The nation’s prosperity depends on the skills of the American workforce. Expanding the share of adults in the United States with quality education and training after high school is essential for ensuring economic competitiveness and expanding individual opportunity. Inspired by the promise of a more dynamic, open, and fair country, Lumina Foundation set a national goal in 2008 for 60 percent of working-age adults to earn college degrees, certificates, or industry-recognized certifications by 2025. Since then, education attainment after high school among adults 25 to 64 years old has increased from 38 percent to 55 percent. Millions of adults furthered their education and training with credentials of value and secured promotions, pay raises, and work in new fields.
Today, the nation faces a fresh set of challenges. Trust in higher education is eroding, prompted by concerns about rising tuition, misalignment with the job market, barriers to college access, the rise of artificial intelligence, and perceived politicization of colleges and universities. As a result, we believe the nation needs a new goal focused on the value of credentials and their tangible benefits for individuals and society: By 2040, 75 percent of adults in the U.S. labor force will have college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.