Data shows Tennesseans enrolling, completing, advancing through Tennessee Reconnect

KNOXVILLE — A new report from the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, shows strong and sustained progress for adult learners supported through Tennessee Reconnect, the state's free tuition program for adults returning to college powered by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The findings show more Tennesseans are enrolling, completing credentials and seeing higher wages as a result of targeted state efforts to help adults return to higher education. "This new data confirms what Tennessee has long believed: when adult learners are supported with personalized guidance and clear pathways, they don't just enroll, they succeed," Dr. Steven Gentile, THEC Executive Director, said in a news release. "Tennessee Reconnect continues to prove what's possible when state investment, dedicated navigators, and hands-on coaching come together to open doors for thousands of adult learners." Key Findings from the 2025 Navigate Reconnect Report: • More Tennesseans are enrolling and completing credentials. Enrollment among reconnectors, adult learners who return to college through the program, rose to 45.1%, while credential completion jumped to 15.2%, marking a 38% increase in completions over the previous year. • Reconnectors outperform their peers. Reconnectors continue to outpace other nontraditional students in persistence and credential attainment and the gap is growing. After three years, 33.5% of reconnectors earned a credential compared to 26.3% of other adult learners, a seven-point advantage. • Reconnectors are working and advancing. The data show reconnectors are more likely to be working when they enroll and they're seeing real economic gains. Seventy-eight percent were employed at the time of enrollment, and their average income rose at a higher rate than other adult learners – 21% within three years. This accelerated earnings growth suggests that the new skills and credentials they earn are placing them on a steeper, more promising long-term career trajectory than their peers. • Opportunity is expanding. Tennessee Reconnect is reaching and supporting Tennesseans who may have previously felt out of place in traditional higher education systems. The study shows that reconnector success is not confined to a specific demographic. They outperform other adult learners regardless of sex, race, prior enrollment history, prior unemployment, first-generation status or economic background. • The program is a scalable, statewide model. Navigate Reconnect serves as Tennessee's primary model for adult college coaching. More than 11,000 Tennesseans have been supported through personalized advising and wraparound services, leading to measurable increases in enrollment, completion and earnings. "Our navigators are the heart of this work," said Jessica Gibson, THEC Senior Director of Adult Initiatives. "They walk alongside adult learners from the first conversation to the final credential, helping them navigate every barrier in between. This report reinforces just how powerful that one-on-one support can be." The educational achievements of Navigate Reconnect participants translate into significant economic benefits for Tennessee. By boosting persistence and completion rates, the program contributes to a more skilled, credentialed and resilient workforce that is better equipped to meet the demands of the state's economy. About the report The 2025 Navigate Reconnect Report was developed by the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at UT, Knoxville, in partnership with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The full report is available at https://haslam.utk.edu/boyd-center/education/tennessees-navigate-reconnect/.