More than 3.4 million students in the United States earned either an undergraduate certificate or degree during the 2024-25 academic year, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
That was a 3.2% increase over the 2023-24 academic year, driven by about 2 million students who received bachelor’s degrees as their highest award. Another 865,400 students earned an associate degree, and 579,400 received an undergraduate certificate, according to the report.
In California, nearly 202,000 students earned a bachelor’s degree, a 2.2% increase from the previous year but still lower than earlier in the decade. During the 2020-21 academic year, bachelor’s degrees were earned by more than 217,000 Californians, according to the report.
The number of students who earned an associate degree as their highest award was also up in California, increasing 3.5% to 124,573 during the 2024-25 academic year.
“This year’s increase in undergraduate credential attainment isn’t just about more completions — it’s also about timing,” said Matthew Holsapple, senior director of research at the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. “More students are earning certificates and degrees earlier and that shift reflects how postsecondary pathways are changing and starting sooner than they once did.”
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