2026 State of Educational Attainment in NC
North Carolina’s Progress Toward 2 Million by 2030
North Carolina has built a more connected education-to-employment system—and it’s working. Today, 1.72 million adults ages 25–44 hold a postsecondary degree or industry-valued credential. In the past year alone, more than 57,000 additional North Carolinians earned a credential or degree—proof that when education, workforce, and policy move together, progress accelerates.
This isn’t just growth. It’s momentum.
The 2026 State of Educational Attainment Report
Updated Data: 2026 County Attainment Profiles
The 2026 County Attainment Profiles provide the most up-to-date picture of educational attainment across North Carolina—county by county.
These profiles offer a shared, data-driven view of progress and gaps, helping local leaders understand where momentum is building and where additional focus is needed. With clear indicators across education, training, and workforce alignment, the profiles are designed to support local decision-making, inform strategy, and accelerate progress toward the state’s 2030 goal.
Statewide goals become achievable when communities have the data they need to act locally.
Regional Educational Attainment
Progress happens locally—and you don’t have to do this work alone.
myFutureNC’s Regional Impact Managers partner with educators, employers, and community leaders across North Carolina to turn statewide goals into local results. They support regions in using data, strengthening pathways, aligning education with workforce needs, and accelerating attainment.
Whether you’re looking to launch a partnership, use local data more effectively, or scale what’s already working, your Regional Impact Manager can help.
Support the Workforce Act of 2026
North Carolina’s progress didn’t happen by chance—and sustaining it will require continued alignment between education and employment.
The Workforce Act of 2026 builds on strategies already delivering results across the state. It focuses on reducing friction across the education-to-employment system so more people can start a pathway, stay on track, and finish with credentials that lead to good jobs.
Grounded in data and shaped by employer demand, the Workforce Act is designed to scale what works statewide—connecting learners, educators, and employers around shared outcomes.
Learn more about the Workforce Act of 2026 and what it means for North Carolina’s workforce.