Racial and economic equity gaps in college access, attainment, and post-enrollment outcomes persist despite attempts to close them over multiple decades. Systemic barriers, such as the declining purchasing power of Pell Grants, inequitable resources across colleges, and job market discrimination, make it more difficult for students who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and students from low income backgrounds to not only complete their degree, but also receive the same returns on those degrees as their White and higher-income peers.