Educational attainment in the United States
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]
| This article is part of a series on |
| Education in the United States |
|---|
| Summary |
|
| History |
|
| Curriculum topics |
|
| Education policy issues |
|
| Levels of education |
|
|
Education portal United States portal |
- ^ Ryan, Camille; Siebens, Julie (March 2016). "Educational Attainment in the United States: 2015" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ "Educational attainment". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- ^ a b "US Census Bureau report on educational attainment in the United States, 2003" (PDF). Retrieved July 31, 2006.
- ^ 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. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.