U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

census.gov

The Population With a 

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by 

Race and Hispanic Origin: 2006–2010

American Community Survey Briefs

Issued May 2012

ACSBR/10-19

By Stella U. Ogunwole, Malcolm P. Drewery, Jr., and Merarys Rios-Vargas

INTRODUCTION

This report examines people aged 25 and over with a 

bachelor’s degree or higher among racial and Hispanicorigin groups. As the U.S. population becomes more 

racially and ethnically diverse, it is important to examine educational attainment among population groups, 

which is a strong predictor of economic well-being. 

Also, government agencies require data on educational 

attainment for funding allocations and program planning and implementation, while local governments 

use information on educational attainment to attract 

potential employers to their areas.

The estimates presented in this report are based on 

2006–2010 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year 

estimates from the Selected Population Tables and 

the American Indian and Alaska Native Tables. These 

two new data products use ACS data aggregated over 

a 5-year period to provide more reliable estimates of 

detailed social, economic, and housing characteristics 

for many race, tribal, Hispanic, and ancestry population groups at multiple levels of geography. 

In this brief, estimates are presented at the national 

and state levels. These estimates come from a question on educational attainment classified by the highest 

degree or the highest level of school completed. Those 

currently enrolled in school were requested to report 

the level of the previous grade attended or the highest 

degree received. This brief presents estimates for the 

population that is 25 years and older by the highest 

degree completed: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, 

professional degree beyond a bachelor’s degree, or a 

doctorate degree. 

The U.S. Census Bureau collects race and Hispanic

origin information in accordance with guidelines

provided by the U.S. Office of Management and

Budget (OMB).1 The question on race asks respondents 

to report the race or races they consider themselves to 

be. There are a minimum of five race categories: White, 

Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska 

Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific 

Islander. Also, the U.S. Census Bureau includes a Some 

Other Race category for respondents unable to identify 

with any of the five OMB race categories. Respondents 

are permitted to report more than one race. The question on Hispanic origin asks respondents if they are of 

Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin. People who identify 

their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of 

any race. All the estimates in this report are based on 

self-identification.

NATIONAL FINDINGS 

The proportion of the total population 25 years and 

over with a bachelor’s degree or higher was 28 percent. 

Table 1 shows the population 25 years and over with 

a bachelor’s degree or higher by race and Hispanic 

origin in the United States. About one-half of those who 

identified their race as Asian alone had received a bachelor’s degree or higher, the highest proportion among 

1 Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data

on Race and Ethnicity, issued by OMB in 1997, is available at

<www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/1997standards.html>.
2 U.S. Census Bureau

the racial categories.2 Twenty-nine 

percent of the White alone population had a bachelor’s degree or 

higher. They were followed by the 

Two or More Races (24 percent), 

Black or African American alone 

(18 percent), Native Hawaiian and 

2 First, the “race alone population” refers 

to people who reported a single race group. 

For example, we refer to the Asian alone 

population. Second, the “race in combination 

population” refers to people who reported 

more than one race group: for example, 

people who reported both White and Asian 

or people who reported both Black or African 

American and Asian. These two examples are 

included in the Asian in combination population. Third, the “race alone or in combination 

population” reflects the sum of the first two 

groups. It includes all people who reported a 

particular race group, either alone or in combination with one or more other race groups. 

For example, the Asian alone or in combination population represents all people who 

reported Asian, either alone or in combination 

with one or more other race groups. As a 

matter of policy, the Census Bureau does not 

advocate the use of the alone population over 

the alone-or-in-combination population or 

vice versa. The use of the alone population in 

sections of this brief does not imply that it is 

the preferred method of presenting or analyzing data. Data on race from the ACS can be 

presented and discussed in a variety of ways.

Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) alone 

(14 percent), American Indian and 

Alaska Native (AIAN) alone (13 percent), and Some Other Race alone 

(10 percent) populations.3

Overall, Hispanics were less likely to 

have a bachelor’s degree or higher 

(13 percent) compared with the nonHispanic population (30 percent).4

Among the race groups, the Asian 

alone population also had the highest proportion with a bachelor’s 

degree only education (30 percent). 

It was followed by White alone 

3 For detailed definitions of the racial 

categories used in this brief, see the Race 

section of the 2010 ACS Subject Definitions 

Guide at <www.census.gov/acs/www

/UseData/Def.htm>. Also, the following terms 

are used interchangeably in this report: “Black 

or African American” and “Black”; “American 

Indian and Alaska Native” and “AIAN”; and 

“Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander” 

and “NHPI.” 4 For detailed definitions of the Hispanic 

origin categories used in this brief, see the 

Hispanic origin section of the 2010 ACS

Subject Definitions Guide at <www.census

.gov/acs/www/UseData/Def.htm>.

(18 percent), Two or More Races 

(16 percent), Black alone (12 percent), NHPI alone (10 percent), 

AIAN alone (9 percent), and Some 

Other Race alone (7 percent). 

About one-half as many Hispanics had a bachelor’s degree only 

education (9 percent) compared 

with the non-Hispanic population 

(19 percent). 

Within the Asian alone population 25 years and over, 1 in 5 had 

received a graduate or professional 

degree. About 1 in 10 in the White 

alone population had earned a 

graduate or professional degree. 

The proportion of those 25 years 

and over with a graduate or

professional degree was less than 

10 percent for the other race 

groups, and ranged from 3 percent 

for the Some Other Race alone 

population to 9 percent for the

Two or More Races population. 

Table 1.

Population 25 Years and Over With a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by Race and

Hispanic Origin: 2006–2010

(In percent. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions,

see www.census.gov/acs/www)

Hispanic or Latino origin and race Total

population

25 years

and over

Margin

of 

error1

(±)

Percent 

with 

bachelor’s 

degree or 

higher2

Margin

of 

error1(±)

 Percent 

with 

bachelor’s 

degree2

Margin

of 

error1(±)

 Percent 

with

graduate 

or

professional 

degree2 

Margin

of 

error1(±)

HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN 

 Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199,726,659 18,056 27.9 0.1 17.6 0.1 10.3 0.1

Not Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174,163,009 19,023 30.1 0.1 18.9 0.1 11.2 0.1

Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,563,650 5,989 13.0 0.1 8.9 0.1 4.1 0.1

RACE

 Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199,726,659 18,056 27.9 0.1 17.6 0.1 10.3 0.1

White alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153,788,252 25,448 29.3 0.1 18.5 0.1 10.8 0.1

Black or African American alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,758,269 11,852 17.7 0.1 11.6 0.1 6.1 0.1

American Indian and Alaska Native alone . . . . . . . . . 1,445,770 9,222 13.0 0.2 8.7 0.2 4.4 0.1

Asian alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,545,809 7,107 50.2 0.2 30.0 0.1 20.3 0.2

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone . . . 284,837 2,735 14.4 0.5 10.4 0.5 4.0 0.3

Some Other Race alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,008,935 33,931 10.0 0.1 7.1 0.1 2.9 0.1

Two or More Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,894,787 29,192 24.5 0.2 15.8 0.2 8.7 0.1

1

 Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. A margin of error is a measure of an estimate’s variability. The larger the margin of error 

in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate. When added to and subtracted from the estimate, the margin of error forms the 90 percent 

confidence interval.

2

 Some percentages for bachelor’s degree and graduate or professional degree do not sum to total bachelor’s degree or higher due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006–2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables.
3 U.S. Census Bureau

Hispanics were relatively less 

likely to have received a graduate 

or professional degree (4 percent) 

than the non-Hispanic population 

(11 percent). 

Table 2 presents data on detailed 

Hispanic groups with a bachelor’s 

degree or higher in the United 

States. Among the selected detailed 

Hispanic groups, the Venezuelanorigin population had the highest 

percent with a bachelor’s degree or 

higher (50 percent). Seven additional detailed Hispanic groups 

reported at least 30 percent of 

those 25 years and over held a 

bachelor’s degree or higher. Among 

these eight detailed Hispanic 

groups, the majority were of South 

American origin (Venezuelan, 50 

percent; Argentinean, 39 percent; 

Chilean, 36 percent; Bolivian, 34 

percent; Colombian, 31 percent; 

and Peruvian, 30 percent). Additionally, 31 percent of Panamanians, the 

highest among the Central American 

Hispanic detailed groups, and 30 

percent of Spaniards had a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Among the Caribbean Hispanic 

groups, Cubans (25 percent—

the highest percentage with a bachelor’s degree or higher among the 

Caribbean groups), Puerto Ricans 

(16 percent), and Dominicans

(15 percent) were more likely than 

the total Hispanic population

(13 percent) to hold a bachelor’s 

degree or higher. 

Table 3 provides information on 

those aged 25 and over with a 

bachelor’s degree or higher by 

detailed group in the United States. 

Among the selected AIAN alone 

tribes, Choctaw had the highest 

proportion with a bachelor’s degree 

or higher (19 percent).5 However, 

for all selected AIAN alone tribes, 

the proportions with a bachelor’s 

degree or higher were below the 

national level of 28 percent. 

Five selected detailed Asian alone 

groups had more than 50 percent 

of their population 25 years and 

over with a bachelor’s degree or 

higher: Taiwanese (74 percent), 

Asian Indian (71 percent), Pakistani 

(55 percent), 

5 “Detailed group alone” refers to people 

who reported a single specified group and no 

other group or race. 

Table 2.

Population 25 Years and Over With a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by Detailed

Hispanic Group: 2006–2010

(In percent. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions,

see www.census.gov/acs/www)

Hispanic or Latino origin1 Total population

25 years and over

Margin of

error2(±)

Percent with

bachelor’s degree

or higher

Margin of

error2(±)

 Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199,726,659 18,056 27.9 0.1

Not Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174,163,009 19,023 30.1 0.1

Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,563,650 5,989 13.0 0.1

DETAILED HISPANIC GROUP

Argentinean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149,966 4,043 38.9 0.9

Bolivian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63,778 2,257 34.0 1.7

Chilean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82,148 2,790 35.9 1.5

Colombian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578,045 7,898 31.3 0.6

Costa Rican . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78,584 2,878 25.3 1.3

Cuban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,175,669 9,101 25.0 0.3

Dominican (Dominican Republic) . . . . . . . 754,537 8,454 15.2 0.4

Ecuadorian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364,472 6,998 18.2 0.6

Guatemalan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574,854 8,937 8.7 0.4

Honduran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358,040 7,203 10.3 0.5

Mexican . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,540,582 23,169 9.1 0.1

Nicaraguan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222,332 5,474 19.4 0.8

Panamanian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,762 3,064 30.8 1.1

Peruvian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342,070 6,450 30.5 0.7

Puerto Rican . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,443,481 13,230 15.9 0.2

Salvadoran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943,896 11,519 7.8 0.2

Spaniard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355,315 5,844 30.3 0.7

Uruguayan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,399 2,258 20.6 1.6

Venezuelan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131,137 3,566 49.7 1.3

1

 The Hispanic groups included in this table have estimated total populations 25 years and over of at least 25,000 at the national level. 

2

 Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. A margin of error is a measure of an estimate’s variability. The larger the margin of error 

in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate. When added to and subtracted from the estimate, the margin of error forms the 90 percent 

confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006–2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables.
4 U.S. Census Bureau

Table 3.

Population 25 Years and Over With a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by Detailed Group:

2006–2010

(In percent. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions,

see www.census.gov/acs/www)

Race and detailed group1

Total population

25 years

and over

Margin of

error2(±)

Percent with 

bachelor’s 

degree or higher

Margin of

error2(±)

 Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199,726,659 18,056 27.9 0.1

WHITE ALONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153,788,252 25,448 29.3 0.1

White alone, not Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138,362,204 7,233 30.9 0.1

BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN ALONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,758,269 11,852 17.7 0.1

Black alone, not Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,340,413 9,384 17.7 0.1

AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE ALONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,445,770 9,222 13.0 0.2

Cherokee alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172,708 3,018 16.5 0.6

Chippewa alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,145 872 13.5 1.5

Choctaw alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46,324 1,623 18.5 1.1

Lumbee Indian Tribe alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41,434 1,273 12.4 1.4

Navajo Nation alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159,114 2,276 8.5 0.5

ASIAN ALONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,545,809 7,107 50.2 0.2

Asian Indian alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,797,516 12,127 70.7 0.3

Bangladeshi alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55,633 2,747 49.6 2.4

Burmese alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,743 1,956 38.6 2.9

Cambodian alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134,321 3,942 14.5 0.8

Chinese alone, except Taiwanese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,187,761 12,824 51.8 0.4

Filipino alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,785,110 13,045 48.1 0.3

Hmong alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87,297 2,959 14.4 0.9

Indonesian alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46,241 1,853 48.7 2.0

Japanese alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 664,787 8,377 47.3 0.5

Korean alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 948,106 9,529 52.9 0.5

Laotian alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122,780 4,074 12.1 0.6

Pakistani alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163,834 4,309 55.1 1.2

Taiwanese alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84,567 2,948 73.7 1.3

Thai alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126,427 3,265 42.8 1.1

Vietnamese alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,009,271 11,239 26.3 0.4

NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER ALONE . . . . . . 284,837 2,735 14.4 0.5

Guamanian or Chamorro alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,052 2,213 16.8 1.3

Native Hawaiian alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103,877 2,465 15.9 0.8

Samoan alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51,008 2,403 10.0 1.2

TWO OR MORE RACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,894,787 29,192 24.5 0.2

American Indian and Alaska Native; Some Other Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,196 1,219 12.0 1.3

Asian; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77,624 2,237 23.7 1.2

Asian; Some Other Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61,611 2,193 41.8 1.6

Black or African American; American Indian and Alaska Native . . . . . . . 164,888 3,616 22.0 0.7

Black or African American; Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,924 1,955 32.6 1.4

Black or African American; Some Other Race...................... 71,292 2,235 19.9 1.1

White; American Indian and Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 952,147 6,187 18.2 0.3

White; Asian................................................ 418,400 7,874 42.5 0.5

White; Asian; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 46,539 1,673 23.5 1.2

White; Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353,525 5,625 24.8 0.6

White; Black or African American; American Indian and Alaska Native . 85,114 2,407 29.4 1.1

White; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61,346 2,185 20.9 1.2

White; Some Other Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406,527 10,123 18.5 0.5

1

 The American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, Asian groups, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander groups, and Two or More Races groups included

in this table have estimated total populations 25 years and over of at least 25,000 at the national level.

2

 Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. A margin of error is a measure of an estimate’s variability. The larger the margin of error 

in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate. When added to and subtracted from the estimate, the margin of error forms the 90 percent 

confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006–2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables and 2006–2010 American Community Survey

American Indian and Alaska Native Tables.
5 U.S. Census Bureau

Korean (53 percent), and Chinese, 

except Taiwanese (52 percent). The 

Taiwanese and Asian Indian populations had higher educational attainment levels than any other detailed 

race or ethnic group examined in 

this brief. Other selected detailed 

Asian alone groups that had proportions with a bachelor’s degree or 

higher significantly greater than the 

national level included Bangladeshi 

(50 percent), Indonesian

(49 percent), Filipino (48 percent), 

Japanese (47 percent), Thai

(43 percent), and Burmese

(39 percent). On the other hand, 

for several Southeast Asian groups, 

including Vietnamese (26 percent), 

Cambodian (14 percent), Hmong 

(14 percent), and Laotian (12 percent), the proportions with a bachelor’s degree or higher were below 

the national level of 28 percent.6

Among the Native Hawaiian and 

Other Pacific Islander alone groups, 

Guamanians or Chamorros and 

Native Hawaiians (about 16 percent 

each) had higher proportions of 

their populations who had received 

a bachelor’s degree or higher than 

Samoans (10 percent). 

All of the selected multiple-race 

combinations where the proportions with a bachelor’s degree or 

higher exceeded the national level 

included “Asian,” with one exception: White and Black and AIAN,

29 percent. In fact, among all 

selected multiple-race combinations shown, White and Asian and 

Asian and Some Other Race had 

6 The percentages who had received a 

bachelor’s degree or higher for Bangladeshi 

alone, Japanese alone, and Indonesian alone 

were not statistically different from each 

other. The percentage who had received a 

bachelor’s degree or higher for Bangladeshi 

alone was not statistically different from 

Chinese (except Taiwanese) alone and Filipino 

alone. The percentages who had received a 

bachelor’s degree or higher for Filipino alone 

and Indonesian alone were not statistically 

different from each other. The percentages 

who had received a bachelor’s degree or 

higher for Cambodian alone and Hmong 

alone were not statistically different from 

each other. 

the highest proportions with a 

bachelor’s degree or higher, each 

above 40 percent (43 percent and

42 percent, respectively).7 

STATE FINDINGS

Among states (including the District 

of Columbia and Puerto Rico) where 

the specified race groups and the 

Hispanic-origin population numbered at least 10,000, attainment of 

a bachelor’s degree or higher varied 

(Figure 1). The highest proportion 

of the population aged 25 and over 

who completed a bachelor’s degree 

or higher was in the District of 

Columbia (49 percent). Rounding 

out the top five were Massachusetts 

(38 percent), Colorado and Maryland 

(about 36 percent each), and

Connecticut (35 percent).

The lowest proportions of the 

total population who completed 

a bachelor’s degree or higher 

were in Mississippi and Arkansas 

(19 percent each) and West Virginia 

(17 percent). 

Almost 9 out of 10 non-Hispanic 

White alone residents aged 25 

years and over in the District of 

Columbia (87 percent) had received 

a bachelor’s degree or higher. This 

proportion far outpaced those in 

Hawaii and Colorado (about 42 percent each) and Massachusetts and 

Maryland (about 40 percent each). 

At the other end of the spectrum, 

fewer than 1 out of 5 of the nonHispanic White alone population in 

West Virginia had received a bachelor’s degree or higher (17 percent). 

At least 20 percent of Hispanics 

aged 25 and over had a bachelor’s degree or higher in multiple 

areas along the east coast. In the 

7 The race-in-combination categories use 

the conjunction and in bold and italicized 

print to link the race groups that compose 

the combination. The percentages among the 

Two or More Races population 25 years and 

over who had received a bachelor’s degree 

or higher were not statistically different from 

each other for White and Asian and Asian 

and Some Other Race. 

upper Northeast, 26 percent and 

20 percent of Hispanics had a 

bachelor’s degree or higher in New 

Hampshire and Maine, respectively. 

In Maryland and Virginia, at least 

1 in 5 Hispanics had a bachelor’s 

degree or higher. In the District 

of Columbia, over one-third of 

Hispanics had a bachelor’s degree 

or higher, which was the highest 

proportion for Hispanics in the 

nation. Additionally, 21 percent of 

Hispanics in Florida and Puerto Rico 

had a bachelor’s degree or higher.

States where at least one-fifth of 

the Black alone population aged

25 and over held a bachelor’s 

degree or higher were primarily 

concentrated in the Northeast and 

the West, while most states in the 

Midwest and the South had proportions with a bachelor’s degree or 

higher below 20 percent. 

Among the states with 10,000 or 

more AIAN alone, two had about 20 

percent of the population aged 25 

and over with a bachelor’s degree 

or higher—Massachusetts (22 percent) and Maryland (21 percent).8

Alaska (6 percent) had the lowest 

proportion of AIAN alone who had 

a bachelor’s degree or higher. 

Nearly one-half of all states with 

at least 10,000 or more Asian 

alone had 50 percent or more of 

the Asian alone population who 

had received a bachelor’s degree 

or higher. The District of Columbia 

had the highest proportion of Asian 

alone who had received a bachelor’s degree or higher (77 percent).

The NHPI alone populations in 

Florida and Oregon (17 percent 

each) and Texas and Arizona

(16 percent each) were more likely 

to have completed a bachelor’s 

degree or higher than those in 

8 The percentages for Massachusetts and 

Maryland were not statistically different from 

each other and several other states. 
6 U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 1.

 

(In percent. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions,

see www.census.gov/acs/www)

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA KY

OH

SC

ME

PR

WV

VT

MD

NH

HI

MA

CT

Total Population

DC

U.S. percent = 27.9 U.S. percent = 30.9

U.S. percent = 13.0 U.S. percent = 17.7

NJ

DE

RI

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA KY

OH

SC

ME

PR

WV

VT

MD

NH

HI

MA

CT

Black or African American Alone

DC

NJ

DE

RI

50.0 or more

20.0 to 27.9

15.0 to 19.9

10.0 to 14.9

Less than 10.0

Specified group less than 10,000

28.0 to 49.9

See source at end of figure.

Population 25 Years and Over With a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by State: 

2006–2010

Percent of specified group

25 years and over with a

bachelor’s degree or higher

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA KY

OH

SC

ME

PR

WV

VT

MD

NH

HI

MA

CT

White Alone, not Hispanic

DC

NJ

DE

RI

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA KY

OH

SC

ME

PR

WV

VT

MD

NH

HI

MA

CT

Hispanic or Latino

DC

NJ

DE

RI
7 U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 1. 

(In percent. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions,

see www.census.gov/acs/www)

Population 25 Years and Over With a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by State: 

2006–2010—Con.

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA KY

OH

SC

ME

PR

WV

VT

MD

NH

HI

MA

CT

DC

NJ

DE

RI

CA

MT

ID

NV

NM

CO

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

WA

LA

AR

NY

MS

SC

ME

PR

VT

HI

TX

AZ

IL

NE

MO

AL GA

MI

IN

PA

NC TN

VA KY

OH

WV

D

NH

MA

CT

M

DC

NJ

DE

RI

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA KY

OH

SC

ME

PR

WV

VT

MD

NH

HI

MA

CT

DC

NJ

DE

RI

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

AK

KS

WY

IA NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA KY

OH

SC

ME

PR

WV

VT

MD

NH

HI

MA

CT

DC

NJ

DE

RI

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006–2010 American Community Survey Selected Population Tables.

50.0 or more

20.0 to 27.9

15.0 to 19.9

10.0 to 14.9

Less than 10.0

Specified group less than 10,000

28.0 to 49.9

Percent of specified group

25 years and over with a

bachelor’s degree or higher

American Indian and

Alaska Native Alone

U.S. percent = 13.0 U.S. percent = 50.2

U.S. percent = 14.4 U.S. percent = 24.5

Two or More Races

Asian Alone

Native Hawaiian and

Other Pacific Islander Alone
8 U.S. Census Bureau

Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington 

(about 11 percent each).9

In over half of the states, about 

1 in 5 of the Two or More Races 

population aged 25 and over had 

a bachelor’s degree or higher. The 

proportion of the Two or More 

Races population with a bachelor’s 

degree or higher exceeded the 

national level of 28 percent in 

the District of Columbia (61 percent) and in four states—Virginia 

and Maryland (about 35 percent 

each) and Illinois and New York 

(about 29 percent each). 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The U.S. Census Bureau Web site 

provides more data on educational 

attainment in the United States and 

Puerto Rico. Varying categories of 

educational attainment for detailed 

geographies, race, Hispanic-origin 

groups, and ancestry groups can be 

found at the American FactFinder 

Web site at <factfinder2.census 

.gov>.

9 The percentages for Florida, Oregon, 

Texas, and Arizona were not statistically 

different from each other. 

SOURCE AND ACCURACY

Estimates presented in this report 

are based on people and households that responded to the ACS 

between 2006 and 2010. The 

resulting estimates are representative of the entire population. All 

comparisons presented in this 

report have taken sampling error 

into account and are significant at 

the 90 percent confidence level 

unless otherwise noted. Due to 

rounding, some details may not 

sum to totals. For information on 

sampling and estimation methods, 

confidentiality protection, and 

sampling and nonsampling errors, 

please see the “ACS Accuracy of the 

Data” document located at 

<www.census.gov/acs

/www/Downloads

/data _documentation/Accuracy

/MultiyearACSAccuracyofData2010

.pdf>.

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN 

COMMUNITY SURVEY?

The American Community 

Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey 

designed to provide communities 

with reliable and timely demographic, social, economic, and 

housing data for the nation, states, 

congressional districts, counties, 

places, and other localities every 

year. During this period, the annual 

sample size was about 3 million 

addresses across the United States 

and Puerto Rico and includes both 

housing units and group quarters 

(e.g., nursing facilities and prisons).

The ACS is con ducted in every 

county throughout the nation and 

every municipio in Puerto Rico, 

where it is called the Puerto Rico 

Community Survey. For information on the ACS sample design and 

other topics, visit <www.census 

.gov/acs/www>.