While an overwhelming majority of U.S. workers surveyed agree that upskilling is a matter of necessity for job security, 63% say it is difficult to do so given their current workload, according to a new report from the Princeton-based Educational Testing Service.
The report, 2026 Human Progress Report 50 States Edition, is based on a Harris Poll survey of more than 15,000 U.S. adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It found that 78% of U.S. workers agree job security no longer exists without continuous adaptation, and 85% say upskilling or reskilling is no longer a choice but a necessity.
Yet only 71% report proactively developing new skills — trailing the global average of 77% but far behind high-growth markets such as India (89%) and China (80%). While 63% of U.S. respondents said it was difficult to reskill given their current workloads, only 56% of global respondents felt the same way.
This gap suggests something particular about the conditions of work in the U.S. such as longer working hours, less structured learning time within roles or a culture in which professional development is expected to happen outside of working hours, the report said.
"America's workers are ready to adapt, but too many are being asked to do it without the time, resources or roadmap they need," said Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS.
Financial barriers was one of the most cited barriers to upskilling in the U.S. and a greater issue nationally than it is globally. Sixty-eight percent of U.S. respondents say paying the costs associated with pursuing upskilling and reskilling (e.g., courses, materials) is difficult, compared to 59% of global respondents.
Rural U.S. respondents (77%), those with household income under $75K a year (75%), and non-college graduates (75%) were the more likely to say upskilling costs are difficult to cover.
Beyond time, cost and accessibility, many people in the U.S. are experiencing a specific deficit of direction, the report said. Forty-eight percent of U.S. respondents say they find it difficult to identify the right skills or areas for upskilling and reskilling and 57% say it is difficult to get employer support for upskilling and reskilling.
Credential credibility adds to the problem. The survey found 72% of U.S. respondents agree it is difficult to determine which credentials are recognized and valued by employers. When workers cannot trust that their investment of time and money in a credential will be recognized, the incentive to pursue it is weakened.
Sevak said overcoming the adaptability paralysis should not be the worker’s burden alone.
"Governors and CEOs have a shared responsibility to make workforce readiness a priority in every state and every organization, by investing in trusted credentials, measuring practical skills and building clear pathways that help people stay relevant, advance and compete in the economy ahead,” Sevak said.
Other key U.S. findings in the report:
Workers feel underprepared. 54% of U.S. workers say they feel underprepared for the next generation of jobs (vs. 49% globally), and 75% say they have no clear picture of what jobs will look like in 2035.
AI disruption is already underway and uneven. U.S. workers estimate 26% of their work currently involves AI and expect that to rise to 43% within two years. Current AI usage at work ranges from 47% in Alaska to 18% in Maine and Wisconsin.
The emotional toll is real. 58% of U.S. workers report a fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO), rising to 74% among technology workers and 73% in financial services. 54% say their priorities have shifted from seeking job security to staying relevant.
Barriers are increasing. 68% of U.S. respondents say upskilling costs are difficult to cover, 63% struggle to find time to learn while maintaining their workload, and 57% find it difficult to get employer support. While 67% are interested in credentialing programs, only 41% have access to them — a 26-point gap.
Americans seek support from trusted channels. 71% want government help in mastering workforce-readiness skills, and 89% agree employers should encourage workers to set credential goals throughout their careers. Trust in credentialing organizations and employers (43% each) outpaces trust in state/local (30%) and federal (28%) government as assessment providers.
The report finds the conditions for adaptability vary sharply by state. Maine, Hawaii and Pennsylvania stand out with workers reporting the greatest difficulties across multiple upskilling barriers, while workers in Alaska, the District of Columbia and Delaware report the fewest obstacles. Delaware leads the nation with 89% of workers saying they are proactively developing new skills, followed by Alaska (87%) and the District of Columbia (83%).
This 50 States Edition draws on the same dataset as the global 2026 ETS Human Progress Report, which surveyed a total of 32,558 adults across 18 countries. Country-level and global comparisons cited were drawn from that global dataset.
To read the complete report, go here.
