This indicator represents the extent to which a state provides associate’s degree–level training in technology 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.

Educational attainment in a technology field provides the advanced skills and technical expertise needed for a competitive workforce. A skilled workforce is important for a region’s innovative capacity, productivity, and technological growth.

The National Center for Education Statistics counts the number of associate’s degrees awarded in technology fields. Instructional programs in these fields prepare individuals to apply basic science and engineering principles and technical skills in support of scientific research and development and engineering and related projects. Technology fields in this indicator include the following major fields from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics Taxonomy of Disciplines: technology and technical fields as well as science-related technologies. Technology fields do not include medical fields or technologies. Associate’s degrees are awarded at both 2-year and 4-year institutions in the United States, and the data include degrees from both public and private institutions. These values are reported by the state in which the school is located and include degrees awarded to both in-person and online students. Degree data reflect the location of the degree-granting institution, not the state where degree-earning students reside.

Estimates of the population ages 18–24 are provided by the Census Bureau based on the decennial census and are reported by the state of residence. Each year, the Census Bureau utilizes current data on births, deaths, and migration to calculate population change since the most recent decennial census and produces time series estimates of population. Because these are estimates, small differences in the indicator value between states or across time generally are not meaningful. Estimates for states with smaller populations are generally less precise than estimates for states with larger populations.

Data sources: Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, and Decennial Census and Population Estimates Program.