A recent story in the LA Times focused on an alarming report put together by the Public Policy Institute of California, which found that at least 41% of jobs in California will require a four-year degree in 2025. Yet, the same study found that only about 35% of working-age adults in the state will have such a degree. The result? California can expect to face a significant shortage in qualified personnel in another 15 years, with experts estimating that the state will be short 1 million college graduates when 2025 rolls around.

Of course, for those who are considering going to college, this report only goes to prove that there has never been a better time than now to head back to school – particularly if you live in California or plan to live there in the future. Yet, the state is currently posting the lowest college enrollment rates in the nation.

Despite the fact that California State University, California Community Community College and the University of California combine to educate approximately 2.3 million students each year, with another 360,000 getting educated at the state’s private universities and colleges, the state still falls woefully behind the national averages. In fact, according to the study, only about 56% of California’s high school residents go on to attend college. This contrasts sharply with the nationwide average of 62%.

The state also fell behind the rest of the country when it came to the percentage of 25 to 24-year-olds who held a bachelor’s degree as well as the number of students who graduate within a five-year period. While many of California’s college students start off at a two-year community college, most of them do not move on to a four-year institution. Alarmingly, only 20% to 30% of the state’s college students expressed the desire to move on to a four-year college program.

Ironically, California offers some of the lowest college fees and tuition rates in the country, but this does not seem to be enough to inspire students to finish a degree program within four years. In fact, only about half of the students at California State earn their degree within a six year period. The researchers believe this may have something to do with California’s high cost of living, which likely forces many students to work while attending school.

Regardless of the reasons, it is clear that it is time for educators and politicians to take steps to increase the number of college enrollees and graduates in the state of California.