For the third consecutive year, undergraduate certificate programs have reached a 10-year high in completion rates while traditional degree programs continue to decline, according to new data released Thursday by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The annual Undergraduate Degree Earners report reveals shifting student preferences toward shorter, more affordable credential options in higher education. While more than 3.2 million learners earned undergraduate credentials in the 2023-24 academic year—a modest 0.6% increase from the previous year—the distribution across credential types shows significant changes in student behavior. Certificate program completions jumped 12.6% for first-time earners and 8.0% for students adding certificates to previous credentials. Meanwhile, bachelor's degree and associate degree attainment continued declining for the third straight year, with associate degrees hitting their lowest level in a decade.