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According to new Educational Attainment data released today by the Census Bureau, the high school completion rate in the U.S. has reached its highest level in history. Today, 90 percent of the U.S. population age 25 and older has completed high school. These figures represent significant shift from 1940 when 76 percent of the population age 25 and older had not earned a high school diploma.
From 2000 to 2017, the percentage of Americans age 25 and older who hadn’t completed high school dropped by over one-third, from 16 to 10 percent. Educational attainment for minorities also experienced a hike during this period. Since the year 2000, among Americans age 25 and older, high school completion rates increased from 78 to 87 percent for blacks, 57 to 71 percent for Hispanics and 88 to 94 percent for non-Hispanic whites.
Educational Attainment Findings
- The amount of master’s degree holders—currently 21 million—has more than doubled since 2000
- In 2017, 14 percent of immigrants to the U.S. had master’s, professional and doctoral degrees compared to 13 percent of U.S. natives
- College attainment by Americans 55 and older has increased from 19 to 30 percent since 2000
- In 2016, mean earnings for workers with a high school diploma was $36,700, for those with a bachelor’s it was $67,300, and advanced degree holders earned $95,200
The Census Bureau further reports that the rate of Americans age 25 and older earning bachelor’s degrees also increased between 2000 and 2017, from 26 to 34 percent. In this age group, women (35 percent) surpassed men (34 percent) in bachelor’s degree attainment.