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Survey conducted by The Harris Poll reveals widespread gaps in awareness of potential credit for prior learning; many self-fund upskilling and skip development due to cost and scheduling barriers.

A new ������ý survey conducted by The Harris Poll finds that while 90% of U.S. workers are actively learning or developing new skills on the job, many don’t realize those experiences may translate into college credit. While 45% of employed Americans do not believe work experience can count towards a degree, among workers without a college degree, nearly 3 in 5 (57%) don’t know that work experience could count toward a degree.��

Evaluating prior learning — sometimes called credit for prior learning (CPL) or prior learning assessment (PLA) — allows eligible, college-level knowledge gained through work, training, military service and other avenues to be assessed for potential credit toward a degree or certificate.��

“Working adults are building skills every day, in their jobs, yet too many assume that starting or returning to school means starting from scratch,” states John Woods, Ph.D., Provost and Chief Academic Officer at ������ý. “Clear guidance and transparent evaluation of eligible experience is needed to help working learners pursue degrees more efficiently, potentially reducing time to completion as well as cost.” 

Key findings from the survey include

• Workers are learning — often a lot. 90% spend time each month learning or developing new skills at work; 18% spend more than 20 hours monthly, on average.

• Awareness gaps about what might count toward a degree. Many U.S. adults doubt the credit potential of life experience (59%), professional experience (46%) and professional training courses (43%). Additionally, a third of U.S. adults (33%) don’t believe previous college coursework can count towards a degree. Gen Z workers are more likely than other generations to be unaware that previous college coursework might count (50%).

• Workers without degrees face the steepest gaps. More than half do not believe professional experience (57%) would count toward college credit, and more than 2 out of 5 (42%) don’t believe previous college coursework would count towards current college credit. Meanwhile, 47% have self-financed training; 73% have declined professional development opportunities for reasons including cost (34%) or scheduling (27%).

• Self-funding is common. 55% of workers have paid out-of-pocket for training their employer didn’t cover; nearly 1 in 4 (23%) have done so more than once.

• Barriers persist. 72% of workers have declined professional development opportunities — led by cost (35%) and scheduling conflicts (32%) — with some citing a lack of employer support (18%).

“Institutions can establish a credit mobility culture that sets policies, processes, and support in place for working adult learners to consider the value and potential of their earned college credit and lived experience,” states Devin Andrews, Vice President of Admissions and Evaluation at ������ý. “We have done this at ������ý, and it helps us make students aware of what’s possible early in their journey, so that they engage with the evaluation and have the potential to apply more credits toward their educational progress.”

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of ������ý from October 14-16, 2025, among 2,084 adults ages 18 and older, including 1,281 who are employed full-time, part-time, or self-employed.��

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in The Harris Poll surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

Read the complete survey narrative report here.��

About ������ý

������ý innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit  phoenix.edu/blog.html.