In June, the Burning Glass Institute launched the Credential Value Index—a groundbreaking tool that brings much-needed clarity to the Wild West of non-degree credentials (NDCs). With over 1.1 million postsecondary credentials on the market, it’s a sea of options that often leaves learners and workers unsure which investments will actually pay off.
What the Index reveals is sobering: only about 1 in 8 credential earners see meaningful wage gains that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. That stark data point highlights a critical reality: not all credentials are created equal, and the promise of a fast, affordable career boost can often fall flat without transparency and guidance.
But this is just the beginning. The Credential Value Index is more than a tool—it’s a signal of the future of education and work, one where data-driven decision-making empowers learners to choose wisely.
At Indigo, we celebrate this development—and we see an opportunity to go even further.
Why Credentials Alone Aren’t Enough
Credentials may open doors, but they don’t tell the whole story of who you are. A certificate might show what you can do—but not why, how, or in which environments you’ll thrive. In a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence, human strengths like creativity, empathy, adaptability, and self-awareness are becoming more valuable than ever.
That’s where Indigo comes in.
Our mission is to empower learners to “know themselves” first, using our comprehensive assessments rooted in the four Indigo Sciences: DISC Behaviors, Motivators, 21st-Century Skills, and Social-Emotional Perceptions. Through tools like the Indigo Assessment, our work supports thousands of students and adults across the state, helping them connect the dots between their unique strengths and viable career paths.
Bridging the Gap: Indigo and the Credential Value Index
Imagine combining the power of the Credential Value Index—data on real-world credential outcomes—with Indigo’s personalized career insights. Now learners aren’t just asking “Which program leads to higher wages?” but also “Does this path align with who I am?”
This combination is what we call Career Clarity 2.0. And it’s what’s urgently needed in an AI-shaped future where traditional credentials may be automated, but human purpose cannot be replaced.
Tools for the Future
Skills Activity Resource
We’re expanding support for building durable, transferable skills like communication and decision-making—essentials that transcend specific jobs or degrees and set students up for lifelong success.
Discover more about these activities and begin your skills development journey. Unlock your potential, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward a successful future.
Online Course for Career Readiness
Designed to meet most ICAP/ECAP and College & Career Readiness standards, Indigo’s online courses offer an engaging, student-centered approach that goes beyond standard requirements, fostering deep self-awareness and critical thinking. We also provide Personalized Integration Support, collaborating with your team to seamlessly embed our solutions into your existing curriculum, including LMS integrations, for a smooth experience for everyone.
And as we continue aligning with evolving frameworks like the modernized Career Clusters® from Advance CTE, we’re helping education and industry speak a shared language of skills, pathways, and purpose.
As AI accelerates, the question isn’t just “What can I do?”—it’s “Who am I becoming?” The Credential Value Index gives us the data. Indigo gives us the direction.
Together, they offer a roadmap not just for economic mobility—but for human flourishing in a world that desperately needs it.