A 2025 Snapshot of Postsecondary Completion Gaps
New Report Highlights Urgent Need to Support the 37 Million Americans With Some College, No Credential
Across the United States, more than 37 million working-aged adults have attended college but left without earning a credential, according to new data from the National Student Clearinghouse. This rapidly growing group—known as Some College, No Credential (SCNC)—signals deep systemic challenges within postsecondary education and raises critical questions about why so many learners leave higher education without a return on their investment.
The majority of SCNC learners—approximately two-thirds—stopped out of community colleges. They are disproportionately working adults from racially minoritized and low-income backgrounds, many of whom juggle employment and caregiving responsibilities while pursuing their education. Financial hardship remains the most common reason students leave, driven not only by the rising cost of tuition and living expenses but also by rigid academic pathways that fail to accommodate the needs of today’s learners.
These students pursue postsecondary education in search of greater financial stability and opportunity. Yet the very pressures that push them toward higher education—work demands, caregiving, and economic insecurity—often become obstacles to completion. Without a postsecondary credential, many face limited access to economic mobility, financial independence, and the long-term stability that higher education is meant to provide.
Our new report provides a descriptive snapshot of postsecondary completion rates across key demographic groups, shedding light on where the biggest gaps persist for individuals furthest from opportunity. While educational attainment shows who in the population has earned a credential, college completion reveals whether students finish the programs they start—and how well institutions support learners to the finish line.
Institutional leaders and policymakers can use the insights in this report to identify where and how to strengthen support for SCNC learners. The findings underscore the urgent need to redesign postsecondary systems so that individuals from all backgrounds have a clear, supported path to completion and can access the economic and social benefits that a credential provides.
Read the full report to explore the data, understand the gaps, and learn where targeted action can make the greatest difference for today’s modern learners.
This report was authored by HCM Principal Julie Ajinkya and 2025 HCM Policy Fellow Rachel Rivas.
