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Education Outcomes
150% Normal Time to Completion
For an associate's degree at a two-year institution, 150% Normal Time to Completion would be 2 X 1.5 = 3 years. For a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution, 150% Normal Time to Completion would be 4 X 1.5 = 6 years. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/survey-components 150% Normal Time to Completion as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Career cluster
A method of grouping college fields of study based on shared skills and interests.
College exiter
A student who attended college but is no longer enrolled. Exiters may or may not have earned a degree or certificate depending on the selection of student type in the insights’ dashboard.
College Going Rate
The percentage of Nebraskan public high school graduates who attended a two or four-year postsecondary institution within 16 months of their high school graduation date.
College graduation
Earning a degree or certificate from a postsecondary program. This is also called program completion.
Degree-seeking student
A student who attends college with the intent of earning a certificate or degree.
Educational Service Unit (ESU)
An agency that is intermediate to a district and the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) that provides core services to school districts in Nebraska.
Employment Gap Percentage
The difference between the number of open jobs for the selected occupation and the number of Nebraska college graduates qualified to fill those jobs (Unmet Demand) divided by the number of open jobs (Total Demand).
Expected high school graduation year
Four years after a student first enrolls in ninth grade. This is used to determine if a student graduated high school on time.
First-time student
A student who enrolls in college for the first time after graduating high school.
Four-year postsecondary institution
A college or university that primarily offers four-year degrees and/or graduate degrees.
Full-time student
A student who is enrolled in a full-time college courseload.
High school graduation
A student who earns a regular high school diploma. This does not include students who earned an alternative diploma or a Certificate of High School Equivalency by passing the General Educational Development (GED) test
High School Graduation Rate
The percentage of Nebraska public high school students who receive a diploma within four years of entering high school.
Industry Placement Rate
The proportion of former Nebraska public college students who obtained employment (“placed”) in the selected industry sector compared to all other sectors.
Institution
The last public postsecondary institution that a student attended in Nebraska.
Met Demand
The number of annual job openings that can be filled by qualified graduates. This is equivalent to Total Supply.
NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) Code
A standardized coding system used to sort employers into different industries. These codes are used to determine employers’ industry sector membership. The industry sector of the employers at which a worker earns the most wages are used to determine their industry placement.
NDE cohort
Defined by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), this group of students is used to calculate high school graduation rates. This cohort is based on the expected high school graduation year of a student. It drops any students who transfer out of the Nebraska public school system or died prior to their expected year of high school graduation.
Nebraska Department of Education (NDE)
Nebraska’s state education agency responsible for administering funding to primary and secondary public schools.
Non-stable employment
Employment is considered non-stable if the worker was employed by the same employer for less than three quarters, for more than three quarters but not consecutively, or did not earn more than the state minimum wage.
Postsecondary Exit
Leaving college with or without earning a degree and/or a certificate.
Postsecondary Graduation Rate
The percentage of first-time, full-time, degree- and certificate-seeking undergraduate students at Nebraska public postsecondary institutions who completed their program and earned awards within a period equal to one and a half times the normal period (150% Normal Time to Completion).
Postsecondary institution
A college or university.
Postsecondary Persistence Rate
The percentage of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students at Nebraska public postsecondary institutions who start in the fall and return to college in the following fall, also referred to a fall-to-fall persistence rate.
Six-month Employment Rate
The percentage of former Nebraska public college students who secured stable employment in Nebraska within six months following their postsecondary exit.
Stability
An industry placement is considered stable if a worker was employed in the same industry for at least three quarters (nine months) in a row and earned more than the state minimum wage.
Stable employment
Employment is considered stable if the worker was employed by the same employer for at least three consecutive quarters (nine months) and earned more than the state minimum wage.
Student origin
The location where a student graduated high school. This is categorized as in-state for graduates in Nebraska, out-of-state for those who graduated in a different state, or unknown for students with missing high school graduation data.
Talent Retention Rate
The percentage of former college students who have exited a Nebraska public postsecondary institution and are retained as employees in the state of Nebraska.
Total Demand
The number of annual job openings for the specific occupation.
Total Supply
The number of qualified graduates from Nebraska postsecondary institutions working in Nebraska.
Two-year postsecondary institution
A college that primarily offers certificates and two-year degrees.
Underemployment
Working part-time or in a job that does not align with one’s training or financial needs.
Unemployment
Not currently working but actively looking for a job.
Unmet Demand
The difference between Total Demand and Total Supply, representing the number of annual job openings that cannot be filled by qualified graduates.

Data Dictionary