As higher education magnifies its lens on value proposition, college and university stakeholders must strengthen their understanding of whether rapidly growing short-term credentials provide real benefits to its learners, declares a new report from EdTrust.
The research and advocacy nonprofit examined the cost of attendance (combining program costs and living expenses during a program’s length) of nearly 19,000 short-term credentials in 43 states. The credential types ranged from certificates, digital badges, micro-credentials and other varieties. Here are some significant findings:
- The cost of attendance varies significantly by credential type: The median monthly costs for a certificate is $2,112 in an academic year, while tuition and fees range from $0 to nearly $18,000. As a result, the report suggested the affordability of short-term credentials is “highly dependent” on the program type and state providers.
- State minimum wages often did not support their hourly cost of attendance: Without accounting for financial aid, hourly program costs of every reported credential exceeded state minimum wages in Wisconsin, Texas and Iowa. However, California and North Carolina’s wages covered the programs’ costs, illustrating the wide variance in affordability.
- Financial aid initiatives may boost access and affordability.
Why higher ed stakeholders must bridge the data gap
Academic providers, along with federal and state policymakers, must strengthen their data systems to better analyze how effective their programs are, the report read. “While many states want to showcase certification data, few systematically collect this data.”
One recent report analyzing an experimental Pell Grant in short-term workforce training programs found that financial aid increased enrollment and completion rates for students but did not strengthen their outcomes in the job market. However, researchers only took into 46 postsecondary schools, most of which were two-year colleges.
Robust state data systems can help track learners’ outcomes before and after receiving a short-term credential, which can help future researchers analyze what works. The data could also be compartmentalized by students’ demographics to help ensure programs provide equitable results. All of this information can help build more effective quality-assurance frameworks to ensure badges, certificates other program types are held to the same rigor as degree programs. Some initiatives have already begun to ensure program quality.
To strengthen policymakers’ analysis of how effective short-term certificates are—and more accurately weigh their eligibility for financial aid—researchers encouraged academic providers to submit localized data to the Credential Engine registry.
More from UB: Why the short-term Pell offers limited yet promising results
