The Iowa Department of Education has recently released the Approved Industry-Recognized Credentials List for the 2026-27 school year, featuring an exciting new format and updates.
The revised format moves away from a single, broad list of industry-recognized credentials (IRC) to offer a clearer, three-tiered system. With this new approach, students, families and educators can quickly see which credentials align to Iowa’s high-demand, high-skill and high-wage careers and how credentials can support postsecondary planning and build toward long-term success. A Tier 3 credential meets all three of the high-demand, high-skill and high-wage measures while a Tier 2 meets a combination of two measures and Tier 1 only meets one of three.
“We’re excited to release the new format to schools, students and families,” said Cale Hutchings, chief for the Bureau of Career and Technical Education at the Iowa Department of Education. “By using the three tiers, individuals can easily identify industry-recognized credentials that are optimal for student goals. The right credential applied to a student’s pathway can lead to those desirable high-demand, high-skill, high-wage occupations that allow students to thrive and find success.”
With the availability of the new three-tiered system, users can opt to view the list by tiers or by content area.
Additionally, the Department now also provides the Approved Industry-Recognized Credentials List in a spreadsheet format, which allows users to filter by Career Cluster or credential tier and find the best match for students’ interests and career goals.
The spreadsheet version includes new data elements not previously available. In the spreadsheet, users can now view the occupation a student can enter with a credential, the related occupation’s Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system code and if the credential is eligible for the Credentials to Careers grant.
To assist users with the 2026-27 Industry-Recognized Credentials Approved List, a new technical assistance document is also newly available. The IRC List Technical Assistance Document provides helpful information and best practices, including different scenarios that illustrate how the credentials list can be used.
The Industry-Recognized Credential Approved List helps districts and students identify IRCs aligned with each content area of career and technical education and with Iowa’s high-demand, high-skill and high-wage occupations. The list also shows how IRCs connect to career pathways through secondary and postsecondary education. The Industry-Recognized Credentials Approved List also explains how districts and community colleges can apply for credential approval and how credentials that are no longer valuable can be removed.
Helping to meet the Department’s priority of empowering students to postsecondary success through multiple pathways, an industry-recognized credential is a certification that employers know, trust and look for during hiring. Attainment of an IRC demonstrates that the individual has learned specific, job-ready skills and can successfully do the work required in a particular career. Trusted organizations, such as professional associations, trade groups or certification bodies, award the credentials, setting clear standards for training and testing.
For more information on industry-recognized credentials or the 2026-27 Industry-Recognized Credentials Approved List, visit the Department’s webpage.
Specific questions can be directed to Jodie Smith, work-based learning and industry-recognized credentials education consultant, at jodie.smith@iowa.gov.