Tracking Postsecondary-to-Workforce Outcomes - An Overview of State Data Systems in the Midwest

Oct 15, 2026

Tracking postsecondary-to-workforce outcomes is central to evaluating the return on higher-education investments and shaping state higher-education policy. This report synthesizes interviews with officials across 11 Midwest states to examine how states currently track what students do after college, including further education, labor-market entry, and staying within or leaving the state. It compares intrastate, cross-state, and national data sources, summarizes research highlights on coverage, governance, and funding, and identifies systemic challenges affecting complete post-college outcome capture.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Report Overview

Definitions

Intrastate Data Sources

Cross-State Data Sources

National Data Sources

Research Highlights

Policy Options

Tracking Postsecondary-to-Workforce Outcomes: An Overview of State Data Systems in the Midwest February 2026 105 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55401 612-677-2777 [MHEC.ORG | mhec@mhec.org](MHEC.ORG | mhec@mhec.org) © Copyright 2026 Midwestern Higher Education Compact. AUTHORS Mark Wiederspan Research Fellow Midwestern Higher Education Compact Aaron S. Horn Associate Vice-President of Research Midwestern Higher Education Compact DESIGN Kathy Graves Brigitte Parenteau Parenteau Graves Recommended Citation Wiederspan, M., & Horn, A. S. (2026). Tracking Postsecondaryto-Workforce Outcomes: An Overview of State Data Systems in the Midwest. Midwestern Higher Education Compact. Report Overview State policymakers, agencies, and families are increasingly interested in understanding what happens to students after they leave or graduate from college. Post-college outcomes – including whether students pursue further education, successfully enter the workforce, or move out of the state – are essential for evaluating the return on public and private investments in higher education and informing state higher education policy. This report synthesizes findings from interviews with officials in 11 Midwest states to better understand how states currently track post-college outcomesand to identify potential opportunities for improving state data capabilities in monitoring postsecondary and workforce outcomes within and across states. It focuses on intrastate, cross-state, and national data sources used for student tracking (see below for definitions). DEFINITIONS INTRASTATE DATA SOURCES » State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS): SLDS integrate data across education sectors (e.g., K–12, postsecondary) and, in some cases, workforce data.t and, in some states, employment outcomes. » Unemployment Insurance (UI) Wage Data: UI wage records contain quarterly earnings and industry sector information for individuals employed within a state. » Student-Level Administrative Data: These are data collected by postsecondary institutions or state agencies about individual students, such as enrollment, course-taking, degree completion, and financial aid. CROSS-STATE DATA SOURCES » State Wage Interchange System (SWIS): SWIS is a federally coordinated program that allows states to share UI wage data for specific federal reporting purposes (e.g., Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act compliance). » Coleridge Initiative: A nonprofit organization that facilitates secure, multi-state access to linked administrative data – including education, workforce, and social services-for approved research and policy analysis. » Cross-State Data Exchange: Refers to bilateral or multistate agreements that allow neighboring states to share education and workforce data. NATIONAL DATA SOURCES » National Student Clearinghouse (NSC): nonprofit organization that collects enrollment and degree completion data from over 3,600 colleges and universities across the country. » U.S. Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO): A federal initiative that links college graduate data from participating institutions with national wage records to produce aggregated earnings and employment outcomes. | RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS | | | --- | --- | | » While all states use intrastate data sources for tracking students’ educational pathways and in-state employment, utilization of cross-state and national sources for workforce outcomes is inconsistent. The most common data sources used across states were UI wage records, SLDS, and NSC. Eight states currently have institutional representation in PSEO, and seven of them indicated using PSEO for tracking employment outcomes. A few states reported using SWIS or participating in cross-state exchanges such as Coleridge or the Kansas-Missouri agreement.
» Student tracking systems vary widely across states in population coverage, data integration, and institutional par

FAQs

What is the report trying to understand about post-college outcomes?

The report examines how states track what happens to students after leaving or graduating from college, including further education, workforce entry, and movement out of the state. It also identifies opportunities to improve state data capabilities for monitoring these outcomes across and within states.

Which intrastate and cross-state data sources are discussed?

Intrastate sources include SLDS, Unemployment Insurance (UI) wage records, and student-level administrative data held by institutions or state agencies. Cross-state sources include SWIS, the Coleridge Initiative, and cross-state data exchange agreements that enable multi-state sharing.

What challenges limit states’ ability to capture complete post-college outcomes?

States report limited access to out-of-state employment data, uneven institutional participation in national systems such as PSEO, and high costs of NSC and the Coleridge Initiative. Additional issues include limited occupational detail in UI records, legal constraints on data sharing, fragmented governance, incomplete data from private institutions, and financial instability from short-term grants.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan