Media Mentions

In this US News & World Report article exploring the evolution of CTE programs, Joanna Nesbit quotes CEW Director Jeff Strohl. 

Forbes Contributor Ann Kirschner cites CEW’s  “The Future of Good Jobs: Projections through 2031” in an essay that argues why workforce-relevant syllabi are so important for the modern college student.

CEW Director Jeff Strohl contextualizes recent Bureau of Labor Statistics revisions in this CBS article from Megan Cerullo.

Ann Carrns quotes CEW Director, Jeff Strohl, in a New York Times article about recent updates that allow 529 accounts to be used for a broader range of postsecondary credentials, such as vocational training programs.

New York Times Opinion writer Jessica Grose cites “Small Towns, Big Opportunities” in an essay that explores why boys and men may be underperforming in education.

 In an article for USA Today exploring how workers can keep their skills relevant against AI disruption in the job market, Alyshia Hull cites “Bridging the Middle-Skills Gap.” 

Forbes contributor Fiona Riley quotes CEW’s Jen Engle in an article on the negative impacts of drastic budget cuts to Pell grants, student loan repayment plans, and other government programs that promote access to higher education.

Inside Higher Ed reporter Sara Weissman cites “Bridging the Middle-Skills Gap” in an article discussing potential workforce credential shortages and how addressing gender and racial/ethnic disparities could help to mitigate these issues.

National correspondent Khaleda Rahman cites data from CEW’s “The College Payoff: More Education Doesn’t Always Mean More Earnings ” in a Newsweek article that explores where college students get the best financial returns.

Atlantic staff writer Rose Horowitch quotes CEW’s Zack Mabel in an article on the impacts of AI on the job market and employment outcomes.

In a University Business article highlighting a new program in Denver that allows high schoolers to earn associate’s degrees in K-12 education, Alcino Donadel cites “The Future of Good Jobs: Projections through 2031.”

Forbes Senior Contributor, Caroline Castrillon, cites “Ranking 4,600 Colleges by ROI (2025)” in a data-backed analysis of the best colleges for return on investment. 

In Fortune, Bijal Shah and Johnny C. Taylor cite “After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 203,” in an article that explores emergent workforce talent trends.

In a Town and Country article, Ian Frisch cites “Ranking 4,600 Colleges by ROI (2025)” and explores how the contemporary discourse surrounding the economic value of higher education developed. 

In an episode of The Hechinger Report’s College Uncovered podcast, CEW’s Nicole Smith shares her thoughts on how the ongoing decline of 18-year-olds affects postsecondary education and the US economy.

“Our real challenge is this: How do we train workers for the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow in our country?” asks CEW’s Zack Mabel in an EdWeek article examining the United States’ bifurcated workforce.

Jon Marcus cites “After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031” in an NPR article that explores how some universities are strategically seeking to increase their Hispanic/Latino student enrollment.

In a Higher Ed Dive article about where students yield the highest return on their investment, Lilah Burke cites “Ranking 4,600 Colleges by ROI (2025)” and quotes CEW Director Jeff Strohl.

Michael Cassidy of the Associated Press cites The College Payoff: More Education Doesn’t Always Mean More Earnings” in an article about Harvard University’s announcement that it will be tuition-free for families that earn less than $200,000 per year.

In a CNN article about Harvard University’s plan to go tuition-free for families with annual incomes less than $200,000, Maria Aguilar Prieto cites “All One System.”

Quinnipiac University President Judy D. Olian cites “The College Payoff: More Education Doesn’t Always Mean More Earnings” in a Times essay that argues both the economic and non-pecuniary benefits of a college education. 

In an episode of The Chronicle’s College Matters that covers declining white student enrollment at 4-year institutions across the country, Jack Stripling cites “The Great Misalignment.”

Ronald Brownstein cites “Progress Interrupted” in a CNN article that explains the pushback conservative pundits may face for opposing diversity policies and programs from growing minority populations.

CEW Director Jeff Strohl joins the CBS evening news interview segment to explain the far-reaching ramifications of population decline on higher education and the workforce.

For the Boston Globe, Hillary Burns quotes CEW Director Jeff Strohl in an article that applies the higher education value debate to colleges in New England. 

Jon Marcus cites “Liberal Arts ROI ” in a Hechinger Report article that explores efforts universities are making to revitalize humanities majors.

Elissa Nadworny quotes CEW’s Nicole Smith in an NPR article about the surprising increase in enrollment seen in postsecondary education last fall.

Lumina Foundation CEO Jamie Merisotis wrote an opinion piece for Inside Higher Ed, arguing that the long-term value of college education will continue to hold even in the face of rising costs and skills-based hiring movements.

Forbes contributor and Lumina Foundation CEO Jamie Merisotis cites “After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031, in a Forbes article that explores ways to encourage Gen Z students to pursue higher education.

Nick Perry and Cheyanne Murphy cite “The College Payoff: More Education Doesn’t Always Mean More Earnings” in an AP article about the surprising decline in tuition costs across several institutions.

Hechinger Report’s Jon Marcus quotes CEW’s Director Jeff Strohl and cites“After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031” in an article about the far-reaching effects of the impending demographic cliff.

Jon Marcus quotes CEW’s Nicole Smith in a Hechinger Report article about the difficulties people can face when attempting to secure a training apprenticeship.

CEW’s Jeff Strohl, Catherine Morris, and Artem Gulish explore how the student loan debt crisis affects those in teaching professions in an Op-Ed for Education Week that cites “Graduate Degrees: Risky and Unequal Paths to the Top.”

Sarah Wood cites  “After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031” in a career and technical education (CTE) guide for US News & World Report. 

An article in The Economist explores the growing skepticism toward Master’s degrees in the US and abroad, citing “Graduate Degrees: Risky and Unequal Paths to the Top.”

Dr. Earl D. Brooks II—President of Trine University in Angola, Indiana—cites “The Future of Good Jobs: Projections Through 2031” in a Diverse Education Op-Ed that argues that college is still a good investment amidst declining public confidence in higher education.

Ben Wildavsky and Richard Whitmire cite “After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031” in an Inside Higher Ed article that explores the unpromising long-term socioeconomic ramifications of declining enrollment at universities that serve high numbers of low-income students.

CEW’s Jeff Strohl, Zachary Mabel, and Kathryn Peltier Campbell explore how colleges can encourage racial diversity in the absence of affirmative action in an opinion article for Inside Higher Ed.

Adam McCann quotes CEW’s Martin Vanderwerf in WalletHubs’ 2025 university rankings.