
A NEED FOR AN EDUCATED WORKFORCE
Arizona’s continued prosperity depends on having an educated workforce. With a comparatively low college completion rate and a growing labor demand for workers with bachelor’s degrees, Arizona is at an inflection point in its economic trajectory.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 50 percent of all new jobs created over the next 10 years will require a bachelor’s degree.
- Job growth in Arizona is increasingly focused on those with a college education.
- On its current trajectory, only 18.5% of Arizona ninth graders will have a bachelor’ s degree by 2029, forcing the state to continue relying on out-of-state workers to fill high-paying jobs.
THE VALUE OF A DEGREE
78%
Percentage difference in median wages between Arizonas with a bachelor's degree ($51,179) and peers with a high school diploma ($28,821)
$1 BILLION
State taxes paid by Arizonans with a bachelor's degree
$18.6 BILLION
Wages earned by nearly 300,000 graduates of Arizona's public universities
ARIZONA PROMISE PROGRAM: A GUARANTEED COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP
The Arizona Promise Program will enhance Arizona’s competitiveness by opening the door of opportunity to students from low-income families. With a guaranteed scholarship to cover college tuition and fees, higher education will be more accessible and affordable for more Arizona students and their families.
Eligibility
In order to qualify, a participant must:
- Be an Arizona resident
- Be financially eligible for the free and reduced-lunch program
- Graduate high school with a minimum 2.5 GPA
- Complete the FAFSA application
- Be accepted and enroll in an Arizona public two-year community college or four-year university
The Scholarship
- The Arizona Promise Program scholarship will cover tuition and fees at an Arizona public two-year community college or four-year university up to a bachelor’s degree.
- The Arizona Board of Regents will guarantee the promise for students who enroll in one of the three state universities.
ARIZONA PROMISE PROGRAM BENEFITS: PROSPERITY FOR ALL
States and communities with a Promise Program transform the way students view college and their place in it. Promise Programs have resulted in an:
- Increase in K-12 achievement
- Increase in high school enrollment and retention
- Increase in college enrollment
- Increase in college completion
An increase in bachelor’s degrees results in individual, community and statewide prosperity.