Connecticut

Overview

Connecticut’s college attainment rate is the second highest in the United States, despite the fact that college participation and degree productivity is ranked near the national average. The state also enjoys a robust economy, high median wages for college educated residents and a net migration of highly-skilled workers. Still, Connecticut faces challenges, including low college participation rates among young adults, low minority student completion rates, and a widening attainment gap between whites and minorities.

To strengthen college attainment and maintain economic growth, Connecticut lawmakers and postsecondary leaders should use the current master planning process to set goals and metrics for increasing degree productivity and workforce alignment. Policymakers also should consider incentive-based funding as a mechanism for encouraging postsecondary institutions to adopt proven and effective completion strategies. In addition, state leaders should leverage financial aid programs to encourage more adults and students of color to enroll in college and complete a credential, especially those in a high-need, high-wage field.

Data

How does Connecticut rank compared to the national average?

Adults 25-64 with college degrees:2nd (46.4% vs. 38%)
College attainment gap between whites and minorities:46th (30.6% vs. 23.3%)
High school graduates going directly to college:10th (68.0% vs. 63.3%)
18-24 year-olds enrolled in college:38th (33.4% vs. 36.2%)
STEM credentials awarded per 1,000 STEM employees:40th (43.4 % vs. 54.4%)
Credentials awarded per 1,000 18- to 44-year-olds with no college degree:33rd (34.0% vs. 37.6%)
Workers with college degrees earning low wages:3rd (18.4% vs. 22.9%)

For more information, please see the following documents:

Connecticut Data Profile

Connecticut Data PowerPoint

The college attainment rate in Connecticut is the second highest in the United States, despite the fact that college participation and degree productivity is ranked near the national average. Interestingly, Connecticut is in a similar position as other high attainment states, such as Colorado, Maryland and New Jersey. All four states rank in the top five in degree attainment and benefit from a robust economy, high median wages for college educated residents and a net migration of highly-skilled workers. However, they still have significant challenges in terms of degree attainment among state residents, particularly minorities. To maintain Connecticut’s economic competitiveness, policymakers should consider ways to leverage state resources to improve postsecondary participation for adults and minorities.

Policies

Boosting College Completion has produced a comprehensive 50-state legislative database related to college completion and workforce development. The database will grow as we continue to collect and analyze policies.

Highlights of Connecticut’s policies:

Establishing a Statewide Master Plan for Higher Education – S.B. 858 (2011)
Identifying Workforce and Teacher Shortage Areas – H.B. 6485 (2011)
Review of Transfer and Articulation Agreements, Student Remedial Success – S.B. 1318 (2007)
Plans To Increase College Graduation Rates – S.B. 1216 (2007)

Check out the BCC database for a more complete summary of Connecticut’s policies. Click on the Menu arrow for additional options, such as printing the summary.

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Analysis

Boosting College Completion has developed a policy profile for Connecticut based on an analysis of data and policies related to college completion and workforce development.

Connecticut Policy Profile

Connecticut has high educational attainment and personal incomes among its residents. However, high net migration of residents with college degrees masks degree completion challenges among Connecticut citizens, particularly students of color.

Some of the challenges facing the state include:

Low young adult participation — 39th in the nation
Low degree productivity among adults age 18 to 44 who do not have a degree — 33rd in the nation
Low minority degree completion — 15th in the nation
Widening attainment gap between whites and minorities — 5th highest in the nation
High unemployment — 3rd highest in the northeast region and 19th nationally.

Colorado, Maryland and New Jersey are three states ranked in the top five in college attainment that have similar challenges as Connecticut. Of these states, Colorado and Connecticut are approaching education and workforce challenges in similar ways. Their legislatures have required governing boards to develop new master plans, consider performance-based funding and develop recommendations on how to make public postsecondary education more responsive to workforce needs.

Given the challenges facing Connecticut, the state should consider how to leverage investments in college completion to meet state workforce needs. The proposed study by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering will assess the impact of state funding and programming in providing a skilled workforce. By focusing on in-state degree productivity and by emphasizing the middle-skill workforce, Connecticut will be primed for economic recovery. The legislature should:

Use the current master planning process to set goals and metrics for increasing degree productivity and workforce alignment
Consider incentive-based funding as a mechanism for encouraging postsecondary institutions to adopt proven and effective completion strategies
Assess how the Connecticut Aid for Public School Students program could be adapted to encourage more adults and students of color to enroll in college and complete a credential, especially those in a high-need, high-wage field
Consider the economic benefits of expanding the size of the middle-skills workforce by encouraging the production of more certificates in high-demand fields.