Adult learners approach education with clarity, purpose, and measurable goals. Advance Education surveyed nearly 1,000 adult learners nationwide to understand how adults evaluate programs, make enrollment decisions, and move forward. The results are published in two companion whitepapers, each focused on a distinct adult learner profile.
A Guide to Understanding the Graduate Learner
The Era of Intentional Enrollment
Adults pursuing master’s, professional, and postgraduate degrees to strengthen expertise, leadership, and long-term career trajectory.
Inside the Whitepaper
- Why professionals return to graduate school
- What outcomes shape their ROI expectations
- How they search, compare, and choose programs
- What content builds enrollment confidence
- How cost and time influence decisions
A Guide to Understanding the Skilled Path Learner
The Era of Intentional Enrollment
Adults pursuing certificates, vocational, and technical programs designed to build practical skills, career stability, and faster pathways to employment.
Inside the Whitepaper
- How quickly skilled path learners plan to enroll
- What outcomes drive their decisions
- How skilled path learners discover programs
- What builds confidence and momentum
- How digital and AI influence their journey
Why This Research Matters
Advance Education uses this research to help institutions align messaging, digital strategy, and enrollment operations with how adults search, evaluate, and choose programs.
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Adult learners represent one of the most active and opportunity-rich segments in higher education.
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Skilled Path Learners bring momentum, career focus, and near-term enrollment readiness.
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Graduate Learners bring long-range planning, professional ambition, and investment-driven decision making.
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Together, these two audiences define how adult enrollment works today.
