Educational attainment in the United States

This graph shows the educational attainment since 1940.[1]
Proportion of Americans with an Advanced degree (e.g. Master's, Doctorate) in each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as of the 2021 American Community Survey
Proportion of Americans with a bachelor's degree or higher in each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as of the 2021 American Community Survey
Proportion of Americans with a high school diploma or higher in each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as of the 2021 American Community Survey
2008 - 2012 Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) by County (percent)

The educational attainment of the U.S. population refers to the highest level of education completed.[2] The educational attainment of the U.S. population is similar to that of many other industrialized countries with the vast majority of the population having completed secondary education and a rising number of college graduates that outnumber high school dropouts. As a whole, the population of the United States is spending more years in formal educational programs. As with income, levels differ by race, age, household configuration, and geography.[3]

Information on educational attainment of the U.S. population has been collected in every decennial census since 1940.[4] At a national level, reports show rates of educational attainment by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Differing at the regional and state levels, educational attainment data are shown by sex, race, and Hispanic origin (not age).[4]

Overall, the demographics with the highest educational attainment in the United States are also those with the highest household income and wealth.[3]

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  1. ^ Ryan, Camille; Siebens, Julie (March 2016). "Educational Attainment in the United States: 2015" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  2. ^ "Educational attainment". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "US Census Bureau report on educational attainment in the United States, 2003" (PDF). Retrieved July 31, 2006.
  4. ^ a b "A Half-Century Of Learning: Historical Census Statistics On Educational Attainment in the United States, 1940 to 2000". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. April 2006.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.