Higher Education
For most students, higher education is a smart investment that pays off. But our higher education system still fails too many.
Despite significant improvements in college access and substantial investments from students, families, and taxpayers, our system of higher education is underperforming. We need to raise the floor for quality in higher education and ensure protection against predatory practices. We also need policies that incentivize progress in addressing persistent disparities in student outcomes.
Today, there are few meaningful penalties for institutions that persistently fail students, and there are limited financial incentives and supports to help colleges improve. Legislative reforms in 2025 helped simplify student loan repayment, curb excessive graduate borrowing, and improve accountability, but more must be done by policymakers to strengthen outcomes for both students and taxpayers. Through our investments in research, policy, advocacy and litigation, Arnold Ventures is building a higher education system that ensures students are better off for having attended higher education and that taxpayers are not left holding the bag for ineffective institutions.
Image: A Stanford University student walks in front of Hoover Tower on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, California. (Paul Sakuma/The Associated Press)
