WGU Labs and Gallup Study Degree Non-Completion
Every higher education institution has students who leave before completing a degree. In fact, national statistics find there are nearly 37 million adults in the U.S. who have some college education but no degree. That’s a staggering number–and one that represents enormous untapped potential in the workforce.
There are myriad reasons people leave school, from family obligations to mental and physical health challenges, inadequate academic advising and program costs. And yes, there are stop-outs for whom even some college provides the skills they need to experience success in the job market.
But more often, the implications for students who leave their institution early are sobering, according to a new WGU Labs survey conducted in partnership with WGU’s academic portfolio team and Gallup. They face more financial insecurity, lower life satisfaction and significant challenges in the job market. These individuals are eager to advance and deserve more support.
The survey of 1,700 former WGU students who left without a degree between 2018 and 2023, funded by a Gates Foundation grant, explored the question of how to help non-completers re-engage with higher education.
The findings highlighted that many non-completers are working but feel stuck. Compared to graduates, they report lower job satisfaction and engagement. Over half said that not having a degree was the top barrier to landing the job they want. Their top priorities were not surprising: pay, flexibility and benefits. Longer-term career planning often takes a back seat to immediate needs.
Seventy-three percent of non-completers are using Indeed in their job searches, but there was a clear interest in getting more support. Many said they would use services like resume reviews, career pathway guidance or digital wallets to better showcase their skills.
Non-degree credentials are also on their radar. More than half of respondents had already earned at least one, and approximately 85% said they would be willing to put in effort to earn a credential using their prior coursework. But cost is still a major concern. And while 33% agreed that employers value non-degree credentials, 54% said they were unsure how much employers value these alternative pathways and 14% said they did not think employers value non-degree credentials.
That is a clear signal to us: higher education institutions need to make credentials more affordable and accessible, and we also need to work with employers to better communicate the value of non-degree education pathways in the labor market.
These data pointed us to some promising possibilities and opportunities. First, we need to recognize and award incremental progress. At WGU, we are exploring ways to award digital credentials for individual courses—course-level achievements—to provide verification of skills gained for work completed. Second, we need to provide students with insight using their own data. Tools like learning and employment records can help students understand and share their verified skills. In fact, 78% of students who participated in beta tests of WGU’s Achievement Wallet said it helped to clarify how they qualify for jobs.
Third, we need to build stronger bridges between learning and employment. Higher education institutions could provide more personalized career support, helping students see the connection between skills and career pathways, offering career recommendations to help them clarify career goals and providing resume reviews.
The findings of this survey have signaled we all need to evolve to better support students who started but didn’t finish the degree they came for. At WGU, we have heard their voices and are dedicated to building pathways where all learning counts.
