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Santa Ana High School Celebrates Graduation of Class of 2025

Graduates from Santa Ana High School celebrate their achievements at the Class of 2025 graduation ceremony.

News Summary

Santa Ana High School held a vibrant graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025, celebrating the achievements of students and highlighting educational trends. Among the graduates, Edgar Roa stands out as an aspiring medical professional who overcame challenges to graduate debt-free. The event also underscores the importance of aligning educational costs with future career outcomes amidst evolving trends in higher education.

Santa Ana – Santa Ana High School celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2025 during a spirited commencement ceremony held on Thursday, May 29, at the Santa Ana Stadium. Family members and friends gathered to support the graduates as they walked across the stage, marking the conclusion of their high school journey and the beginning of their future endeavors.

The uplifting event not only celebrated individual achievements but also highlighted broader trends in education and career readiness within Southern California. As graduation festivities in Orange County continue next week, communities remain engaged and proud of their graduates’ accomplishments.

Among the graduates is Edgar Roa, an aspiring medical professional whose journey reflects the challenges and triumphs many students face. Raised by an immigrant mother who never completed high school, Roa experienced frequent relocations throughout Southern California in search of affordable housing, often relying on welfare benefits. Despite these obstacles, Roa is set to graduate debt-free from California State University, Dominguez Hills, with a degree in the medical field—an area expected to yield a median income of $126,318 within five years of graduation.

Roa’s success can be attributed in part to the affordable tuition at Cal State Dominguez Hills, estimated at approximately $4,000 per year. A recent report evaluating earnings from various programs across California colleges and universities has noted that among the 28 programs offered at Dominguez Hills, 23 provide alumni with salaries high enough to recoup their educational costs within one year. Notable high-earning fields include registered nursing, with salaries averaging $122,899, business at $61,910, and teacher education at $43,988.

Conducted by the HEA Group for the College Futures Foundation, the report analyzed federal and institutional data from 2,695 degree and certificate programs across 324 colleges in California. It revealed that nearly 90 percent of the evaluated programs allow graduates to recover their educational investments within five years. In comparison, the median salary for high school graduates five years post-graduation is just $26,073.

The findings are especially promising for those entering high-demand fields. Nursing graduates, for instance, are reported to earn six-figure salaries, with travel nursing opportunities presenting contracts that can exceed $3,000 per week for a mere 13-week period. Similarly, graduates from Santa Ana College’s fire protection program boast median earnings of $114,446 after a total investment of only $2,994 for a two-year degree. These earnings notably exceed those of Stanford alumni in the humanities.

The contrast in earnings between high-paying majors, such as computer science, engineering, and healthcare, and lower-earning fields like humanities emphasizes how educational choices significantly influence return on investment. The report also stresses the essential role of financial aid, including benefits like the GI Bill, which enable students from low-income backgrounds to pursue degrees without incurring debt.

As educational trends evolve, the University of California has announced increased admissions for low-income and first-generation college students for Fall 2024, reflecting a growing commitment to accessibility in higher education. These strategic efforts underscore the importance of aligning educational costs with potential career outcomes, a critical consideration for students today.

However, it is important to note that not all educational paths yield positive returns. Some programs, notably those offered by for-profit institutions, have been identified as leaving graduates still earning less than their high school peers five years after completing their degrees. This discrepancy highlights the necessity for students to carefully consider their educational investments in light of prospective economic realities.

As the Santa Ana High School Class of 2025 embarks on their post-graduation journeys, they join a larger narrative about the evolving landscape of education and the potential for future generations to forge successful career paths.