can differ.
| Pathway type | Net price ($0–$30k) | Finish on time | Typical pay (6 yrs) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USHE four-year | $10K | 53% | $46K | $9K |
| USHE community college | $7K | 46% | $38K | $4K |
| USHE technical college | $3K | 79% | $38K | N/A |
| Private nonprofit | $12K | 46% | $53K | $8K |
| For-profit | $19K | 50% | $25K | $8K |
K–12 preparation (upstream)
Grades 3–8 math and reading achievement from SEDA, expressed in grade levels vs. the national average. Positive values are above average. Statewide scores remain -0.11 grade levels below the 2019 peak. See Part 1 for district tables and concurrent enrollment.
| Unit | Avg. achievement | National math median | Reading / FRPL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah statewide (2022–2025) | +0.02 | -0.12 | -0.09 |
| Park City District | +0.42 | — | 18.4% FRPL |
| Ogden City District | -0.44 | — | 79.0% FRPL |
Source: Stanford SEDA 2025.1 · Utah processed extract.
Utah vs. nationwide
Statewide Utah figures are medians among Utah colleges reporting each field. National figures use the same fields across all U.S. colleges in the latest Scorecard release. Neither set is enrollment-weighted.
| Measure | Utah colleges | Colleges nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Net price ($0–$30,000 families) | $17K | $15K |
| Finish on time | 71% | 58% |
| Typical pay (6 yrs after starting) | $34K | $36K |
| Median federal student loan debt | $8K | $10K |
Source: College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (March 2026 release). See individual school profiles for one-college comparisons to these medians.
Browse Utah school profiles · the full series · methodology
Utah Opportunity Chain
Nine publications on inputs through mobility, now live.
REPORT · 9/9
The Utah Opportunity Chain: A Pathway Comparison
Capstone synthesis across cost, completion, earnings, and debt.
Read report
BRIEF · 2/9
Technical & Certificate Pathways in Utah
Completion and earnings for all Utah certificate and technical providers.
Read brief
BRIEF · 1/9
Concurrent Enrollment to Degree
K–12 district achievement, then how Utah's high school college-credit bridge affects attainment.
Read briefSupplemental data briefs
Short data briefs on program pay, state spending, job demand, and adults who stopped out, written for families and counselors.
Utah Program ROI Snapshot
Which Utah majors report the highest typical pay, and how much federal loan debt graduates carry, by field of study.
USHE State Spend vs. Outcomes
How much Utah spends on each public college compared to completion rates and graduate pay.
Utah Credential–Labor Alignment
Where Utah graduates more students than local jobs suggest, and where the opposite appears true.
Utah Stopout & Re-engagement Context
How many Utah adults started college but never finished, and what data may help them re-enroll.
Data sources
Our Utah research uses public state and federal datasets — SEDA K–12 achievement, USHE, College Scorecard, apprenticeship, spending, and jobs — with sources listed on every page.
We connect spending to outcomes, independent of institutional narratives and systemwide averages.