Wyoming Must Improve College Participation and Credential Attainment Rates to Remain Competitive

• To remain globally competitive, the U.S. and each state should ensure that at least 60% of adults ages 25 to 64 have an associate or bachelor’s degree by 2025. In Wyoming, the current rate is 37.3%.
• Wyoming ranks 19^th among 50 states in the size of the credential increase it needs to achieve annually. To meet the 60% goal, it will need to produce an additional 53,554 degrees by 2025.
• By achieving rates of the top-performing states, Wyoming can produce about 7,000 bachelor’s degrees, 25,000 associate degrees and nearly 9,000 certificates by 2025.

Meeting Top Performers Produces Significant Personal Economic Return

Per capita income increases when the state meets top performers

• Under current postsecondary investment patterns, annual personal per capita income in Wyoming is projected to decrease by about $27 in 2025.
• By meeting top performers, annual per capita income would increase significantly more, by approximately $625 in 2025.

Meeting Top Performance Produces Significant Economic Returns to the State

Status quo produces negative returns

Under current postsecondary investment patterns, Wyoming’s state revenues will decrease by about $2.6 million in 2025.

Meeting top performance pays off

By meeting top performance, Wyoming will generate more annual revenue, topping approximately $66 million in 2025.

State Revenues Exceed Costs When Top Performance Goal is Met

Status Quo: Costs exceed revenues

Under current postsecondary investment patterns, Wyoming’s postsecondary costs exceed state revenues by approximately
$2.8 million by 2025.

Meet top performance: Revenues exceed costs

By meeting top performance, Wyoming’s revenues increase, but are about $6 million below costs in 2025 primarily due to no state income tax.

This analysis was prepared using the CLASP-NCHEMS Return on Investment Dashboard tool.  See clasp2022.tealmedia.dev/ROIdashboard