College and Career Readiness Works.
The pathway Texas students take determines how much.
Last updated: Aug. 18, 2026
Texas has made College, Career and Military Readiness (CCMR) a centerpiece of how it measures high school success. But not all CCMR pathways are created equal. Research tracking millions of Texas graduates found that the most rigorous pathways produce dramatically better outcomes in earnings, credential completion and college success.
Key Takeaways
- CCMR pathways do not produce equal student outcomes.
- More rigorous pathways are linked to stronger completion, persistence and wage outcomes.
- More dual credit in math and English is linked to higher college completion and wages.
- Level I/Level II certificates are associated with nearly $10,200 in annual wage gains for rural graduates.
- Texas should weight CCMR indicators based on the outcomes they produce.
Why CCMR and Outcomes Matter for Texas
In 2017, Texas made College, Career and Military Readiness (CCMR) a central pillar of its school accountability system — shifting the focus from graduation rates alone to whether students were genuinely prepared for what comes next. Under this framework, a student earns a CCMR designation by meeting criteria ranging from college entrance exam scores to industry credentials to dual credit hours.
Texas’ investment in college and career readiness is showing results, but the research reveals that outcomes vary dramatically depending on which CCMR pathway a student completes. Some indicators are strongly associated with higher wages, stronger persistence, and better credential completion. Others show little measurable benefit. And a few are associated with worse outcomes than having no CCMR designation at all.
The data below makes clear that some pathways are far more powerful than others — and a few appear to offer little benefit. Understanding this variation is essential for helping more Texas students reach their potential after high school. HB 8 (2025) takes a step in this direction by charging TEA to weight CCMR indicators according to their postsecondary outcomes — a reform this research directly supports.
Not All Pathways Are Created Equal
The differences between CCMR pathways show up most clearly in two places: whether students complete a postsecondary credential, and how much they earn six years later. Across both dimensions, the differences between indicators are striking.
College Credentials in High School Lead to the Best Outcomes
(Associate’s degrees, Level I/Level II certificates)
*Advanced Diploma IEP, OnRamps Course, and College Prep Course are not statistically significant (p > 0.05).
Associate Degree in HS shows the largest six-year wage advantage. Advanced Diploma IEP, OnRamps, and College Prep Course show no significant wage effect.
Dollar advantage in annual wages 6 years after graduation (2024 dollars). Comparison: graduates with no CCMR indicators. 2016–2018 cohorts.
Meeting College Readiness Standards Means Increased Attainment
TSI and Dual Credit are the strongest drivers — College Prep Course is the only indicator with a negative association.
Percentage-point change in likelihood of earning any credential (certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree). Comparison: graduates with no CCMR indicators. 2016–2018 cohorts.
Which Pathways Hold Up Under Scrutiny and Why?
The charts below go deeper, examining how returns vary by dual credit intensity, credential type, CTE completion and geography.
Stacking Pathways Multiplies the Returns
Combined wage premium: $13,151 statewide and $17,394 for rural graduates.
Annual wage premium at Year 6 for graduates completing multiple CCMR pathways together. Each segment shows one indicator’s individual premium. Totals are research-verified combined estimates. 2016–2018 cohorts.
More Dual Credit Means Better Outcomes
Earning 15+ dual credit hours in Math and ELA is associated with a 40 pp boost — nearly triple the effect of some dual credit.
Percentage-point increase in likelihood of earning any credential within 6 years. Comparison: students with no dual credit. 2016–2023 cohorts.
Completing a CTE Program Sequence Pays Off
CTE Completers earn $4,026 more annually — nearly twice the Concentrator return. Depth of engagement drives the wage return.
Real annual wage advantage by CTE participation level, 6 years after graduation (2024 dollars). Comparison: students with no CTE participation. All graduates. 2016–2018 cohorts.
- No CTE: Students who never enrolled in or completed any CTE course.
- CTE Participant: Students who completed either one CTE course of any credit value, or multiple courses totaling less than two credits.
- CTE Explorer: Students who completed two or more high school CTE courses totaling two or more credits but who are not classified as participants, concentrators or completers.
- CTE Concentrator: Students who completed two or more CTE courses totaling at least two credits within the same program of study, but did not advance to completion.
- CTE Completer: Students who completed and passed three or more CTE courses totaling at least four credits, including at least one Level 3 or Level 4 course within the same program of study.
Career Education and Dual Credit Pays Off Especially Well in Rural Texas
Rural graduates with Level I/II Certificate earn $10,194 more annually — more than 2 times the statewide figure of $4,507.
Annual wage advantage at Year 6 (2024 dollars). Statewide vs. Rural Texas. 2016–2018 cohorts.
Wage Advantage Is Even Larger For Rural Students
*TSI via TSIA, College Prep Course, Advanced Diploma IEP, and OnRamps Course not statistically significant (p > 0.05)
Level I/II certificate wage premium ($10,194) is more than twice the statewide figure ($4,507).
Real annual wage advantage at Year 6 for rural graduates (2024 dollars). Comparison: rural graduates with no CCMR indicators. 2016–2018 cohorts.
For Rural Students Who Go Straight to Work, Level I/Level II Credentials Still Pay Off
Level I/II wage advantage grows from $3,775 in Year 1 to $14,570 by Year 6.
Annual wage advantage over comparable non-college-going graduates with no CCMR indicators. 2024 dollars. 2016–2018 cohorts.
More Rigorous Pathways Also Keep Students in College
Advanced Diploma IEP not statistically significant (p > 0.05).
Associate Degree in HS produces the strongest overall persistence effect (+26 pp). College Prep Course is the only indicator with a negative association.
Percentage-point change in likelihood of returning for a second year of college. Comparison: graduates with no CCMR indicators. 2016–2019 cohorts.
More Rigorous Pathways Reduce the Need for Remediation
College Prep Course not statistically significant (p > 0.05).
Associate Degree in HS shows the strongest reduction in developmental education need (−10 pp). College Prep Course shows no significant benefit.
Percentage-point change in likelihood of developmental education placement. Negative = less remediation needed. Comparison: graduates with no CCMR indicators. 2016–2023 cohorts.
Methodology
The findings presented here draw on independent academic research conducted by J. Jacob Kirksey and colleagues at Texas Tech University, the University of North Texas, Texas A&M University, and UT San Antonio. The study uses Texas P-20W administrative data — linking K–12 records to postsecondary enrollment, credential attainment, and Texas Workforce Commission wage records — to track outcomes for graduating cohorts from 2016 through 2023. All wage estimates are expressed in 2024 dollars. All effects represent correlational estimates relative to otherwise similar graduates who met no CCMR indicators; they are not causal claims.
For more methodology details, see The Uneven Promise of Readiness: Which College and Career Readiness Indicators Actually Predict Success After High School? by Jacob Kirksey, et al.