“But when you look at some of the very high-end areas like around Silicon Valley, the numbers are closer to 40 percent,” he said. He believes the Southeast Valley needs to “change the culture of education” so higher education will be the assumed next step for any East Valley high-school graduate.

After all, with about 20 colleges in the region, they have plenty of options.

In addition to ASU, downtown Mesa’s new arrivals — Benedictine, Wilkes and Westminster — “need to be supported,” Arnett said. Community colleges, such as Mesa and Chandler-Gilbert, boast tech-driven programs that can prepare students to earn $60,000-plus a year at local companies such as Boeing, Arnett said.