The front terrace entrance to the Mendocino College Center Theatre in Ukiah, Calif., on Thursday, July 10, 2025. The theater is the east half of the visual and performing arts building at the college. (Sydney Fishman/Bay City News)

This was written by staff at the nonprofit newsroom CalMatters. It was republished by The Mendocino Voice in partnership with CalMatters to bring relevant nonpartisan news to Mendocino County readers. Learn more about CalMatters here.

SACRAMENTO, CA., 7/19/26 — With just a high school diploma in hand, and no additional training or education, the average Californian is currently expected to earn about $18 an hour, or $36,000 a year — just above the state’s minimum wage.

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Adam Echelman covers higher education for CalMatters, focusing on California’s 116 community colleges and how they influence the state’s future. He works in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit...