Your School’s Future Depends on Career Outcomes—Are You Ready? 

Welcome to the age of return on investment in higher education. With the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), a sweeping and provocative law introducing earnings-based accountability standards for federal student aid, policymakers are demanding outcomes, not just access.

A New Era of Accountability

Welcome to the age of return on investment in higher education. As tuition rates soar, student debt surpasses $1.7 trillion, and public scrutiny intensifies, policymakers are demanding outcomes, not just access. Enter the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), a sweeping and provocative proposal that introduces earnings-based accountability standards for federal student aid.

According to the bill:

“Bachelor’s-degree programs in which the majority of graduates don’t earn more than the median high-school graduate in their state will be cut…”

Yes, you read that right. If your alumni aren’t out-earning their high school-educated peers, your federal funding could vanish. This marks a dramatic departure from historical policy, which measured institutional quality by inputs (faculty credentials, facilities, admissions rates). Now, outcomes rule.

This isn’t just a funding conversation—it’s a college ROI revolution that will ripple across every academic discipline and career pathway. And institutions that don’t adapt could find themselves on the outside looking in.

The ROI Mandate: What the Bill Demands

The accountability framework is simple but seismic. Institutions must now demonstrate that their academic programs lead to financially viable careers. Specifically:

• Programs that fail to deliver post-graduation earnings above a defined threshold — comparable to the median salary of high school graduates in the same state — will no longer be eligible for federal student aid.
• The rule is program-specific, meaning even legacy majors with cultural cachet but low economic mobility may be deemed unviable.

The implication? No program is safe unless it can deliver tangible value to students post-graduation. And that value must be proven in dollars.

This places immense pressure on colleges to rethink how they prepare students for the workforce. It’s no longer just about access to education—it’s about the career outcomes of that education. Programs must now reflect market needs and demonstrate clear ROI.

How Experiential Learning Drives Career Readiness and ROI

So what’s the best way for institutions to prove ROI and align with new federal education funding accountability standards? 

Two words: experiential learning.

From internships and co-ops to real-world consulting projects and capstone experiences, experiential learning bridges the gap between academic theory and professional practice. It equips students not only with knowledge but with the network, skills, and confidence to thrive in the modern workforce.

And the evidence is clear:

• According to the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions (CCWT), participation in structured experiential learning (including project-based learning) leads to significantly improved student career confidence and clarity, regardless of whether those experiences are paid or unpaid.
• A 2023 report by the AAC&U found that 95% of employers value real-world, applied experiences as critical for hiring decisions—reinforcing the importance of experiential learning as a pathway to workforce readiness.
• Northeastern University’s co-op program—where students alternate semesters of coursework with full-time paid work—has helped drive a surge of 100,000+ applications for just 4,000 undergraduate spots, thanks to its proven career impact.

Experiential learning is more than pedagogy—it’s a strategic differentiator, a skills-based education model, and a workforce development engine.

Implementing Experiential Learning: Strategies for Institutions

The good news? You don’t have to be a top-ranked research university to do this well. Institutions of all sizes and missions can build scalable, impactful experiential learning models that enhance student outcomes and boost education funding accountability.

Here’s how:

1. Embed real-world projects into existing courses using platforms like CapSource to connect students with live business challenges from real organizations.
2. Establish internship and apprenticeship pathways with employers aligned to student interests and regional economic trends.
3. Offer faculty incentives and training to support integration of employer partnerships into curricula.
4. Make capstones count by ensuring they simulate authentic work experiences and culminate in deliverables reviewed by external stakeholders.
5. Leverage AI-powered tools (like CapSource’s new Project Builder) to help companies rapidly scope student-ready projects that align with course objectives and timelines.

Success stories include:

• Butler University: Graduate students delivered real strategic communications plans for companies like Mikimoto and the Head & Neck Cancer Alliance.
• University of Notre Dame: Students translate emerging tech into commercial ventures, with hands-on mentorship from industry.
• Fordham and Montclair State: Students work on growth strategy, digital transformation, and go-to-market planning for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 100s.

These aren’t just one-off experiences—they’re part of a scalable strategy that prepares students to hit the ground running and drive college ROI.

Embracing the ROI Challenge in Higher Education

The message from Washington is clear: higher education must justify its cost with labor market outcomes. As controversial as it may be, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act underscores a reality that families, students, and employers already feel: college must lead to career.

Experiential learning provides a proven, scalable, and equitable solution. It drives:

• Stronger employment outcomes
• Higher post-grad earnings
• Increased student satisfaction and confidence

And perhaps most importantly, it ensures that education remains relevant in a world where skills, not just degrees, drive opportunity.

Want to lead the future of higher education? Schedule Time for a demo so we can discuss ways you can partner with CapSource to integrate experiential learning at scale and meet today’s ROI mandates head-on.

Because the future doesn’t wait—and neither should your students.