Montana trails the nation in the number of workers getting college degrees, or credentials that pay off.
A new Lumina Foundation report shows nearly 41% of Montanans in the workforce, have postsecondary degrees or credentials with long-term economic value. The national average is 43.6% percent.
Those stats are from the foundation's latest update, called A Stronger Nation.
Jeff Strohl, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, said those numbers have gone up 7% to 8% over the last decade. He said that's projected to bring more than $14 trillion into the U.S. economy.
"We have both the economic sides of the house – which is really, wages are linked to productivity," said Strohl, "so it's really enhancing the strength and vitality of the economy, and impacting people's well-being."
Lumina Foundation works to increase the number of people earning degrees or credentials that can lead to higher wages. Lumina has set a new goal – that 75% of the U.S. labor force gets a post-high school credential of value by 2040. That includes a college degree, associate degree or certification. To be of value, the foundation says it must lead to earnings at least 15% higher than those of a median high school graduate.
The report breaks down which types of education beyond high school have the best payoff. It shows 54% of the labor force with associate degrees have earnings at or above that 15% benchmark over their lifetimes. It's 55% for workers with certifications.
The number jumps to 70% for bachelor's degrees, and 80% for graduate or professional degrees.
Chief Data Analyst for NBC News, Steve Kornacki, helped introduce the findings. He said the research speaks for itself.
"Those bachelor's degrees, a lot of people are saying, 'What are they worth these days?'" said Kornacki. "You're seeing them pay off. You're certainly seeing those graduate degrees pay off from the standpoint of value, and I think you're seeing work needing to be done when it comes to associate degrees and those certifications to try to match that."
Strohl added that even with the potential threat of artificial intelligence replacing workers, it's still worth it to pursue higher education.
"Having a base knowledge to treat AI as a tool, so that you're able to do one task a little easier," said Strohl, "but still have the base knowledge of where to use it and how to use it."
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.