With graduations quickly approaching for the Class of 2026, the Assembly Higher Education Committee today advanced Bill A2135. Sponsored by Assemblywomen Linda S. Carter and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, the legislation would amend the “New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act” to ensure all four-year institutions of higher education collect and report employment for certain graduates.
“As an educator, I understand how important it is for students considering their higher education options to be able to lean on data-driven information to make decisions,” said Assemblywoman Carter (D-Somerset, Union), Vice Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee. “Requiring colleges and universities to report on recently graduated classes surrounding future potential employment outcomes, helps prospective students gain insight into possible pathways based on their current interests and opportunities.”
According to scholars at Rutgers University, there is a growing demand for labor market information to increase transparency of employment outcomes, long-term earnings potential, and the career trajectories of certain majors to aid in decision making. The bill would require higher education institutions to provide information on the employment outcomes and earnings data available through the New Jersey Statewide Data System for the graduates of the three most recent academic years for which data is available in the institution’s consumer information report.
“Investing in higher education is investing into the future, and like any investment, people deserve to know potential outcomes of their investment,” said Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson (D-Hunterdon, Mercer), Chair of the Assembly Education Committee. “This bill would provide clear data about how the education of recent graduates translated into opportunity. By providing more information, students can choose pathways that more confidently align with their goals, while also holding higher education institutions accountable to give students the tools they need to succeed.”