Place Matters: A Closer Look at Education Deserts

When selecting a college, students must make hard decisions about where to enroll. They are expected to use consumer information tools and shop around for a college that delivers the best value, which can be based on a variety of factors like its cost, selectivity, graduation rates, and more. But for most students the decision is simple: they go to whatever college is nearby. This may be surprising given the pop culture portrayal of students traveling far away for college, but in reality two in every three undergraduates—both two- and four-year—stay within just 25 miles of their home. In part, this is a success story of American higher education where the sheer number and location of colleges puts higher education within reach for millions of American students each year. But not all places are so fortunate, as there are a number of “education deserts” with no colleges nearby. This geographic inequality matters because colleges and universities play a vital role in promoting upward mobility in America, yet it is often overlooked in conversations around college access and opportunity. However, research shows that place matters in education and has lasting consequences on educational opportunities. This report outlines the key ideas, data analysis, and research findings on the geography of college opportunity in order to help advance local, state, and national policy conversations and ensure that all students have access to a high-quality college of their choice.