Competency-based education (CBE) is a rapidly growing movement of postsecondary and K-12 programs that allow learners to move ahead based on what they know and can do, rather than time spent in class. At the postsecondary level, CBE could be a pathway that helps many thousands of learners move from poverty to prosperity. This paper considers how CBE can be used to educate, equip, and empower learners who struggle in postsecondary learning programs because of who they are and where they live. Recommended starting points--places and programs--are provided throughout the paper to highlight where and how CBE providers can prioritize equity. The first section identifies three learner populations for CBE programs to prioritize: (1) learners of color; (2) adult learners who are unemployed or underemployed; and (3) adult learners with some postsecondary education but no credential. The second section details the types of programs CBE providers should offer, and the final section suggests some occupations and industries for which CBE programs should prepare their graduates.