The latest findings from a report tracking post-high school education attainment shows Indiana pacing slightly behind the national average. Lumina Foundation’s Stronger Nation uses data through 2022. It finds while Hoosiers have made a remarkable 20 point increase since tracking began in 2009, it still falls a full percentage point below the national average of 54.3%.

Courtney Brown, vice president of impact and planning for Lumina, said nearly one-third of Hoosiers only have a high school certificate.

“Indiana’s an interesting state because they saw quite a rise last year in their short-term credentials – and this year, those went down,” she said. “I wouldn’t take too much meaning out of one year, but they should take a hard look at their data to work on attainment in Indiana.”

Brown said the goal of Stronger Nation is to hit a 60% educational attainment rate by the year 2025. The state’s commitment to reaching this goal means not only maintaining the current rates of attainment but also a concerted effort to boost enrollment in programs that lead to various credentials beyond high school.

All races and ethnicities are enjoying increases, but in Indiana and around the nation, an equity gap remains, according to Brown.

“And while we’ve made incredible progress toward that – we’re getting closer and closer – we’re still seeing stubborn equity gaps with Black and Hispanic Americans sitting on one end of the spectrum to white and Asian Americans sitting on the other,” she continued.

Indiana’s journey towards a 60% educational attainment rate by 2025 will take a proactive approach to align its workforce with the demands of the evolving job market and a commitment to the educational and professional advancement of its residents.