Some College, No Credential - Student Outcomes Annual Progress Report - Academic Year 2021/22

Oct 15, 2026

Annual progress reporting on the Some College, No Credential (SCNC) student population during Academic Year 2021/22 analyzes postsecondary re-engagement patterns after students stop out without earning credentials. The report details national growth to 40.4 million SCNC students as of July 2021, while showing fewer students re-enrolled, completed credentials, or persisted into a second re-enrollment year versus the prior year. It also highlights potential completers and recent stop-outs, summarizes enrollment and completion outcomes by student and region characteristics, and provides supporting data resources.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Highlights

Section I. Overview of SCNC Population

Section II. Student Outcomes and Re-enrollment Trends

Section III. Potential Completers and Recent Stop-outs

Section IV. Outcomes by Institution Type and Region

Section V. Two-year Follow-up Outcomes

Some College, No Credential Student Outcomes Annual Progress Report – Academic Year 2021/22 SOME COLLEGE, NO CREDENTIAL Student Outcomes Annual Progress Report – Academic Year 2021/22 Nearly all states in the United States (45) currently have a postsecondary attainment goal to improve the average education levels of their residents and develop a highly-educated workforce. During a time of accelerated COVID-19 related postsecondary enrollment declines, the question as to how states will meet these goals could be particularly pertinent. While our latest enrollment report provides encouragement that these unusually large declines are stabilizing, it is still uncertain when and how higher education will be able to rebound. Re-engaging with the Some College, No Credential (SCNC) population—the former students who stopped out without earning a credential—has been a priority for the many states with these established attainment goals. To succeed in bringing them back into higher education, state and institutional leaders need accurate and timely information about the current SCNC population, their progress, and outcomes upon re-enrollment, which is the focus of this annual progress reporting of SCNC students. This year’s report suggests that there is an increasingly missed opportunity for states and institutions to re-engage with SCNC students even as the SCNC population is growing. Between July 2020 and July 2021, the U. S. has added 1.4 million more SCNC students; the SCNC population is now 40.4 million, up 3.6 percent from 39.0 million a year earlier. However, during the latest academic year 2021/22, fewer SCNC students re-enrolled, completed a credential, or persevered to a second year of re-enrollment than they did the previous year. On the bright side, two sub groups of students identified this year demonstrate promising re-enrollment and completion outcomes and may be a source for states and institutions to pursue with more focus—potential completers and recent stop-outs. Potential completers have already made at least two years’worth of academic progress up until last enrollment. Recent stop-outs are newly identified SCNC students this year, having stopped out since our last report released in May 2022. In addition to detailing the SCNC population growth nationally and in each state, this report shows the annual reenrollment and completion outcomes among SCNC students for the 2021/22 academic year and those who persevered over a two-year period upon re-enrolling. The report is accompanied by a data appendix and an interactive data dashboard for 50 states, D. C., and U. S. territories. These resources will help states and institutions better tap into the SCNC students and identify their own areas of success and opportunity for the postsecondary attainment goals. HIGHLIGHTS ◼ The SCNC population rose to 40.4 million as of July 2021. This large one-year growth of 3.6 percent or 1.4 million is due to a lack of re-enrollment among the 39 million previously identified SCNC students and the 2.3 million new SCNC students (recent stop-outs) . Approximately 2.9 million (or 7.3% of the SCNC population) are“potential completers”who have already made at least two years’worth of academic progress up until their last enrollment. ◼ Most SCNC students were younger than 35 at last enrollment. Potential completers and recent stop-outs were relatively younger, with nearly a quarter of recent stop-outs under 20 (24 . 6%) and potential completers primarily in their early 20s (55 . 6%) . ◼ Community colleges are the most common type of institution of last enrollment, re-enrollment, and first credential attainment for SCNC students. HIGHLIGHTS (continued) ◼ Compared to the previous year, fewer SCNC students re-enrolled (864,800, -8.4%), earned a credential within a year after re-enrolling (53,300, -11 . 8%), or persevered into their second year of re-enrollment (508,700, -4.3%) . The annual re-enrollment rate fell from 2.4

FAQs

What is the SCNC population and why does it matter?

The SCNC population consists of former postsecondary students who stopped out without earning a credential. The report treats re-engagement and outcome measurement as critical to state attainment goals for a highly educated workforce.

How did the SCNC population change by July 2021?

By July 2021, the SCNC population reached 40.4 million, an increase of 1.4 million (3.6%) from 39.0 million a year earlier.

What key outcomes declined for SCNC students in 2021/22 compared with the previous year?

In 2021/22, fewer SCNC students re-enrolled, earned a credential within a year after re-enrolling, or persevered into a second year of re-enrollment than in the prior year.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Riley West