Why 38% of U.S. Workers are rethinking their careers in 2026 and what Crestmont University offers

For working professionals ready for the next level, Crestmont’s DBA is built around the life they already lead, not the one they would have to give up.

SIOUX FALLS, SD, UNITED STATES, November 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- When California Intercontinental University became Crestmont University on August 17, 2026, the name changed. The mission did not. Crestmont stands for the working professional who refuses to choose between advancing a career, building a business and being present for family and, for a doctorate designed so they never have to.

That commitment matters now more than ever. Across the U.S., professionals are signaling that they want to move up, yet many feel the path forward is unclear, and they will not trade their personal lives to get there. Crestmont’s DBA exists for exactly that professional.

The Numbers Behind the Ambition:
- 38% of U.S. workers planned a job search in the first half of 2026 (Robert Half, Dec. 2025)
- 34% of them cited limited advancement at their current company (Robert Half, Dec. 2025)
- 5.67M U.S. business applications in 2025 — an all-time record (U.S. Census Bureau, BFS)
- ~28% of U.S. graduate students are raising at least one child (PNPI / NCES NPSAS, 2019–20)

EMPLOYEES: READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL, NOT FOR BURNOUT

Professionals are not short on ambition, they are short on a clear path. Staffing firm Robert Half reports that 38% of employed U.S. workers planned to look for a new job in the first half of 2026, and roughly a third of them pointed to limited room for advancement at their current employer as a key reason. A separate national survey of 1,000 U.S. workers found that 76% say their employer does not offer enough guidance or advancement opportunities.

At the same time, professionals are drawing a firm line around their personal lives. A May 2026 CareerMinds survey of more than 3,000 U.S. employees found that work-life balance was the leading reason workers turned down, or considered turning down, a promotion. The message is clear: today’s professionals want to rise, but on terms that protect their families and well-being.

ENTREPRENEURS: A RECORD YEAR FOR BUILDING SOMETHING NEW

The entrepreneurial drive is just as strong. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics, Americans filed 5,671,836 business applications in 2025, the highest annual total on record and well above pre-pandemic levels. For founders and business owners, the next level is not a promotion, it is the ability to lead with evidence, scale with confidence, and make high-stakes decisions grounded in research.

A DBA is built for that kind of leadership. Rather than preparing graduates primarily for academic careers, the Doctor of Business Administration trains experienced professionals to apply rigorous research to real organizational problems, often the very challenges they face in their own companies.

CAREER, DOCTORATE, AND FAMILY… AT THE SAME TIME

The modern doctoral student rarely fits the traditional image. Data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, summarized by the Postsecondary National Policy Institute, show that nearly 28% of graduate students had at least one dependent child in 2019–20. Earlier research from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that 76% of graduate students worked at least 30 hours a week while enrolled.

Crestmont designed its DBA around that reality. Coursework is delivered in an asynchronous format, so students can study after a child’s bedtime, between client meetings, or on a business trip, while faculty with real-world leadership experience guide them toward research that strengthens their organizations.

In Their Own Words: A Crestmont DBA Student:
“So to be quite frankly, I felt like continuing an education while in active
duty service would be very challenging. But when I was introduced to Crestmont, I really loved the flexibility that the school provided. I was able to continue on with my military service all while being stationed in various duty stations and while continuing on my education. So Crestmont provided that flexibility and I also enjoyed just how open and interactive we were with the staff to ensure that they really tailored their education to our specific needs. So ultimately I believe this was the right school for me.”
- Lt. Nnamdi Emenogu. Doctor of Business Administration with Healthcare Management and Leadership specialization. Class of 2026.

What Crestmont Stands For
• Ambition without sacrifice. Programs built for people who are already working, leading, and raising families.
• Rigor that applies on Monday morning. Doctoral research aimed at the real problems inside students’ organizations and businesses.
• A global professional community. Classmates, faculty, and alumni who are executives, founders, and leaders across industries and countries.

To learn more about the Crestmont University Doctor of Business Administration, visit https://crestmontuniversity.edu/

Manuel Valencia Nava
Crestmont University
+1 949-359-0045
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