Education group says degrees up 11% this year

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - More Kentuckians than ever are getting college degrees and professional certificates.

The Council on Postsecondary Education said Monday in a preliminary report that the state's public and independent colleges and universities conferred an all-time high of almost 62,700 degrees and credentials for the 2010-2011 academic year.

That number was 11 percent higher than the previous academic year.

The council, which regulates tuition, admission criteria and other aspects of higher education in Kentucky, says the highest gains were in certificates and diplomas, as well as associate's and professional-practice doctorate degrees.

The council said in a news release that during the past 10 years, the number of associate's degrees awarded in Kentucky has more than doubled, while there have been gains of 40 percent for bachelor's degrees and 64 percent for master's degrees.