Facts and Figures
Arizona Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (AZMESA) is a school based outreach program designed to increase access to Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathways and encourage college readiness for low-income, minority or first-generation collegebound students in grades 6-12.
Recently, AZMESA submitted students’ names who participated from 2005-2015 to the National Student Clearing House to determine the impact of MESA on college success.
- AZMESA alums earned 147 Associate’s degrees, 156 professional certificates, 396 Bachelor’s degrees, 40 Master’s degrees, and 4 Doctoral degrees.
- 57% of MESA students attend post secondary education, which is higher than the 53.1% for Arizona high schools (2016).
- 43.2% of students entering college declared for a STEM major.
- 44.7% of students finished college with a STEM degree
- STEM degrees by gender:
- 35% female
- 65% Male
- STEM degrees by ethnicity (% of all degrees completed by identified group)
- White: 57%
- Hispanic: 42%
- African American: 48%
- Native American: 75%
- Asian/Pacific Islander: 66%
- Other: 50%
- Unknown/No answer: 71%
- The average MESA student spent 1.5 years (3 semesters) in STEM in college
- 3% of students switched from a STEM degree to a non-STEM degree
- 4% of students switched from a non-STEM degree to a STEM degree
- Students who participated in MESA for 3+ years were four (4) times more liked to earn a Bachelor’s degree than students with similar demographic information.
- Students who participate in MESA in high school are four (4) times more likely to earn a Bachelor’s degree and twelve (12) times more likely to earn a Master’s degree than students with similar demographic information.
- 43.2% of middle school participants who identified as female earned a STEM degree
- 7.5% of students have transferred from Community College to University. They have a 57.9% completion rate.