Statement from Brigitte Blom on the Lumina Foundation’s 2040 Postsecondary Attainment Goal
MEDIA STATEMENT
May 27, 2025
Contact: Lisa McKinney, Communications Director, The Prichard Committee
(cell) 859-475-7202
lisa@prichardcommittee.org
Statement from Brigitte Blom on the Lumina Foundation’s 2040 Postsecondary Attainment Goal
LEXINGTON, Ky — The Prichard Committee applauds the Lumina Foundation’s bold and ambitious goal to have 75% of U.S. adults in the labor force earn a college degree or other credential of value by 2040. This fresh vision, first released by Lumina in March, aligns powerfully with our own Big Bold Future agenda, which calls for significant increases in postsecondary attainment and quality of life in Kentucky as a pathway to stronger economic mobility for Kentuckians and prosperity for our communities.
In Kentucky, just 40.7% of working-age adults currently hold a degree, certificate, or certification with earnings that exceed the median high school graduate’s salary by at least 15%. That’s not just a data point—it’s a call to action. While we are proud of the progress being made, our state ranks 35th in the nation on this measure, among 50 states plus DC and Puerto Rico. We must make stronger, faster progress to ensure Kentuckians not only gain credentials but that those credentials translate into meaningful earnings and upward mobility.
The shift in Lumina’s metric to include both attainment and wage outcomes in measuring progress is critically important. It recognizes what Kentucky families know: education must lead to opportunity. That is why the Prichard Committee is doubling down on efforts to ensure every learner has access to high-quality, affordable postsecondary pathways that are connected to high-demand careers. Getting there will require deeper community efforts and it will require further shared investment to create wide access to strong programs.