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January 30, 2025
LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) are celebrating the announcement of new data reflecting continued progress toward the state’s Sixty by 30 attainment goal, which aims for 60% of working-age Michiganders to earn a skill certificate or college degree by 2030. As of today, Michigan’s education attainment stands at 51.8%, up from 45% when the goal was first announced by the governor in 2019, according to the Lumina Foundation.
“Every Michigander should be able to get the skills they need to support their families at a good-paying, high-skilled job,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since announcing our Sixty by 30 goal, we have made it possible for more Michigan families to pursue their dreams of higher education and skills training, growing our economy and making Michigan a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Today’s data shows remarkable progress towards our goal thanks to bipartisan investments to lower the cost of college, address students’ needs, and support student success. This is just the beginning, and we’ll keep working to lower barriers to postsecondary education across Michigan and meet our goal. Let’s get it done.”
“We are delighted to see more Michiganders pursuing and achieving the postsecondary credentials that are essential for their long-term success,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “MiLEAP is dedicated to supporting individuals to achieve their lifelong education pursuits and our collaborative efforts are yielding results. As we continue to work toward the state’s Sixty by 30 goal, we look forward to collaborating with our partners to ensure that even more Michiganders can pursue their educational goals and achieve a true path to prosperity.”
“Michigan College Access Network is pleased to see the most recent Stronger Nation report from Lumina Foundation showing a gain in the number of students with a postsecondary degree or certificate,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, executive director of Michigan College Access Network. “We celebrate this growth in attainment while also recognizing the long road ahead to reach Michigan’s critical Sixty by 30 goal. We look forward to working with stakeholders across the state in support of postsecondary access, persistence, and success for every Michigan student.”
Michigan has made historic investments to provide affordable pathways for Michiganders to earn a skills certificate or college degree. Recently, the state announced that 56,100 students across Michigan are benefiting from no or reduced-cost tuition this fall through the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which includes the Community College Guarantee. Additionally, more than 207,000 Michiganders are currently benefiting from Michigan Reconnect, which traditionally lowers the cost for adults ages 25 and older to earn a tuition-free degree or skills certificate at their local community or Tribal college. Notably, Michigan’s attainment rate for adults ages 25-34 is currently 53%.
To see the full national report from the Lumina Foundation, visit A Stronger Nation: Learning Beyond High School Builds American Talent.
To learn more about MiLEAP’s efforts to help more Michiganders earn a skills certificate or college degree, visit the Sixty by 30 website.
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