Introducing Coursera’s 2025 Learner Outcomes Report: global findings show measurable career impact for online learners 

By Greg Hart, CEO, Coursera

I’m pleased to introduce the 2025 edition of Coursera’s Learner Outcomes Report, created in collaboration with The Harris Poll. As a global learning platform, Coursera aims to help the world’s learners master the right skills to grow their careers. As technological disruption, economic uncertainty, and demographic shifts reshape the global labor market, fulfilling this responsibility has never been more urgent—or more within our reach. 

The Learner Outcomes Report offers us a valuable opportunity to assess our progress towards delivering on this mission. We’ve gathered insights from more than 52,000 learners across 179 countries to understand how Coursera is empowering learners to achieve their professional and personal goals. This year’s report found that:

• Gaining skills for career advancement is the number one motivation for learning on Coursera—86% of learners come to the platform to build new skills and transform their careers:
  • Their motivations included: securing their first professional job, switching careers, advancing in their current roles, or starting their own business
  • Almost all learners (99%) enrolled in their program on Coursera with multiple career goals in mind
  • Nearly three-quarters of learners (73%) identified gaining key skills for career advancement as their primary motivation for learning on Coursera
• Coursera continues to drive meaningful—and measurable—career outcomes for those learners, including salary increases, skill development, higher job levels, and personal benefits:
  • 91% of learners achieved a positive career outcome after completing a course on Coursera
  • Almost half of learners (46%) reported salary increases after enrolling in a Coursera course or program
  • For learners who completed an industry micro-credential, the impact was even stronger: 51% of learners who completed an Entry-Level Professional Certificate received a salary increase
  • 84% of learners improved or developed crucial technical skills for their respective industries
  • 89% of learners improved their soft skill capabilities, particularly critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential to remain resilient in the AI economy

• These career outcomes were experienced by learners worldwide and were often more pronounced both in emerging economies and among female learners. We found that:
  • Learners in emerging economies were more likely to report positive career outcomes than those in advanced economies (94% vs. 84%)
  • Learners in emerging economies were 74% more likely than those in advanced economies to report progressing to a higher job level after their course (33% vs. 19%) 
  • Examples include:
    • India: 95% of learners achieved a positive career outcome after learning on Coursera, while 55% reported a salary increase. Both figures were above global averages (91% and 46% respectively). 
    • Egypt: 95% of learners reported a positive career outcome, with 56% reporting a salary increase.
    • Colombia: 50% of learners reported a salary increase, while 39% reported attaining a higher job level—above the global average of 27%
  • Among women, nearly half (48%) reported a salary increase after completing a course — slightly higher than men (45%)

• Learners who complete GenAI content on Coursera experienced tangible career benefits: 
  • 94% of full-time professionals who completed a GenAI course reported a positive impact on their work
  • 91% of learners who completed a GenAI course achieved a positive career outcome
  • More than 4 in 10 learners (42%) who completed a GenAI course reported a salary increase after completing their course or program

We also find that Coursera Coach, our AI-powered personalized learning guide, is delivering promising outcomes: 94% of learners who used Coach said that it improved their learning experience, with benefits including:

• Easier comprehension of complex concepts
• More interactive, engaging learning
• Better retention of course material 

This report offers encouraging evidence that by combining platform innovations with trusted content from our partners, we can equip millions of learners worldwide with the critical skills required for career growth and professional success, including those most in need of access to these resources. We will continue to work tirelessly with our university and industry educators, as well as businesses, campuses, and governments, to foster a more skilled, innovative, job-ready workforce.

You can download the full 2025 Learner Outcomes Report here.