Michigan has established a goal of 60 percent of adults having a post secondary credential. The main driver for setting the goal is the reality that most good-paying jobs are in occupations that require a credential beyond high school. Given that Michigan is state that attracts very few residents from elsewhere, the key to achieving 60 percent is the proportion of high school graduates that earn a post secondary credential.
Michigan is a long ways away from 60 percent of its high school graduates earning a post secondary credential six years after graduation. The latest six year completion data is for the graduating class of 2019. Of the class a little less than four in ten graduates earned a post secondary credential in six years. The specific are:
- 39.12 percent earned any post secondary credential
- 31.70 percent earned a BA
- 5.99 percent earned an associate’s degree
- 1.39 percent earned a non degree credential
For economically disadvantaged graduates the six year results are:
- 21.56 percent earned any post secondary credential
- 14.76 percent earned a BA
- 5.35 percent earned an associate’s degree
- 1.39 percent earned a non degree credential
For African American graduates the six year results are:
- 18.33 percent earned any post secondary credential
- 14.01 percent earned a BA
- 3.16 percent earned an associate’s degree
- 1.09 percent earned a non degree credential
At Michigan Future we have emphasized the importance of earning a BA or more. Because good-paying jobs are increasingly in professional and managerial occupations where a vast majority of workers have at least a BA. Michigan’s low BA attainment rate––we are 33rd––is the preeminent reason why Michigan is now a low per capita income and low average wage state.
That only one in three of all high school graduates, and one in seven of economically disadvantaged and African American graduates have earned a four-year degree should be setting off alarm bells. Today those Michiganders without a four-year degree are participating in the segment of the labor market where eight in ten jobs pay less than middle- income wages. It is highly unlikely that the proportion of middle-income jobs for those without a BA will be higher in the future.
Maybe even more concerning is the apparent lack of progress since the graduating class of 2019. Three years after graduation 47.77 percent of 2019 graduates had either never enrolled in college or had dropped out without earning a credential. For the graduating class of 2022 after three years 48.12 percent had either never enrolled in college or had dropped out without earning a credential.
For economically disadvantaged graduates the not enrolled without a credential after three years rate has gone from 65.17 percent to 64.86 percent from 2019 to 2022. For African American graduates the not enrolled without a credential rate after three years has gone from 66.43 percent to 66.05 percent from 2019 to 2022.
