For many, going to a college or another post-secondary institution is the next step. However, in Kentucky, as many as 1.4 million adults have no postsecondary credential. Over 928,000 adults, or around 66%, have never enrolled in college. The other 33% have some college credits, but never attained any credential or degree. But why are postsecondary credentials so important?

The Rise of Adult Learning

By 2031, over 60% of jobs in Kentucky will require postsecondary education. This is compared to only 55% of Kentucky adults who currently hold a postsecondary credential. Aside from mere job selection, the lack of postsecondary graduates heavily influences the number of households who receive a livable wage. More than 30% of Kentucky households have incomes less than $35,000. Compare that to households with one college graduate receiving a staggering $40,000 more in earnings compared to non-graduate households.

Despite these benefits, college graduates in both public Kentucky universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) have seen a regression in undergraduate students. Overall, there is around a staggering 40% decline through the entire post-secondary system across the decade from 2014 to 2024. The KCTCS specifically saw the sharpest decrease in learners from slightly above 76,000 to just below 50,000, or a 34% decrease in just 10 years. The drop in enrollment isn’t exclusive to the adult learning students, but for the post-secondary education systems in general. Public universities and the KCTCS have seen enrollment rates plummet by tens of thousands of students year after year. But what is driving this rapid decrease in post-secondary enrollment despite the potentially lucrative benefits?

For many, prior commitments prevent college enrollment. Around 48% of adult learners have children, and the limited childcare availability is a major obstacle. Between 2019 and 2021, nearly 16,000 childcare centers closed nationwide. Simultaneously, the average cost of childcare rose to $6,411 per year, or $534 monthly. Aside from childcare, adult workers must cover not only the cost of college, but family expenses and other bills. 58% of full-time undergraduates need to work, and 79% of part-time undergraduates are working adult learners.

However, there are other obstacles to adults in post-secondary education. Many require assistance with coursework in addition to the normal classes due to the years spent out of the classroom. Gateway courses have low success rates in both the public university and KCTCS systems. Adult learners in the KCTCS score less than 25% on English and Math, and learners in the public university system scored 15% on average in both English and Math.

Conclusion

When the financial and academic hindrances combine, they can make adults as much as 4 times less likely to complete postsecondary education. So how can we boost adult learner success in their post-secondary journey? Providing financial assistance and academic support is the best way to help adult learners. Scholarships like the Pell Grant enable learners to finance the costs of college, but also any excess aid covers childcare and other family expenses. This excess aid also provides them with more time to spend studying rather than working.