Highlight: Hiring trends
Employers pay more for micro-credential holders
Our data shows that 90% of employers are willing to offer higher starting salaries to those with micro-credentials. Most offer 10–15% more for credit-bearing vs. non-credit credentials—even higher for GenAI. Help your graduates earn more by integrating micro-credentials into your programs.
Highlight: Student trends
Students prefer programs with credit-bearing micro-credentials
Students are 2x as likely to choose programs with micro-credentials—even more if credentials are credit-bearing, the report finds. Higher education leaders echo this trend, with 7 in 10 saying students are more likely to enroll in programs that offer micro-credentials for academic credit.
Employer demand for skills-based hiring requires educators to prioritize skills-based learning. We must adapt our curricula to prepare students for a job market where desired qualifications are shifting too quickly for traditional education to keep pace.
