College 'or' Career Readiness? Postsecondary and Labor Market Outcomes for Ohio High School Students Earning Industry-Recognized Credentials
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| Title: | College 'or' Career Readiness? Postsecondary and Labor Market Outcomes for Ohio High School Students Earning Industry-Recognized Credentials |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jay Plasman, Thomas B. Fordham Institute |
| Source: | Thomas B. Fordham Institute. 2026. |
| Availability: | Thomas B. Fordham Institute. 1701 K Street NW Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20006. Tel: 202-223-5452; Fax: 202-223-9226; e-mail: thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org; Web site: https://fordhaminstitute.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 64 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | College Board Thomas B. Fordham Foundation |
| Intended Audience: | Policymakers |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Postsecondary Education High Schools Secondary Education Higher Education |
| Descriptors: | College Readiness, Career Readiness, Career and Technical Education, Outcomes of Education, Labor Market, Postsecondary Education, High School Students, Credentials, Graduation Requirements, Education Work Relationship, Wages, Salary Wage Differentials, Educational Attainment, Income |
| Geographic Terms: | Ohio |
| Abstract: | As part of Ohio's effort to modernize career-and-technical education, it has actively encouraged high school students to earn industry-recognized credentials. Today, students can use credentials to meet certain graduation requirements and schools receive credit on their state report cards when students attain them. This report examines the effects of earning a credential in high school on postsecondary education and labor market outcomes for the 1.3 million Ohio students who entered high school between the school years of 2011-12 and 2019-20. By exploring the labor market outcomes, it provides new evidence on longer-term (up to seven years beyond high school) effects of earning a credential. In addition to assessing the overall consequences of earning any type of credential, it explores the potential benefits of earning a credential designated as high-demand and high-wage under Ohio's recently authorized Innovative Workforce Incentive Program (IWIP). By analyzing data provided through the Ohio Longitudinal Data Archive, key findings show credential earning is positively associated with high school completion but negatively associated with college-going and attainment. In the labor market, however, the improved outcomes appear to favor credential earners and career and technical education (CTE) concentrators, at least for the first five years after high school, after which credential earners no longer see an income premium. Recommendations related to credential earning and CTE concentration in high school are provided for Ohio policymakers. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED681210 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED681210 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: ED681210 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Report PubTypeId: report PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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Fordham Foundation – Name: Audience Label: Intended Audience Group: Audnce Data: Policymakers – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Readiness%22">College Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Readiness%22">Career Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+and+Technical+Education%22">Career and Technical Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Market%22">Labor Market</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Credentials%22">Credentials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Graduation+Requirements%22">Graduation Requirements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+Work+Relationship%22">Education Work Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wages%22">Wages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Salary+Wage+Differentials%22">Salary Wage Differentials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Attainment%22">Educational Attainment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Income%22">Income</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ohio%22">Ohio</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: As part of Ohio's effort to modernize career-and-technical education, it has actively encouraged high school students to earn industry-recognized credentials. Today, students can use credentials to meet certain graduation requirements and schools receive credit on their state report cards when students attain them. This report examines the effects of earning a credential in high school on postsecondary education and labor market outcomes for the 1.3 million Ohio students who entered high school between the school years of 2011-12 and 2019-20. By exploring the labor market outcomes, it provides new evidence on longer-term (up to seven years beyond high school) effects of earning a credential. In addition to assessing the overall consequences of earning any type of credential, it explores the potential benefits of earning a credential designated as high-demand and high-wage under Ohio's recently authorized Innovative Workforce Incentive Program (IWIP). By analyzing data provided through the Ohio Longitudinal Data Archive, key findings show credential earning is positively associated with high school completion but negatively associated with college-going and attainment. In the labor market, however, the improved outcomes appear to favor credential earners and career and technical education (CTE) concentrators, at least for the first five years after high school, after which credential earners no longer see an income premium. Recommendations related to credential earning and CTE concentration in high school are provided for Ohio policymakers. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: ERIC – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED681210 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED681210 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 64 Subjects: – SubjectFull: College Readiness Type: general – SubjectFull: Career Readiness Type: general – SubjectFull: Career and Technical Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Labor Market Type: general – SubjectFull: Postsecondary Education Type: general – SubjectFull: High School Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Credentials Type: general – SubjectFull: Graduation Requirements Type: general – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Wages Type: general – SubjectFull: Salary Wage Differentials Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Attainment Type: general – SubjectFull: Income Type: general – SubjectFull: Ohio Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: College 'or' Career Readiness? Postsecondary and Labor Market Outcomes for Ohio High School Students Earning Industry-Recognized Credentials Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Thomas B. Fordham Institute – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jay Plasman IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Type: published Y: 2026 Titles: – TitleFull: Thomas B. Fordham Institute Type: main |
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