Comprehensive Study of Higher Education Institutions and Workforce Alignment in Iowa

The State of Iowa is seeking a consultant to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the State’s higher education system, including Regent institutions, all 15 community colleges, and private colleges and universities. The goal is to understand how current program offerings align with workforce needs, identify training gaps, and inform data-driven policy and funding decisions. The objectives of this project include creating a unified statewide inventory of higher education programs and credentials, quantifying education supply and workforce demand, identifying areas of alignment and misalignment, assessing transfer and work-based learning connections, and evaluating fair access for underrepresented groups. • Create a unified statewide inventory of higher education programs and credentials. • Quantify education supply and workforce demand by occupation and region. • Identify areas of alignment, over-supply, and under-supply. • Assess transfer, stackable pathways, and work-based learning connections. • Evaluate fair access for rural students, adult learners, first-generation students, and other underrepresented groups. • Analyze the accessibility of 2- and 4-year higher education programs for students across the State. • Deliver actionable recommendations and data tools for ongoing use by the State.