Noncredit workforce education has emerged as a vital yet underexamined pathway in American higher education. Accounting for an estimated 40% of community college enrollment nationwide (American Association of Community Colleges, 2024), noncredit programs attract millions of adult learners annually. These programs serve diverse needs, providing occupational training geared toward adults seeking skills for new or current jobs; occupational training arranged and paid for by employers for their employees; English as a Second Language (ESL) courses for non-native speakers; and courses to pursue personal interests (Van Noy and Hughes, 2022). Some programs lead to credentials, while others do not.
This report focuses on students enrolled in community college noncredit occupational programs, which range from certificates in allied health to industry-recognized credentials in information technology (IT) to skilled trades training, offering accessible, career-focused education.1 While once referred to as the “hidden college” due to its lack of visibility and status (Voorhees & Milam, 2005), noncredit education, particularly career-focused programming, is quickly growing in prominence. Student interest in these programs is high, with more than two-thirds of respondents to one survey indicating that, in considering higher education, they would prefer a nondegree to a degree-granting pathway (Strada Education Foundation, 2020). In recent years, the number of Americans reporting that they hold a nondegree credential has risen (Levine, 2025), and a majority of Americans now believe that a four-year college education is not worth the cost (Belkin, 2023). State investments to support attainment of short-term nondegree credentials continue to grow, with 26 new initiatives in 2025 alone (Murphy, 2025). Nationally, Workforce Pell offers the potential to expand funding and access to more noncredit programs.