To learn more about the SIPP, visit https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sipp. 

For questions about content or to view this report online, go to http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/

pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2015556.

NOTE: Estimates are for the population aged 18 and older. Standard errors for estimates can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/tables/A31.asp.

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2008 Panel, Wave 13 (Sept.–Dec. 2012).

FIGURE 1. Percentage of adults with a license or certification, by adults’ educational attainment 

DATA

U.S. DEPARTMENT

POINT

OF EDUCATION 

NCES 2015-556 JUNE 2015

This Data Point uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a nationally representative 

sample survey of households. The SIPP provides information on many topics, including income, participation in government programs, family 

dynamics, and education. This report uses new SIPP data on professional licenses and certifications, collected September to December 2012. 

 The Relationship 

Between Education 

and Work Credentials

Work credentials can serve as an alternative or supplement to education credentials. Work credentials include 

occupational licenses and certifications; education 

credentials include diplomas, degrees, and educational 

certificates. Both types of credentials attest that a person 

has the skills needed to perform a job. However, a 

license is issued by a government agency (often a state 

board), while a certification is typically issued by a professional or trade organization. 

New national data show that over one in five adults (22 

percent) report having a work credential (figure 1). Overall, 71 percent of these credentialed adults report that 

their most recent credential is a license and 29 percent 

report that it is a certification (see http://nces.ed.gov/

surveys/ctes/tables/A33.asp).

Work credential rates generally increase 

with education level.

Excluding adults with a doctorate degree, the proportion 

of adults with a work credential generally increases with 

educational attainment, ranging from 6 percent for adults 

with less than a high school diploma to 68 percent for 

adults with a professional degree.1 Nonetheless, over half 

of those who hold a work credential (53 percent) have 

less than a bachelor’s degree (see http://nces.ed.gov/

surveys/ctes/tables/A32.asp). 

level: 2012
This National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Data Point presents 

information of education topics of current interest. It was authored by Lisa 

Hudson of NCES and Stephanie Ewert of the Census Bureau. Estimates 

based on samples are subject to sampling variability, and apparent differences may not be statistically significant. All stated differences are statistically significant at the .05 level. In the design, conduct, and data processing of NCES surveys, efforts are made to minimize effects of nonsampling errors, such as item response, measurement error, data processing error, or other systematic error.

The Relationship Between Education and Work Credentials

Work credential fields vary by education 

level. 

The most common fields in which work credentials are 

obtained (based on the most recent credential) are health 

care (25 percent of credentialed adults), education (17 

percent), and the trades (13 percent) (figure 2). Together, 

these fields account for over half (55 percent) of all 

credentials.2

These credentialing fields are associated with different 

levels of education (figure 2). Compared to credentialed 

adults at other education levels, a higher percentage of 

adults with bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees 

have a credential in education. Similarly, a higher 

percentage of credentialed adults with subbaccalaureate 

and advanced degrees have a credential in health care; 

45 percent of those with doctorate degrees, 38 percent of 

those with professional degrees, and 43 percent of those 

with associate’s degrees report having a health-care 

credential. The proportion of credentialed adults with 

credentials in the trades decreases as education attainment increases, ranging from 37 percent of those with less 

than a high school diploma, to 1 percent or less of those 

with degrees above the bachelor’s level.

Endnotes

1 The one exception was the statistical test between credentialing rates for 

adults with an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree, which was not 

significant.

2 For more detailed information on credentialing fields, see Ewert, S., and 

Kominski, R. (2014). Measuring Alternative Education Credentials: 2012. 

Washington, DC: Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census 

Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. Available at http://www.census.gov/

content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/demo/p70-138.pdf. 

FIGURE 2. Among credentialed adults, percentage with a credential in selected subject 

fields, by adults’ educational attainment level: 2012

# Rounds to zero.

NOTE: Estimates are for the population aged 18 and older. “Trades” includes transportation and material moving, construction, and manufacturing. “All other” includes all 

subject fields other than education, health care, and trades. A full list of subject fields included in the survey can be found at http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/

library/publications/2014/demo/p70-138.pdf. Standard errors for all estimates in this figure can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/tables/A35.asp.

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2008 Panel, Wave 13 (Sept.–Dec. 2012).