Earning a college degree or credential, now more than ever, is essential to achieving a stable, middle-class life and upward mobility. But just 1 in 10 students from low-income families will earn a bachelor’s degree by age 25, compared with more than 7 in 10 people from higher income families.

With so many low-income students attending postsecondary institutions in urban areas, the Education Program at The Kresge Foundation has focused on a solution – improving the urban higher education ecosystem.

This ecosystem includes colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, employers, K-12 school districts and government agencies, as well as systems such as housing, transportation, food, financial aid, and childcare.

By finding better alignment and collaboration between these institutions and systems that affect postsecondary student success, cities can vastly improve the support students receive and help them stay on track to earn a credential.

Read on to learn more about the challenges and solutions the urban higher education ecosystem offers.

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<p><strong>Click to Enlarge Image</strong><br /><br /><a href=’https://kresge.org/news/infographic-urban-higher-education-ecosystem-solution’><img src=’https://kresge.org/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/urban-education-infographic_1.jpg’ alt=’The Urban Higher Education Ecosystem Solution’ width=’600px’ border=’0′ /></a></p>