In 2015-16, Virginia public and private nonprofit institutions awarded a total of 119,934 degrees and certificates, compared to 115,577 in the previous year, representing a 3.8% increase.

The growth of awards is an important measurement of progress toward The Virginia Plan for Higher Education’s objective to be the best-educated state by 2030 and the goal of Top Jobs 21 legislation to award 100,000 additional in-state degrees by 2025.

ALL AWARDS 

Of the 119,934 awards, 73% were from public institutions (45% from four-year and 28% from two-year). Three in four awards were for undergraduates as certificates or bachelor's or associate's degrees. 

AWARDS BY INSTITUTION TYPE

BEST-EDUCATED STATE BY 2030
As part of the objective to become the best-educated state by 2030 through The Virginia Plan for Higher Education, SCHEV estimated that public and private nonprofit institutions would need to award 1.5 million undergraduate degrees and workforce credentials, including certificates.The chart below estimates that Virginia remains on track to meet this target with continued 1% growth each year. 

REACHING BEST-EDUCATED STATE BY 2030
AWARD 1.5 MILLION ADDITIONAL DEGREES AND CREDENTIALS

100,000 MORE UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

In addition to the best-educated state objective, the General Assembly’s Top Jobs 21 legislation set a goal to award 100,000 additional in-state undergraduate degrees by 2025.

PROGRESS TOWARD TOP JOBS 21 LEGISLATIVE GOAL
100,000 ADDITIONAL DEGREES BY 2025 

AWARDS DETAIL 2015-16