About Us
Merit America is a national nonprofit organization that creates fast, flexible pathways to family-sustaining careers for Americans stuck in low-wage jobs.
The American economy is broken.
Today 53 million working adults – nearly half of the U.S. workforce–do not earn a living wage. And these workers have few options to advance: college is too long and expensive, full-time bootcamp programs don’t offer the flexibility they need, and online courses don’t have the structure or support to translate learning into a new job.
This catch-22 perpetuates a cycle of poverty – talented workers stuck in low-wage roles, with no way to advance their ambition for themselves and their families.
Our Approach & Model
Merit America provides a path from low-wage work to skilled careers, with programs that are fast, flexible, and focused on what employers need most; and that can be completed while participants manage work and family.
By combining technical training from industry-recognized partners with best-in-class coaching and peer support, Merit America builds a pathway for hundreds of thousands of workers in low-wage roles to move into the middle class. We drive change by:
- Partnering with institutions who serve low-income workers to efficiently recruit learners
- Combining tech and touch to create the best learning experiences at the lowest costs per student
- Working with employers like JPMC, Amazon, and IBM to introduce them to talent for entry-level positions
- Collaborating with partners, such as Social Finance and Google, to provide $0 upfront training
Meet Amy
Amy was working as a Truck Operator when she came across a newsletter in a bathroom stall promoting Merit America. As a single mom, she knew her physically demanding job was taking a toll on her health and limiting her time with her family. Amy realized she needed a change for the betterment of her health and her family’s future. Merit America provided her the opportunity to pursue IT Support, leading to a $60,000 wage increase and a career change—all without the need for a four-year degree. Now, Amy enjoys a healthier work-life balance and a more secure future for her family.
We have generated countless success stories like Amy’s – whose career transitions changed their lives.
Merit America is on a mission to generate $1 billion of wage gains by 2025, connecting talented learners to in-demand career paths at scale. To date, we have served more than 11,000 individuals across multiple career tracks. An analysis by UVA found that, on average, our alums witness a $24,000/year wage increase three or more months after completing our program.
Most importantly, learners move from feeling stuck in a low-wage job to having a career they love, with growth potential for the future.
Meet John
After years in customer service, John dreamed of a better future for his family—more time with his son, higher pay, and a balanced work life. But without a college degree, he felt stuck, living paycheck-to-paycheck. Everything changed when he discovered Merit America. The flexible program allowed John to pursue a Data Analytics certificate while working full-time and homeschooling his son. With determination and the right support, John transitioned into a Quality Assurance Analyst role. Now, he enjoys the financial stability and work-life balance he once thought was out of reach.
We envision a world in which anyone can advance their life based on merit, not money.
Founded in 2018 by Rebecca Taber Staehelin and Connor Diemand-Yauman, leaders in education policy and online learning platforms, Merit America has been recognized by Fast Company as one of its Most Innovative Companies and covered by the New York Times, CNBC and the Wall Street Journal. Funders of Merit America include Blue Meridian Partners, Google.org, Walmart Foundation, Schmidt Futures, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, and Strada Education Network.
Frequently Asked Questions
2023 By The Numbers
The results of our second longitudinal wage analysis with UVA show that we’ve maintained or increased our impact across all metrics, even as we’ve scaled 3x.
Innovative Learner Financing
With the backing of the $100 million Google Career Certificates Fund, we’ve broadened our commitment to providing learner-friendly financing options.
Program Tracks: What’s next?
With the launch of three new tracks in 2023, our vision is to grow from primarily tech tracks to include a wide range of content and certificates