Undergraduate Credential Attainment Grows as Students Complete Credentials at Younger Ages

New report finds that, for the first time, students aged 18 to 20 surpassed those aged 21 to 24 as the largest share of first-time associate degree earners

HERNDON, Va., April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 3.4 million learners earned undergraduate credentials in the 2024–25 academic year, marking a 3.2% increase from the previous year, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

The Undergraduate Degree Earners report covers undergraduate credentials, including certificates, bachelor's degrees, and associate degrees. About 2 million learners earned a bachelor's degree as their highest award, while 865,400 earned an associate degree in 2024-2025. The 579,400 completers who earned an undergraduate certificate represent a decade high for the number of people earning this type of credential as their highest award.

"This year's increase in undergraduate credential attainment isn't just about more completions – it's also about timing," said Matthew Holsapple, Senior Director of Research at the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. "More students are earning certificates and degrees earlier and that shift reflects how postsecondary pathways are changing and starting sooner than they once did."

Pathway from associate to bachelor's degree: Of the 3.4 million learners who earned an undergraduate credential in 2024-2025, 892,300 had previously earned a postsecondary credential. The most common pathway was learners who completed a bachelor's degree after they had earned an associate degree.

The 419,800 students who followed this pathway in 2024–25 represented a 1% increase from the previous year and the first meaningful growth in this pathway in four years. However, annual growth in the number of students in this pathway for 2024-25 is notably smaller than it was in the period 2016-17 to 2020-21.

Younger degree earners: Students are increasingly completing undergraduate credentials at younger ages. For the first time, students aged 18 to 20 represented the largest share of first-time associate degree earners, accounting for 32.6%, and surpassing those aged 21–24.

There was also notable growth in the number of students under 18 earning undergraduate certificates and associate degrees. The 52,500 first-time completers under 18 (likely dual enrolled high school students) earning these credentials in 2024-25, while still relatively small, represent the culmination of a decade of strong growth for this age group (+38,300, +277.1%). At the certificate level, the number of first-time completers under 18 more than quadrupled (+27,200), while at the associate degree level, the number more than tripled (+11,100).

Dual enrollment impact: Increases in students under 18 earning undergraduate credentials is likely driven by increasing interest in and availability of dual enrollment programs for high school students over the last decade. Dual enrollment may also be a factor behind the increasing number and share of associate and bachelor's degree earners over this period who are between 18 and 20 years old.

At the associate degree level, there were 77,100 more 18- to 20-year-olds who received an award in 2024-25 compared to a decade ago, representing a 47.7% increase. Students in this age group now account for 27.6% of all associate degree earners, up 9.6 percentage points over that period.

While the scale of these changes is smaller at the bachelor's degree level, they are still notable. The number of 18- to 20-year-old bachelor's degree recipients has grown by 27,400 since 2015–16, more than doubling their share of all bachelor's degree earners (2.4% compared to 1.0%).

About the National Student Clearinghouse^® Research Center™

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center is the research arm of the National Student Clearinghouse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed in 1993. The Research Center collaborates with higher education institutions, states, school districts, high schools, and educational organizations as part of a national effort to better inform education leaders and policymakers. Through accurate longitudinal data outcomes reporting, the Research Center enables better educational policy decisions leading to improved student outcomes. To learn more, visit nscresearchcenter.org.

SOURCE National Student Clearinghouse