by Calculated Risk on 3/27/2022 12:23:00 PM

This was released last month by the Census Bureau: Census Bureau Releases New Educational Attainment Data

In 2021, the highest level of education of the population age 25 and older in the United States was distributed as follows:

• 8.9% had less than a high school diploma or equivalent.

• 27.9% had high school graduate as their highest level of school completed.

• 14.9% had completed some college but not a degree.

• 10.5% had an associate degree as their highest level of school completed.

• 23.5% had a bachelor’s degree as their highest degree.

• 14.4% had completed an advanced degree such as a master’s degree, professional degree or doctoral degree.
emphasis added

This graph shows the number of adults, 25 years and older, with less than high school education, high school or some college, and a bachelor's degree or higher since 1940.

The trend towards more education has been ongoing, and there are now only 20 million adults without a high school education.  There are about 120 million with a high school education or some college.

And a record 85 million with bachelor's degree or higher.

The second graph shows the same data as a percent of the population.

In 1940, about 76% of the adult population (over 25) had less than a high school education.  That has declined to less than 9% now.

And in 1940, only 4.6% of the population had a bachelor's degree or higher.  Now that is at a record 37.9%.

More education is one of the reasons I've argued the Future is Bright!