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The report summarizes overall award counts, year-over-year and five-year growth by sector, and provides graduation-rate metrics, emphasizing contributions from KCTCS, Four-Year Public, and AIKCU institutions.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/degrees-and-credentials-awarded-degrees-and-credentials-report-february-2026/585264/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/degrees-and-credentials-awarded-degrees-and-credentials-report-february-2026/585264.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Aria Callaghan","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-27","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What workforce goal does the report connect to degree and credential production?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"It links progress to making Kentucky’s workforce more competitive by increasing the share of adults with a postsecondary degree or credential to 60% by 2030.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How does the report describe overall degree and credential award growth in 2024-2025?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"It states statewide total awards reached 93,806, reflecting a 5.0% increase over the prior year and 15.1% growth over the past five years.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"Which institution is noted as awarding most certificates and diplomas?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The report indicates that over 90% of all certificates and diplomas are awarded by KCTCS, while growth is also observed across other sectors.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},585264,1792062123,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},962084926284,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","DEGREES AND CREDENTIALS AWARDED  \n2024-2025 Academic Year  \nDegrees and Credentials Report  \nFEBRUARY 2026  \nTable of Contents  \nWhy Does Degree and Credential Production Matter? 1  \nExecutive Summary 2  \nTotal Degrees and Credentials Awarded 3  \nTotal Undergraduate Certificates and Diplomas Awarded 4  \nTotal Associate Degrees Awarded 5  \nTotal Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded 6  \nTotal Master’s and Specialist Degrees Awarded 7  \nTotal Doctoral Degrees Awarded 8  \nTotal Postgraduate Certificates Awarded 9  \nTotal Low-Income Degrees and Credentials Awarded 10  \nTotal Adult Undergraduate Degrees and Credentials Awarded 11  \nSix-Year Graduation Rate at Public Universities 12  \nThree-Year Graduation Rate at KCTCS 13  \nAbout the Council 14  \nCPE Data and Advanced Analytics Team 15  \nWhy Does Degree and Credential Production Matter?   \nTo make Kentucky's workforce more competitive, Kentucky needs 60% of adults to have a postsecondary degree or credential by the year 2030. Current statewide attainment is 56.2%, just 3.8 points shy of the goal. Statewide attainment is critical to the prosperity of our state, as it leads to:  \nHigher earnings for graduates, increased tax revenues, lower poverty rates and less reliance on public assistance  \nHigher levels of employment and amore highly skilled workforce  \nA more educated citizenry with higher rates of voting, volunteerism and charitable giving  \nHealthier residents, less chronic disease and lower healthcare costs  \nKentucky Council on Postsecondary Education 1  \nExecutive Summary  \nTotal Degrees and Credentials: 1YR Change: 5.0%  \n5YR Change: 15.1%  \nGrowth in total degrees and credentials was driven by gains in undergraduate and graduate degrees in all three sectors.  \nCertificates & Diplomas: 1YR Change: 4.2%  \n5YR Change: 20.0%  \nOver90% of all certificates and diplomas are awarded by KCTCS. However, growth was observed in all three sectors.  \nAssociate Degrees:  \n1YR Change: 7.5%  \n5YR Change: 5.0%  \nLike other sub-bachelor's awards, over90% of associate degrees are awarded by KCTCS. All sectors experienced growth over last year.  \nMaster's & Specialist Degrees: 1YR Change: 10.5%  \n5YR Change: 31.5%  \nMaster's and specialist degrees increased in both four-year sectors, with pronounced growth at AIKCU institutions.  \nLow-Income Degrees & Credentials: 1YR Change: 9.6%  \n5YR Change: 8.7%  \nBoth two-and four-year public sectors had significant increases in low-income awards last year. CPE does not collect financial aid data (low-income status) from AIKCU institutions.  \nBachelor's Degrees: 1YR Change: 1.4%  \n5YR Change: -2.2%  \nBachelor's degrees increased in both four-year sectors (public and independent) over the previous year.  \nDoctoral Degrees:  \n1YR Change: 4.1%  \n5YR Change: 33.4%  \nDoctoral degrees increased in both four-year sectors, with rapid growth at AIKCU institutions over the period.  \nAdult Degrees & Credentials: 1YR Change: 3.5%  \n5YR Change: -5.8%  \nAfter sustained declines, adult degree and credential production has increased for two consecutive years in all three sectors.  \nKentucky Council on Postsecondary Education 2  \nFigure 1. Total degrees and credentials awarded (undergraduate and graduate) by sector  \n KCTCS  \n Four-Year Public  \nTotal degrees and credentials awarded encompasses all undergraduate and graduate credentials awarded by public and private institutions. Total awards grew in every sector, bringing the statewide total to 93,806 in 2024-2025. This growth reflects an increase of 5.0% over the previous year and 15.1% over the past five years.  \n•KCTCS increased credential production 4.2% over last year and 13.8% overfive years.  \n•Public universities grew total awards 3.3% over last year and 10.7% overfive years.  \n•AIKCU institutions grew total awards 10.8% over last year and 28.3% overfive years.  \nTotal degrees and credentials awarded is the metric tied most closely to Kentucky's educational attainment rate (the percentage of working-age Kentuckians with a postsecon","cbCaipmxExCOEZIE","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaipmxExCOEZIE","pdf",2121210,18,"English","# Why Does Degree and Credential Production Matter?\n## Executive Summary\n## Total Degrees and Credentials Awarded\n## Total Undergraduate Certificates and Diplomas Awarded\n## Total Associate Degrees Awarded\n## Total Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded\n## Total Master’s and Specialist Degrees Awarded\n## Total Doctoral Degrees Awarded\n## Total Postgraduate Certificates Awarded\n## Total Low-Income Degrees and Credentials Awarded\n## Total Adult Undergraduate Degrees and Credentials Awarded\n## Six-Year Graduation Rate at Public Universities\n## Three-Year Graduation Rate at KCTCS\n## About the Council\n## CPE Data and Advanced Analytics Team","[{\"question\":\"What workforce goal does the report connect to degree and credential production?\",\"answer\":\"It links progress to making Kentucky’s workforce more competitive by increasing the share of adults with a postsecondary degree or credential to 60% by 2030.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the report describe overall degree and credential award growth in 2024-2025?\",\"answer\":\"It states statewide total awards reached 93,806, reflecting a 5.0% increase over the prior year and 15.1% growth over the past five years.\"},{\"question\":\"Which institution is noted as awarding most certificates and diplomas?\",\"answer\":\"The report indicates that over 90% of all certificates and diplomas are awarded by KCTCS, while growth is also observed across other sectors.\"}]","DEGREES AND CREDENTIALS AWARDED - Degrees and Credentials Report - February 2026 | PDF",1792054196,45]