IRAP research illustrates the impact the University of California has on advancing economic mobility for its students, their families and the state. Below is a collection of research completed to understand economic mobility of undergraduate and graduate students, along with opportunities for continuous improvement.

Alumni economic mobility dashboards Link

UC Information Center

Explore UC data within the Alumni economic mobility subject area at the UC Information Center.

UC undergraduates are more likely to plan to earn a doctoral or professional degree

January 2019

The University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) and the National Student Survey of Engagement (NSSE) both ask undergraduate students about the highest degree they plan to earn. This topic brief compares the likelihood of UC undergraduates to plan on earning a graduate degree to undergraduates of various Carnegie Classification universities.

Is there a gender pay gap among UC graduates?

August 2018

Recent evidence reveals that University of California (UC) graduates are not immune from the gender pay gap that exists nationwide. This report compares earnings for male and female UC undergraduate alumni by major and industry of work, and also explores the relationships between gender, race, college GPA, and post-graduation earnings.

UC and first-generation students, a formula for economic mobility and public benefit

July 2018

This brief summarizes the personal and economic growth experienced by UC first-generation students, along with their potential contributions to public welfare.

CLIMB: A mobility analysis PDF

March 2018

UC’s collaboration with the Equality of Opportunity Project and the CLIMB Initiative reveals new insights into UC’s role in enabling low-income students to achieve intergenerational economic mobility.

View an interactive dashboard Link

UC student graduate school aspirations and outcomes

January 2018

The UC Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) shows that about 40 percent of UC’s undergraduates plan to enroll in graduate school, but less is known about their graduate degree success rates or how their plans and outcomes vary by demographic groups. This brief summarizes students’ plans to enroll in graduate school and their success in completing graduate degrees, by ethnic groups.

First generation student success at the University of California

August 2017

This policy brief highlights some of the unique ways that UC serves first-generation students and empowers them to achieve their goals.

A century of Health: UC-trained medical professionals in California

May 2017

The University of California has provided graduate training to health professionals since Toland Medical College was transferred to the UC Regents in 1872, and is the oldest continuously-operating granter of health-related graduate degrees in the state.

Economic mobility of undergraduates

January 2017

Researchers define economic mobility as graduates moving over time from a lower rung in the income distribution to a higher one. This brief describes how UC compares with other institutions in the economic mobility of students.

Student engagement positively affects post-college employment outcomes

March 2016

An analysis of the relationship between student engagement and post-college employment outcomes.