Credential EngineCredential Engine
Report

Counting U.S. Secondary and Postsecondary Credentials (2018)

Credential Engine has just released a first-of-its-kind report detailing a confirmed inventory of the number of credentials in the United States.
Download Resource

Credential Engine has just released a first-of-its-kind report detailing a confirmed inventory of the number of credentials in the United States. We know that students and workers in the United States have access to a vast number of credentials to obtain, enhance and signal their knowledge, skills, and abilities. There are many types of credentials—from high school diplomas, to degrees from accredited postsecondary educational institutions, to a wide range of non-degree credentials. Some of these are widely recognized and accepted, such as licenses, certifications, and registered apprenticeships; and some are newer to the scene, such as badges, Nanodegrees and MicroMasters. Every day the options within this highly complex landscape of credentials changes as new credentials are created, some are removed, occupational requirements shift with employer needs, and the economy continues its perpetual evolution. Millions of students, workers, educators, and employers who must make decisions in the convoluted U.S. credentials marketplace are greatly hindered by the lack of information on the nature of their options and how they compare with one another. In particular, as the necessity of obtaining postsecondary credentials for employability and earnings has increased, the consequences of the lack of information on credentials has resulted in significant labor market dysfunctions. Students, workers, businesses, and schools are making decisions blind, with considerable consequences for making wrong choices.
There are two main questions about credentials:

  • How many are available in the U.S.?
  • How can individuals—students, workers, counselors, hiring managers, educators, program administrators, policymakers—make better decisions about the relative value of different credentials for their particular needs?

This research is the start of a complex process of answering the first question. To read the full report, please see below.

Note: This report inventories confirmed secondary and postsecondary credentials available on the market in the United States. To date, the Credential Registry has captured a percentage of these credentials for search and comparison in the Credential Finder.

Counting_US_Secondary_and_Postsecondary_Credentials_April_2018

Share this Resource

Tags: Credential Ecosystem, Credential Engine
Fact Sheets

Open, Interoperable Data for Actionable Credential Ecosystems

Creating an effective, efficient, and fair marketplace for credentials, qualifications, and skills requires collaboration among various stakeholders, including employers, educational providers, quality assurance organizations, assessment bodies, funders, and guidance platforms.

Fact Sheets

Publishing Jobs Data with CTDL: One-Pager

Publishing linked open data about jobs increases opportunities for people to achieve their learning and career pathway goals spanning education, training, and work. Using the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and the Credential Registry offers an open standard, transparent, and data-driven approach to bridging the gap between education and work in data ecosystems. It supports informed decision-making, effective skill matching, and collaborative partnerships for the betterment of learners, employers, and the economy. This one-pager provides key value propositions for improving the connections between learning and work in data ecosystems.

Fact Sheets

The Value of CTDL for AI

As uses of AI and machine learning are very quickly evolving for applications like skills mapping, learning opportunity recommendations, and career exploration, CTDL provides huge advantages for improved accuracy and relevance in these applications. The CTDL schema and CTDL data in the Credential Registry are highly useful for training and refining AI models because they are structured data that is organized, predefined, and formatted consistently. And the more data that is available in CTDL, the more thoroughly AI tools can analyze patterns in the linked open data and make valuable connections. Credential Engine is working with partners on innovations that combine CTDL as a rich data schema, the huge body of CTDL data that is already in the Credential Registry, and new AI-assisted tools that publish to and consume from the Credential Registry. This resource provides an overview of structured data and the value of CTDL for AI.

View All Resources
Fact Sheets

Open, Interoperable Data for Actionable Credential Ecosystems

Creating an effective, efficient, and fair marketplace for credentials, qualifications, and skills requires collaboration among various stakeholders, including employers, educational providers, quality assurance organizations, assessment bodies, funders, and guidance platforms.

Fact Sheets

Publishing Jobs Data with CTDL: One-Pager

Publishing linked open data about jobs increases opportunities for people to achieve their learning and career pathway goals spanning education, training, and work. Using the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and the Credential Registry offers an open standard, transparent, and data-driven approach to bridging the gap between education and work in data ecosystems. It supports informed decision-making, effective skill matching, and collaborative partnerships for the betterment of learners, employers, and the economy. This one-pager provides key value propositions for improving the connections between learning and work in data ecosystems.

Fact Sheets

The Value of CTDL for AI

As uses of AI and machine learning are very quickly evolving for applications like skills mapping, learning opportunity recommendations, and career exploration, CTDL provides huge advantages for improved accuracy and relevance in these applications. The CTDL schema and CTDL data in the Credential Registry are highly useful for training and refining AI models because they are structured data that is organized, predefined, and formatted consistently. And the more data that is available in CTDL, the more thoroughly AI tools can analyze patterns in the linked open data and make valuable connections. Credential Engine is working with partners on innovations that combine CTDL as a rich data schema, the huge body of CTDL data that is already in the Credential Registry, and new AI-assisted tools that publish to and consume from the Credential Registry. This resource provides an overview of structured data and the value of CTDL for AI.

Get in Touch

Our team of experts is ready to help you embark your credential transparency journey. Whether you have questions about our technologies, services, or don’t know how to get started, we’re here to assist.

Name(Required)
Skip to content