Student Pathways - Dataset
This page lets you download the datasets that power the Student Pathways Data Story. We heard from users like you that there was a desire to access the data in the dashboards, and this is an immediate response to that feedback.
Explore the first version of the California Cradle-to-Career Data System’s Query Builder. This resource lets users analyze education and career outcomes data. View the data that powers the Student Pathways Data Story by downloading the files below, which are available in CSV or XLSX format. You can access PDFs of the documentation for each file, to better understand what data is available, how it is defined, and where it comes from.
Take a guided approach to the data.
In April 2025, we launched the Student Pathways Data Story, a data dashboard that highlights paths Californians take to college and beyond. We designed the Data Story to be inclusive for all users, no matter their experience with data. After the Data Story launched, experienced data users shared interest in accessing the data powering Student Pathways. Staying true to our commitment to user-centered design, we listened to your feedback and developed this resource as the first version of the Query Builder.
The Query Builder is an evolving resource, with each release building on previous versions and unlocking new features and ways to customize the data. We look forward to iterating this resource with our users. Stay tuned for ways to get involved and inform the Query Builder’s development.
While our dashboards and data stories are built for general audiences, this resource is designed with our medium-to-advanced data users in mind. These users may work with data in their roles, such as researchers, policy analysts, advocates, practitioners, and more. We hope that this resource will allow data-curious users to explore the Student Pathways Data Story in their own environments.
The files on this page are available in two file types, as Excel or comma-separated values (CSV) files. They can be imported directly into Excel, R, Stata, or other statistical environments that allow users to filter the data, link to other data sources, and make their own visualizations. You can access PDFs of the documentation for each of the files, to better understand what data is available, how it is defined, and where it comes from.
Pathways to College and Beyond
Data files for all six visualizations
How have students navigated to and through college?
Data on student pathways from high school graduation to a college degree, shown as milestones over time
Who enrolls in college?
Data on first time college enrollment by student population and district
What types of degrees do students earn?
Data on degrees and certificates earned at California public colleges
How long does it take students to graduate?
Data on Time to Award for graduates of California public colleges
What about students who work while in college?
Data on how many students work while enrolled in college, and their median wages
How much do students earn after they graduate?
Data on the median wages for California public college graduates who work in California, based on the type of degree or certificate they earn
We Want to Hear from You!
While launches may feel like the end of a process, for us, it’s just the beginning. You asked for it, now help us improve it.
Share Your Feedback
We heard from you that you wanted access to the underlying files for Student Pathways Data Story, so we worked to make these resources available to the public as soon as possible. If you encounter an issue or have an idea about future iterations, let us know.
Share Your Work
C2C is excited to highlight practical examples and use cases contributed by users to inspire others to engage with the data. If you have created analyses, data visualizations, blog posts, or reports, please share them with us! We would love to feature and amplify your work.