WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Over one-quarter of American adults hold a professional license or educational certificate other than a college degree, the U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday.
Among the adults included in the Census Bureau report, released Thursday, 12 million had both a professional certification or license and an educational certificate, 34 million had a professional certification or license and 7 million had an educational certificate.
The professional certifications included business and finance management, nursing, education, cosmetology and culinary arts.
"Getting an academic degree is not the only way for people to develop skills that pay off in the labor market," said Census Bureau demographer Stephanie Ewert.
In general, these alternative credentials provide a path to higher earnings, the report said.
"At lower levels of regular education there is routinely an earnings premium for a professional certification or license, or an educational certificate," said report co-author Robert Kominski.
