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Explainer

Is College Worth It?

By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson

Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.

blog post

One Year Later, Is California on the Road to Recovery?

By Sarah Bohn, Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Julien Lafortune

California’s economy has made strides in recovering from the COVID-19 downturn. But continued un- and underemployment—especially among groups who have been hit hardest—is a major concern.

Policy Brief

Policy Brief: Policies for Creating and Keeping Jobs in California

By David Neumark, Emma Wohl, Stephanie Barton

California offers 21 programs intended to add jobs or grow employment. Which policies work and how well? Three programs show strong evidence for creating jobs or increasing employment; others show mixed evidence or are too new to be evaluated. The state should consider expanding effective programs and build features to better evaluate the others.

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Remote Work Is Reshaping the California Labor Market

By Sarah Bohn, Hans Johnson, Eric McGhee

Remote and hybrid work arrangements are five times more common today than before the pandemic. We examine what this could mean for labor force participation, overall employment growth, and other key facets of California's economy.

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Why Have US and California Jobs Numbers Diverged?

By Sarah Bohn, Jenny Duan, Marisol Cuellar Mejia

Though unemployment statewide remains low by historical standards, California's recent job growth has been notably slower than growth in the nation as whole. A look at the state's major employment sectors helps explain why.

Fact Sheet

Who Are California’s Workers?

By Tess Thorman, Jenny Duan, Sarah Bohn

Most of California’s 19 million workers earn wages or salaries. Californians work in a variety of occupations and sectors, and wages vary widely across regions and demographic groups.

California Counts, Report

Immigrant Pathways to Legal Permanent Residence: Now and Under a Merit-Based System

By Joseph Hayes, Laura Hill

How do immigrants become legal permanent residents in the United States? The process is complicated and often takes years to accomplish. This study examines how current federal immigration policies operate, focusing in particular on how the policies affect California, which is home to 27% of the nation's immigrants. The authors also examine how changes to federal immigration policy proposed last year would alter the composition of legal immigrants in the United States. The proposed legislation would replace the current system -- which gives priority to applicants based on family reunification and employment -- with a system that places greater emphasis on employment and skills.

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