Introduction. Socio-economic progress at the current stage of civilizational development is ensured on the basis of the educational potential of society, primarily by applying the knowledge of workers in the national economy. The high level of development of educational potential is the result of the effective activity of the education system, and, first of all, the professional, higher education system. Therefore, it seems extremely important to focus efforts on the constant growth and improvement of the educational potential, as well as on the justification of ways to improve it. Familiarity with the relevant world experience and, above all, with the experience of the USA, as the most developed country in the world in this context, should contribute to this.Purpose. The purpose of the study is to analyze the environment that contributes to the growth of educational potential from the standpoint of the needs of the economy and society and to determine priority tools and methods for improving the quality of educational services, taking into account the experience of the United States.Methods. In the process of research, a number of general scientific and special methods of cognition were used, namely: system analysis, systematization, generalization, logical, monographic, comparative, tabular.Results. The importance of formation, development and use of educational potential in the context of modernization of socio-economic and educational spheres is revealed. The opinion that educational potential is a basic component for the socio-economic development of society, especially for Ukraine, which is currently at the stage of socio- economic reformation, is substantiated. The trends in the formation of educational potential, which significantly affects the formation of a person and personality as the main factor that ensures the successful development of the country, have been studied. It is emphasized that in the conditions of globalization and competition, the educational potential acquires a global character. In this context, the theoretical and practical aspects of the development of the educational sphere in the United States of America and Ukraine are disclosed. Based on the analysis, a vision of directions for its further development is proposed. Ways to improve the quality of higher education in Ukraine are proposed, including by using the experience of the United States, implementing innovative policy in the field of education into practice.Perspectives. Further research should be devoted to the problems of implementation within the Ukrainian education system of the processes of activation of international activity and cooperation with foreign partners, which are factors in the growth of dynamism of innovations in the educational process, which will contribute to the further socio-economic development of Ukraine as a whole.