Master's Education and the STEM Workforce: Two New Briefs and a Data Dashboard

CGS is pleased to announce the release of two new briefs on master’s education highlighting STEM student pathways and on the impact of microcredentials on master’s degrees.

Insights into Post-baccalaureate Certificates and Pathways of Master’s Degree Recipients to and through the STEM Workforce examine how master’s programs are equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to meet the demands of an evolving workforce. These briefs explain findings from the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Master’s Exit Survey, a collaboration with 12 universities across the country who collected data from students who graduated in 2022 and 2023, many of whom completed their degrees during the uncertain environment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These briefs examine patterns of enrollment, career mobility, and pathways of students in and out of their master’s degrees and provides insight into the behaviors of students during the waning end of the pandemic. They also examine how postsecondary institutions have begun to explore new models of master’s education built on “micro-master’s” degrees or other stackable credentials.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the fastest-growing STEM occupations increasingly require a master’s degree. These briefs and the new data dashboard can provide insights into the evolving role of master’s education in strengthening the STEM workforce.