Noncredit Research Collaborative
The Noncredit Research Collaborative brings together leading researchers committed to providing the critical information needed for data-informed decision-making. We partner with states and colleges across the country to build the noncredit data infrastructure and conduct methodologically rigorous research on noncredit programs and student outcomes to inform policy and practice.
Peter Bahr Research Cited in Final Workforce Pell Rule
Peter Bahr, Vice President of Employer Alignment and Managing Research Director at the Strada Institute for the Future of Work, is among the researchers cited in the Department of Education’s final Workforce Pell rule. His research is referenced multiple times, including his November 2025 study, Labor Market Returns to Community College Noncredit Occupational Education, which examined the labor-market value of noncredit occupational education and contributed to the policy discussion surrounding Workforce Pell. Read the Final Rule here.
Learn about our team members, their work and the impact they have in the field.
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Learn more about our research on noncredit.
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See our work on noncredit research highlighted in the media.
Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers are seeking short-term flexible options to prepare adults for the workforce. While in many states, noncredit postsecondary education programs have the capacity to meet this need at scale, stakeholders are often working in an informational fog of sparse and inconsistent data about noncredit education. Insights from evidence-based research are essential to develop a better understanding of noncredit education and its impact on learners and the economy.
The Collaborative works directly with institutional and state leaders to build urgently needed data and analytic capacity. A central focus to this work is the establishment of a common definitional language for current and future data collection efforts on noncredit education.
We serve as a hub for disseminating research and information on noncredit education in postsecondary institutions. Through this effort, we aim to empower policymakers and practitioners to make informed, data-driven decisions, thereby improving students’ education and economic opportunities.
Michelle Van Noy, Director of the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers University, discusses the valuable noncredit resources available on this website.
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