Educational Attainment: 2000

Education has been included in the United States census questionnaire since 1840.

In 2000, most people 25 years and over in the United States had earned a high school diploma or higher degree.

In 1940, only 24 percent of the population 25 and over had completed high school.

Age differences in educational attainment were large.

The 25- to 29-year-old population was more likely to have completed some college or more, and was more likely to have earned a bachelor’s degree than people 10 to 15 years their senior.

Men and women had nearly equal rates of high school completion in 2000.

The “Asian alone” race group
led in attaining bachelor’s and advanced degrees.

No one region can lay claim to having the best-educated population.

Alaska, Minnesota, Wyoming, Utah, New Hampshire, Montana, Washington, and Colorado were among the highest in percentage of people 25 and over with high school or more education.

Percent of Population 25 and Over with High School or More Education: 2000

88.3%

87.9%

87.8%

87.4%

87.2%

87.1%

86.9%

73%

74.1%

75.2%

75.3%

TN 75%

The state with the highest proportion of people 25 and over having at least some college education was Colorado, at 64 percent.

39.1%

Highest Percentage of Population Holding Bachelors or Higher Degrees: 2000

33.2%

31.4%

College graduates lived in suburban counties and counties with colleges.

Places with universities attracted the greatest concentration of people with doctoral degrees.

California, Texas, Florida, and New Jersey were home to places with a large percentage of people with less than a high school diploma.

According to Census 2000, women were more likely to have a high school diploma, while men were more likely to have a bachelor’s or higher degree.

For More Information Visit: www.census.gov

Educational Attainment: 2000

Education has been included in the United States census questionnaire since 1840.

In 2000, most people 25 years and over in the United States had earned a high school diploma or higher degree.

In 1940, only 24 percent of the population 25 and over had completed high school.

Age differences in educational attainment were large.

The 25- to 29-year-old population was more likely to have completed some college or more, and was more likely to have earned a bachelor’s degree than people 10 to 15 years their senior.

Men and women had nearly equal rates of high school completion in 2000.

The “Asian alone” race group led in attaining bachelor’s and advanced degrees.

No one region can lay claim to having the best-educated population.

Alaska, Minnesota, Wyoming, Utah, New Hampshire, Montana, Washington, and Colorado were among the highest in percentage of people 25 and over with high school or more education.

Percent of Population 25 and Over with High School or More Education: 2000

The state with the highest proportion of people 25 and over having at least some college education was Colorado, at 64 percent.

Highest Percentage of Population Holding Bachelors or Higher Degrees: 2000

College graduates lived in suburban counties and counties with colleges.

Places with universities attracted the greatest concentration of people with doctoral degrees.

California, Texas, Florida, and New Jersey were home to places with a large percentage of people with less than a high school diploma.

According to Census 2000, women were more likely to have a high school diploma, while men were more likely to have a bachelor’s or higher degree.

For More Information Visit: www.census.gov

The “Asian alone” race group
led in attaining bachelor’s and advanced degrees.