Kentucky

Educational attainment in a science, engineering, or technology (SET) field gives people greater opportunities to work in higher-paying technical jobs than are generally available to those in other fields of study. Earning an associate's degree in an SET field also prepares an individual for more advanced technical education. This indicator represents the extent to which a state provides associate's level training in SET fields, controlling for the size of its college-age population. The cohort 18–24 years old was chosen to approximate the age range of most students who are pursuing an associate's degree. The National Center for Education Statistics counts the number of associate's degrees awarded in SET fields; these data include degrees in science and engineering technology fields that are not included with other similar indicators where only S&E fields are included. Associate's degrees are awarded at both 2-year and 4-year institutions in the United States, and there may be regional variations in the degree awards, based on the relationship of these institutions to each other in each state. Estimates of the population aged 18–24 years old are provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Small differences in the indicator value between states or across time generally are not meaningful. Because students may move across state lines after receiving their associate's degrees, this indicator does not necessarily predict the qualifications of a state's future technical workforce.