Noncredit Research Collaborative
Interest in noncredit education has been mounting as many Americans seek pathways for social mobility other than a four-year college degree. Noncredit education and the non-degree credentials (NDCs) to which noncredit education can lead (e.g., certificates, certifications, licenses, badges, and microcredentials) are increasingly viewed as possible alternative pathways. Recent surveys have found that 29% of adults think that getting a four-year college degree is not worth the time, money, and effort involved, and that more than two-thirds of adults interested in a postsecondary option want to pursue a non-degree pathway—up from about one-half in the year prior. At the same time, state funding for short-term educational programs has been increasing, approaching $4 billion in investments.