10,000 Degrees

10,000 Degrees chief goal is to increase baccalaureate attainment rates among students from low-income backgrounds and students from low-income backgrounds. Our commitment is bolstered by the belief that economic mobility is fueled by higher education and employment opportunities. A college degree can break the cycle of poverty for generations to come. In comparison to high school graduates, college graduates are less likely to be unemployed, pay more taxes, experience greater health outcomes, and are more likely to volunteer and vote. College graduates earn $1 million more in earnings over their lifetime. As the demand for college-educated workers is estimated to increase in most occupational categories by 2030, California will fall about 1.1 million college graduates short of economic demand by that date if current trends persist. Yet, at every stage, these student populations lag on achievement measures compared to their more advantaged counterparts. Our goal for 2026 is to significantly expand the number of students and regions we serve while maintaining the high standard of student outcomes and college graduation rates.

10,000 Degrees prepares college-bound high school students to succeed in college and beyond through comprehensive personalized support, college counseling, and financial aid management. Through free state and federal financial aid, including grants and scholarships, 10,000 Degrees students take on 89% less student loan debt than their peers. Unlike other college success programs, we have targeted programming for students who begin their college journey to a baccalaureate at both community college and a four-year college or university. According to the California Department of Education, more than 80% of students entering community college nationwide indicate a desire to earn a four-year degree, but less than 14% do so. Our community college students transfer to and graduate from four-year colleges at three times the national average.

Our success is due in large part to our innovative Fellowship Program. We hire recent college graduates, the majority of whom are alumni of 10,000 Degrees, and all from similar backgrounds to our students, to help them understand, navigate and manage the entire college-going process until graduation. They serve as powerful role models.

10,000 Degrees operates in seven Bay Area counties – San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara – and currently serves students in 42 high schools, 40 community colleges, and 166 four-year colleges and universities across the nation. With the help of a well-trained staff as well as over 300 mentors and volunteers, we are able to support our students and their families effectively and efficiently as we continue to grow our programs.

Over 80% of our four-year colleges graduate within six years compared to 31% of their peers. Our community college students transfer to and graduate from four-year colleges at three times the national average. And, thanks to comprehensive wrap-around support that includes financial aid management until graduation, our students graduate ready to succeed in careers with 89% less loan debt on average.

We are in year one of our new five-year plan, Next Five: More College Graduates Changing the World (2022-26). We just finished our last five-year strategic plan, meeting or exceeding all of our growth targets for 2021 despite the pandemic, including serving 12,000 students annually by 2021. We expanded from two to seven counties and grew from serving 4,500 to over 12,000 students and their family members annually through our broad-reach programming which includes community-based college knowledge and financial aid workshops. This includes a significant increase in the number of college students we are supporting annually with scholarships plus one-to-one support which has grown from 1,300 students in 2017 to 2,400 students in 2021.

During the next five years (2022-2026), 10,000 Degrees will significantly and efficiently expand, nearly doubling the number of students and families from low-income backgrounds that we serve annually while maintaining our high standard of student outcomes and college graduation rates. Our five Strategic Goals include:

1. Grow College Success
2. Grow a More Equitable, Effective Organization
3. Grow & Sustain Financial Support
4. Advance Systemic Change for Educational Equity
5. Extend Impact Beyond College Success