A new study found that United States military veterans are more likely than the general population to hold certificates or certifications.
Strada Education Network and the Lumina Foundation collaborated to produce the “Veterans Without Degrees: The Benefits and Opportunities of Certificates and Certifications” report. Perspectives from veterans were used to analyze both the challenges and benefits of holding non-degree credentials.
“[Veterans have] received all kinds of education and training after high school that isn’t necessarily always something that’s recognized or takes place in a traditional community college or classroom,” said Dr. Nichole Torpey-Saboe, who is the head researcher of the report. “They have an incredible amount of experience, education and training but are they seeing the benefits of that when they leave the military?”
Of the over 340,000 people aged 18-65 who participated in this study, around 30,000 were veterans. In general, 42% of veterans hold a college degree while 33% have a certificate or certification but no degree. Additionally, 35% of males have a certificate or certification while just 24% of female veterans do, according to the report. For those veterans without degrees, only 39% reported that they need more education to advance their careers, compared to 46% of the general population without degrees. There was a noticeable difference based on racial demographics.