Educational Attainment 

Five Key Data Releases From the 

U.S. Census Bureau 

Med

Februa

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Host 

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Today’s Speakers 

Stan RolarkChief, Public Information OfficeNancy PotokAssociate Director, Demographic ProgrKurt Bauman Chief, Education and Social StratificatioSocial, Economic and Housing Statistic
Electronic Press Kit 

• Today’s presentation • News release plus additional findin• Links to the data products • Links to educational attainment da

for states and the largest metropolitan areas 
Products Being Released T

• Educational Attainment in the United States: 201

(Table Package) 

• Educational Attainment in the United States: 200

(Report) 

• Field of Bachelor’s Degree in the United States: 

(Report) 

• What’s It Worth, Field of Training and Economic 

in 2009 (Report) 

• Measurement of High School Equivalency Crede

in Census Bureau Surveys (Working Paper) 
How We Measure Educatio

America 

• Three different surveys combine fo

fuller picture of education in Americ

• American Community Survey (ACS) • Current Population Survey (CPS) • Survey of Income and Program 

Participation (SIPP)
American Community Sur

Collected Since: 2005 for all geographic areas Sample: Currently 3.4 million households annually Geographies: Past year’s data available annually for geos of 65,000 or 

Past 3 year’s data available annually for geos of 20,000 Past 5 year’s data available annually for geos as small a

block groups 

Education Questions: 

1. Enrollment in school in the past 3 months 2. Highest degree or level of school completed 3. Field of bachelor’s degree 

Note: Wide-ranging survey allows cross-tabulation by race, eth

income, language and more 
Current Population Surve

Collected Since: 1947 Sample: About 100,000 households in Annual Social and Econom

Supplement (ASEC); Annual School Enrollment Supplem

Geographies: National level only Education Questions: 

1. Current enrollment 2. Highest degree or level of school completed 

Note: Source for consistent historical picture of education. 

Wide-ranging survey allows cross-tabulations by race, etincome, occupation and more 
Survey of Income Program 

and Participation

Collected Since: 1984 Sample: About 65,000 households – last panel began in 2008 and Geographies: National level only Education Questions: 

1. Current enrollment, level of educational attainment 2. Field of training for postsecondary degrees 3. Years taken to earn postsecondary degree 

Note: Longitudinal survey permits analysis of relationship betw

training and economic status, as well as time taken to co

degrees. 
Other Education Surveys Collecte

by the U.S. Census Bureau

Survey Data Sponsored Schools and Staffing Survey Permits detailed analysis of 

schools, principals, teachers, students 

National CeEducation S

Teacher Follow-Up Survey Teacher attrition: rates of attrition, 

characteristics of teachers who 

National CeEducation S

leave profession and why they leave 

National Survey of College Graduates 

The number and characteristics of science and engineering graduates 

National SciFoundation 

Private School Survey Characteristics of private schools National Ce

Education S

Public Education Finances (‘07) Spending per pupil by state and 

other school finance statistics 

Census Bur
Educational Attainment To
Educational Attainment of the Populati

25 Years and Older: 2011

2% 1%

19%

8%

Doctorate degreeProfessional degr

30 percent Master’s degree 

Bachelor’s degree Some college or a

31%

26%

High school comp

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic SupplePercentage with a professional degree is not statistically different from the percentage with a do

12%

0%

Less than high sc

100%

90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
Percent

Percent of People 25 and Over With a 

Bachelor’s or Higher Degree: 1947-2011 40 

35 30 25 20 15 10 

5 0 

5 percent 

1947 1962 1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supple
       

Percent of the College-Educated Populatio

25 and Over Who are Asian, Black or 

Hispanic: 2001-2011

98

8.1 percent 

6.7 percent 

4.4 percent 

76 5

4 3 210

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Year 

Percent of College Educated Population

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic SuppleThe 2011 estimate of people with a bachelor’s who are Asian is not statistically different from thestimate for Asians and is not statistically different from the 2011 estimate for blacks. 
Percent 

Educational Attainment of the Native-born 

Foreign-born Population: 2009

35 30 25 20 15 10 

5 0 

11.4

32.3

29.7

22.2

30.8

18.7 17.9

15.8

7.3 7.0

1.9 2.1

Less than HS HS diploma or 

GED 

Some College or 

Associate's 

Bachelor's Master's Professional 

Native born Foreign born

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2009 
Field of Bachelor’s Degre
Note: Data are for the population 25 and over with at least a bachelor's degree. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2009 

Engineering Engineering‐Related

Fields

a

Distribution of Bachelor’s Degree 

Holders by Selected Fields: 2009

(Numbers in thousands)

19,640

4,936

11,305

7,723

Science and Science‐ and Business Education Arts, 
California 41% 

District 

Mar

Washington 41% 
Sex Distribution Within Field of Bachelor’s D

2009

Note: Data are for the population 25 and over with at least a bachelor's degree. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2009 

87

72.7 

66.9 

58.1 

57.8 

57.0 

55.2 

46.2 

43.2 

37.8 

33.1 

32.8 

30.5 

24.4 

Science and Engineering Related Fields 

Education 

Field of Degree

Engineering 

Physical and Related Sciences 

Computers, Mathematics and Statistics 

Business 

Biological, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences 

Liberal Arts and History 

Social Sciences 

Multidisciplinary Studies 

Communications 

Visual and Performing Arts 

Literature and Languages 

Psychology 
13 percent 

27 percent 

52 percent 

78 percent 
What’s It Worth: The Pay

of Education
Percent 

Jan 2008 Jul 2008 Jan 2009 Jul 2009 Jan 2010 Jul 2010

Period

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2008, 2009, 2010. 

201816141210

86420

Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainm

Population 25 and Older: 2008 - 2010

Recession period 

5.9

17.9
Mean, Median and Avera

• Mean – Total divided by numbe

of people 

• Median – Amount where half 

the people have more, half have less

• Average – Usually refers to 

“mean,” but no strict definition
Median Earnings for Full-Time Workers 

25 Years and Over by Educational Attainment

Dollars 

80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 

0 

Not a high school GED or alternative Regular high Some college or Bachelor's degree 

24,520 

30,915 33,213 

39,867 

56,472 

graduate credential school diploma associate's degree 

Educational Attainment 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2009 
Median Earnings for Full-Time Workers 25 Y

and Over by Educational Attainment: 200

(Earnings in dollars) 

Total

Not

a high

school

graduate

Regular 

high 

school 

diploma 

GED or 

alternative 

credential 

Some

college or

associate's

degree

Bachelor's

degree

All full-time, year-round 

42,200 24,500 

 33,200 30,900 39,900 56,500 

workersAge group: 25 to 34 years

 36,400 22,000 

 28,700 27,900 33,200 46,000 

 35 to 44 years

 44,400 24,800 

 34,000 31,500 41,200 61,700 

 45 to 64 years

 46,700 26,200 

 35,900 32,900 44,000 63,300 

 65 years and over

 38,400 24,200 

 30,300 28,000 38,000 52,700 

Sex:

Male

 48,200 27,500 

 38,400 35,500 46,500 64,900 

Female

 37,200 20,000 

 28,200 25,800 34,400 48,200 

Race and Hispanic origin:

White alone

 44,400 25,600 

 34,900 31,500 41,300 58,100 

Non‐Hispanic White alon

e

 46,800 29,200 

 36,000 31,800 41,900 58,800 

Black alone

 35,200 23,300 

 29,000 27,300 34,800 47,200 

Asian alone

 49,200 23,600 

 28,500 32,600 38,700 58,200 

Hispanic (of any race) 30,100 22,500 27,900 29,500 35,600 46,800 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2009 
Mean Monthly Earnings by Educational Attainme

the Population 18 Years and Over with Earnings

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2008 Panel 

2,136

2,434

3,179

3,598

3,538

4,166

5,445

6,731

8,434

11,92

Monthly earnings in dollars

Professional degree

Doctorate degree

Master's degree

Bachelor's degree

Associate's degree

Vocational certificate

Some college

High school completion

Some high school

Elementary
Median Monthly Earnings by Selected Field of 

and Education Levels: 2009

6198

5750

4536

4000

4257

4000

3200 3240

Engineering Computers Business Liberal arts 

Earnings in dollars 

Bachelor's degree Associate's degree

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2008 Panel 
Median Monthly Earnings by Selected Field of 

and Education Levels: 2009

6198

5750

4536

4000

4257

4000

3200 3240

Engineering Computers Business Liberal arts 

Earnings in dollars 

Bachelor's degree Associate's degree

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2008 Panel 
   

Mean Monthly Earnings by Vocational Certificate Fithe Population 18 Years and Over with Earnings: 20(Earnings in dollars) 

3179

4904

4355

3362 3318

2824

High school

completion

Construction Electronics Auto

mechanics

Business Health ca

Earnings in dollars

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2008 Panel 
High School Equivalency (G
Characteristics of GED and High School Diplom

Holders Among the Population 18 Years and Ov(Earnings in dollars) 

GED High school 

Percent 

Mean monthly 

earnings Percent 

Total Highest Degree Level High school graduate Some college Bachelor's degree or higher 

100.0 

57.3 

38.0 

4.8 

3,149 

2,922 

3,192 

4,852 

100.0 

27.2 

39.6 

33.2 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2008 Panel 
Questions?
Upcoming Releases and Events 

From the U.S. Census Bureau

• 2010 Census Summary File 2 – Ongoing rele

of state files (Dec. 2011– April 2012) 

• Release of 1940 Population and Housing Re

by the National Archives (April 2) 

• July 1, 2011 Population Estimates: Counties 

Metropolitan Areas (April 5) 

• Annual Survey of State Tax Collections: FY20

( April 12) 

• Public Education Finances (April 30) 
For Further Information

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