Delaware

Overview

Delaware is at or near the national average on several education and economic indicators, including degree attainment, college participation for young adults and the percentage of workers employed in professional occupations. Targeted investments in postsecondary education could sustain completion gains made with young adults, while providing access to older adults and minorities. To achieve economic growth, the state might leverage higher education productivity and high net migration to create greater job density in high-demand fields, including STEM and business/finance.

Data

How does Delaware rank compared to the national average?

Adults 25-64 with college degrees: 24th (38.6% vs. 38%)
High school graduates going directly to college: 15th (66.2% vs. 63.3%)
25- to 49-year-olds enrolled in college: 44th (4.8% vs. 7.0%)
STEM credentials awarded per 1,000 STEM employees: 42nd (42.4% vs. 54.4%)
Credentials awarded per 1,000 18- to 44-year-olds with no college degree: 26th (36.1% vs. 37.6%)
Workers with college degrees earning low wages: 6th (20% vs. 22.9%)

For more information, please see the following documents:

Delaware Data Profile

Delaware Data PowerPoint

College attainment in Delaware is at or near the national average in most metrics, including overall degree attainment, young adult participation, and postsecondary productivity. Targeted investments in postsecondary education could sustain completion gains made with young adults, while providing access to older adults and minorities. Leveraging state funds in this way might propel Delaware into the upper echelon of states. However, lack of action could produce the opposite effect: a situation where state educational and economic prospects decline. To achieve economic growth, the state might leverage higher education productivity and high net migration to create greater job density in high-demand fields.

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 Delaware’s policies:

Concerning the Need-Based Inspire Scholarship Program — H.B. 399 (2010)
Delaware Science and Technology Council — Executive Orders 88 and 93 (2006)

Check out the BCC database for a more complete summary of Delaware’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 Delaware based on an analysis of data and policies related to college completion and workforce development.

Delaware Policy Profile

Delaware is at or near the national average on several education and economic indicators, including degree attainment, college participation for young adults and the percentage of workers employed in professional occupations. By leveraging postsecondary investments more effectively and by aligning higher education capacity with specific workforce needs, the state’s economy could grow faster than currently projected. Conversely, relative lack of action or investment could contribute to Delaware falling behind the national average in educational and economic competitiveness. To meet the demands for highly skilled workers with either a certificate or a degree, Delaware will need to reach beyond traditional student populations and increase attainment among adults and minority students.

According to the PNC Financial Services Group, the state did not weather the recession as well as other mid-Atlantic states. In-migration has been weakened by “the loss of auto production plants, and deep cuts to financial services and construction.” However, the group estimates that economic recoveries in nearby Baltimore and Philadelphia, combined with the attraction of affordable housing and lower taxes, will advance population growth and increase tax revenues.

A contraction in the number of financial jobs, most notably in credit card services, has decreased median wages for college graduates. To protect against further erosion in personal incomes and to adapt to new economic realities, legislators should consider:

Leveraging state resources and strategies to improve college participation among minorities and middle-aged adults
Connecting education and workforce data to find out what college graduates are earning, the fields they are employed in and the value of their degrees to the workforce
Developing a statewide workforce strategy that leverages high migration rates, favorable housing and tax environment, and proximity to the Baltimore-Washington and Philadelphia metro areas to increase alignment between college and specific occupational fields
How to facilitate the scaling of promising institutional efforts that could accelerate learning, reduce time-to-degree and increase completion rates.