We need to close the
educational attainment gap
in North Carolina.

That starts with an ambitious goal: ensuring that by 2030,
2 million North Carolinians have a high-quality credential
or a postsecondary degree.

female graduate

Get money for college that you don’t have to pay back. The Next NC Scholarship is a financial aid program that helps most North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue higher education by fully covering tuition and fees at any community college or more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees to attend any public university in the state.

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Our Goal

1.6M
2M
2022
2030

North Carolinians (25-44) with high-quality credentials or postsecondary degrees. Why is the state’s educational attainment goal 2 million by 2030 for ages 25-44?

Our education system and economy are out of sync.

As our economy grows, the vast majority of new jobs require more than a high school diploma—something that less than half of North Carolinians ages 25-44, and even fewer from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, currently have.

Together, we can set our state on a path to a more prosperous future.

The way forward.

  • Engage local, regional, and statewide stakeholders to communicate the need for greater attainment and eliminate the gap between the skills employers require and the education and training available throughout the state
  • Better align and coordinate systems to support students at all levels, from pre-K education on up through high-quality certificate, associate, and higher-degree programs
  • Catalyze innovative, effective ideas, and identify best practices that can be applied from the mountains to the coast, in our cities, towns, and rural areas
  • Monitor progress and improve our efforts each and every year

Join our efforts.

Stay in touch, and help champion success for our state and all of its people.

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The Latest

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