Alaska
Student Access & Success
Alaska is last nationally in terms of four-year credentials produced per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates, four-year completion rate, and two-year retention rate. The state receives similarly low marks for the percentage of undergraduate students receiving Pell Grants.
Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness
Alaska has extraordinarily high four- and two-year costs per completion ($142,638 for four-years and $268,186 for two-years), resulting in both sectors ranking at the very bottom nationally.
Meeting Labor Market Demand
The median wage of an Alaskan bachelor’s degree holder is approximately $14,400 (or 39%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate for a bachelor’s degree holder is about 7 percentage points lower. Alaska’s two-year institution earns very high marks in this area. The median wage of an associate’s degree holder is approximately $9,400 (or 26%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate is about 5 percentage points lower.
Transparency & Accountability
Alaska gets very low marks in this area. Alaska’s consumer information site and public accountability report include graduation rates, but neither includes information on additional student outcomes. Alaska does not track student labor market outcomes, nor does it measure student learning.
Policy Environment
The University of Alaska’s state plan does not include information on student outcomes or system efficiency. The state does not have outcomes-based funding and its articulation policy is excessively broad. While students who complete the state’s general education requirements are allowed to transfer those credits, it is not explicitly stated what those requirements are.
Innovation
Alaska’s “UA Online” portal is a useful resource for both four- and two-year classes that are available online, though it lacks clarity about the transferability of online credits. Regarding approving new providers, Alaska has an average financial burden but an onerous approval process.
Report Card
Compare with
Four-Year Institutions
AK Nat'l| Student Access & Success | F |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 27.2 | 30.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 72.4 | 77.9 |
| Completion Rate | 27.3 | 54.5 |
| Completions per 100 FTE Students | 11.7 | 19.7 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 1 | |
| Complete College America |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | F |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $142,638 | $68,140 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $129,046 | $41,198 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $168,674 | $76,932 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined Measure (5-point scale) | 1 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | C |
|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $14,409 | $17,881 |
|---|---|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 139.4 | 156.0 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $10,989 | $12,703 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 134.7 | 149.9 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 7.1 | 4.0 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 3.6 | 2.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 7.8 | 7.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Transparency & Accountability | F |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 1.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 1 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
Two-Year Institutions
AK Nat'l| Student Access & Success | F |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 12.9 | 46.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 37.7 | 58.6 |
| Completion Rate | 16.9 | 20.5 |
| Completions Per 100 FTE Undergraduates | 6.3 | 16.8 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 2 |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | F |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $268,186 | $57,210 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $226,194 | $35,476 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $262,265 | $52,512 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined MeasureCombined Measure (5-point Scale) | 1 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | A |
|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $9,409 | $8,545 |
|---|---|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 125.7 | 126.1 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $8,811 | $6,595 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 127.8 | 125.0 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 5.7 | 2.7 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 2.4 | 1.5 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 10.2 | 4.9 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 6.96 | 1.84 |
| Transparency & Accountability | F |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 1.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 1 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | false | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
State
AK Nat'l| Policy Environment | D |
|---|
| State Goals (6-point Scale) | 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Does the State Have Outcomes-Based Funding? | false | |
| Four-Year Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Two-Years Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Have a Credit Transfer Policy? | true | |
| Credit Transfer Policy (5-point Scale) | 2 |
| Innovation: Openness to Providers | D |
|---|
| Numerical Openness to New Providers Grade | 64% | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Jurisdiction | 60% | |
| Financial Burden | 73% | |
| Approval Process Burden | 60% |
| Innovation: Online Learning | C |
|---|
| Numerical Online Learning Grade | 50.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Online Learning Score (7-point Scale) | 3.5 |
State Facts at a Glance
- Number of Public Four-Year Institutions 3
- Number of Public Two-Year Institutions 1
- Number of Students Served by Public Four-Year Institutions 17,907
- Number of Students Served by Public Two-Year Institutions 288