Kentucky Postsecondary Education officials say that despite a dip in state-funding, more working-age Kentuckians are earning degrees and certifications.
According to a release from the CPE, Kentucky’s colleges and universities are on track to increase the commonwealth’s working-age population from 45 percent to 60 percent with postsecondary credentials before 2030. An annual CPE progress report shows that undergraduate degrees and credentials at state colleges and universities totaled around 59 thousand for the last academic year--a 7.4 percent increase from 2015. The highest growth came from short-term certificates awarded by the state community college system, increasing 16 percent to 22,759 awards for the year. CPE President Robert King said these increases are improving the quality and magnitude of the state’s workforce.
“The numbers that we’re seeing are demonstrating that despite reductions in state-support and limitations on tuition all of our institutions--KCTCS, the public four-year institutions--are all improving the number of degrees and credentials that they’re producing,” King said.
Workforce certifications also increased with computer information science certificates up 60 percent. Total degree and credential growth climbed 6.6 percent overall.
Other increases:
- Associate degrees at KCTCS increased 3 percent to 9,950.
- Bachelor’s degrees were up 2 percent to 23,189.
- Minority bachelor’s degrees increased 8 percent to 2,920.
- STEM+H (science, technology, engineering, math and health) bachelor’s degrees increased 5 percent to 7,459.
- Master’s, professional and doctoral degrees climbed 3 percent to 10,639.
- High school equivalency diplomas (GEDs) increased 7 percentage points to 3,299.
