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| 2019 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 507.15. | Average literacy and numeracy scale scores and percentage distribution of 25- to 65-year-olds, by proficiency level and selected characteristics: 2017 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected characteristic | Literacy | Numeracy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average scale score1 |
Percentage distribution, by proficiency level2 | Average scale score1 |
Percentage distribution, by proficiency level2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Below level 1 | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4/5 | Below level 1 | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4/5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 271 | (1.3) | 4 | (0.6) | 15 | (1.0) | 33 | (1.4) | 34 | (1.7) | 14 | (1.0) | 255 | (1.4) | 9 | (0.8) | 20 | (1.2) | 33 | (1.6) | 27 | (1.2) | 10 | (0.9) | ||||||||||||
| Sex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 270 | (1.9) | 5 | (1.1) | 15 | (1.5) | 32 | (2.2) | 33 | (2.5) | 15 | (1.4) | 259 | (2.1) | 10 | (1.3) | 18 | (1.7) | 31 | (1.9) | 28 | (1.9) | 14 | (1.4) | ||||||||||||
| Female | 271 | (1.4) | 3 | (0.5) | 15 | (1.3) | 33 | (1.7) | 36 | (1.8) | 13 | (1.2) | 251 | (1.6) | 9 | (0.8) | 22 | (1.4) | 36 | (2.2) | 26 | (1.7) | 8 | (0.9) | ||||||||||||
Age |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 to 34 | 279 | (2.4) | 3 | (0.8) | 13 | (1.8) | 28 | (2.8) | 38 | (3.2) | 17 | (2.3) | 261 | (2.4) | 7 | (1.0) | 18 | (1.8) | 33 | (2.4) | 30 | (2.9) | 11 | (2.0) | ||||||||||||
| 35 to 44 | 275 | (2.3) | 4 | (1.0) | 13 | (1.7) | 32 | (2.6) | 36 | (3.3) | 15 | (2.0) | 259 | (2.2) | 8 | (1.1) | 18 | (1.9) | 33 | (2.4) | 29 | (2.4) | 12 | (1.8) | ||||||||||||
| 45 to 54 | 266 | (2.9) | 6 | (1.5) | 17 | (2.3) | 31 | (2.7) | 34 | (2.8) | 13 | (1.7) | 251 | (3.2) | 12 | (1.8) | 20 | (2.6) | 30 | (2.8) | 27 | (2.6) | 10 | (1.7) | ||||||||||||
| 55 to 65 | 264 | (2.1) | 5 | (1.1) | 17 | (2.1) | 38 | (2.9) | 30 | (2.7) | 10 | (1.3) | 249 | (2.4) | 9 | (1.4) | 24 | (2.4) | 36 | (2.9) | 22 | (1.8) | 9 | (1.3) | ||||||||||||
Race/ethnicity |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White | 282 | (1.5) | 1 | ! | (0.4) | 11 | (1.2) | 30 | (1.8) | 39 | (2.1) | 18 | (1.4) | 269 | (1.5) | 4 | (0.7) | 16 | (1.6) | 34 | (1.8) | 32 | (1.5) | 13 | (1.1) | |||||||||||
| Black | 240 | (2.8) | 10 | (1.9) | 29 | (3.1) | 40 | (4.2) | 19 | (3.1) | 3 | ! | (1.3) | 215 | (3.1) | 24 | (2.8) | 34 | (3.1) | 29 | (3.7) | 10 | (2.4) | ‡ | (†) | |||||||||||
| Hispanic | 250 | (4.8) | 11 | (2.6) | 22 | (3.0) | 33 | (3.7) | 26 | (3.8) | 8 | (2.1) | 228 | (5.4) | 20 | (3.4) | 25 | (2.9) | 30 | (3.8) | 20 | (3.5) | 4 | ! | (1.8) | |||||||||||
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 264 | (5.1) | 8 | ! | (3.2) | 14 | ! | (4.6) | 31 | (5.3) | 35 | (6.2) | 12 | ! | (4.6) | 262 | (5.2) | 9 | ! | (3.5) | 15 | ! | (5.5) | 33 | (6.2) | 29 | (6.9) | 13 | ! | (5.5) | ||||||
| Other3 | 256 | (4.4) | ‡ | (†) | 16 | ! | (5.5) | 47 | (6.2) | 29 | (5.6) | ‡ | (†) | 239 | (4.9) | 11 | ! | (3.8) | 26 | (5.9) | 42 | (6.7) | 17 | (4.8) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||||
Nativity |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born in United States | 275 | (1.3) | 3 | (0.5) | 14 | (1.0) | 32 | (1.5) | 36 | (1.8) | 15 | (1.1) | 258 | (1.3) | 8 | (0.8) | 19 | (1.4) | 34 | (1.8) | 29 | (1.3) | 11 | (0.8) | ||||||||||||
| Not born in United States | 247 | (4.0) | 12 | (2.9) | 22 | (3.4) | 34 | (3.5) | 23 | (3.5) | 9 | (2.5) | 237 | (4.8) | 17 | (2.9) | 24 | (3.4) | 31 | (3.3) | 18 | (3.1) | 10 | (2.9) | ||||||||||||
Educational attainment |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less than high school completion | 220 | (3.7) | 17 | (3.7) | 39 | (4.3) | 33 | (4.3) | 10 | (2.9) | ‡ | (†) | 192 | (4.7) | 37 | (4.3) | 37 | (4.9) | 20 | (4.0) | 5 | ! | (2.0) | ‡ | (†) | |||||||||||
| High school completion4 | 252 | (2.1) | 6 | (1.1) | 23 | (2.1) | 40 | (2.4) | 25 | (2.1) | 6 | (1.1) | 234 | (2.1) | 13 | (1.5) | 29 | (2.2) | 38 | (2.7) | 17 | (1.9) | 3 | ! | (0.9) | |||||||||||
| Associate's degree | 267 | (3.3) | ‡ | (†) | 13 | (3.2) | 43 | (4.6) | 36 | (4.8) | 6 | ! | (2.4) | 251 | (3.3) | 5 | ! | (1.6) | 24 | (4.5) | 40 | (5.8) | 25 | (4.2) | 5 | ! | (2.2) | |||||||||
| Bachelor’s or higher degree | 295 | (1.6) | ‡ | (†) | 5 | (0.9) | 24 | (2.0) | 45 | (2.5) | 24 | (1.9) | 284 | (1.9) | 2 | ! | (0.6) | 9 | (1.1) | 30 | (1.9) | 39 | (1.8) | 19 | (1.8) | |||||||||||
Employment5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-time6 | 277 | (1.6) | 3 | (0.8) | 13 | (1.3) | 31 | (2.1) | 37 | (2.4) | 16 | (1.3) | 261 | (1.9) | 7 | (1.2) | 19 | (1.4) | 32 | (2.0) | 30 | (1.6) | 12 | (1.1) | ||||||||||||
| Part-time7 | 271 | (3.1) | 3 | ! | (1.2) | 16 | (3.0) | 35 | (3.5) | 33 | (3.2) | 14 | (2.5) | 257 | (3.2) | 7 | (1.7) | 20 | (3.0) | 34 | (3.4) | 28 | (3.4) | 10 | (2.1) | |||||||||||
| Unemployed | 269 | (6.0) | ‡ | (†) | 15 | (4.1) | 35 | (9.9) | 30 | (7.9) | 15 | ! | (5.2) | 251 | (6.9) | 10 | ! | (3.6) | 21 | ! | (6.9) | 36 | (8.4) | 22 | ! | (6.6) | 10 | ! | (4.6) | |||||||
| Not in labor force | 250 | (3.2) | 10 | (1.6) | 21 | (2.5) | 35 | (2.8) | 26 | (2.7) | 7 | (1.6) | 232 | (3.5) | 18 | (2.5) | 24 | (2.9) | 34 | (2.9) | 18 | (2.2) | 6 | (1.3) | ||||||||||||
Annual earnings8 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bottom quintile | 257 | (4.4) | 6 | ! | (2.5) | 20 | (3.7) | 36 | (4.4) | 28 | (3.7) | 9 | (2.5) | 239 | (4.5) | 13 | (2.9) | 26 | (4.1) | 32 | (4.2) | 22 | (3.6) | 6 | ! | (1.8) | ||||||||||
| Fourth quintile | 255 | (3.2) | 7 | (2.0) | 22 | (3.5) | 35 | (3.3) | 28 | (3.2) | 8 | (1.9) | 235 | (4.2) | 18 | (3.2) | 26 | (3.6) | 32 | (3.7) | 18 | (2.7) | 7 | (1.9) | ||||||||||||
| Third quintile | 271 | (3.0) | ‡ | (†) | 16 | (3.0) | 37 | (3.9) | 32 | (3.3) | 13 | (2.3) | 253 | (3.1) | 6 | ! | (2.1) | 27 | (3.5) | 34 | (3.4) | 25 | (3.5) | 8 | (2.2) | |||||||||||
| Second quintile | 287 | (2.5) | ‡ | (†) | 7 | (1.8) | 28 | (3.3) | 46 | (4.1) | 17 | (2.2) | 273 | (2.3) | 2 | ! | (0.9) | 12 | (2.0) | 37 | (3.8) | 38 | (3.2) | 11 | (2.1) | |||||||||||
| Top quintile | 298 | (2.6) | ‡ | (†) | 5 | ! | (1.5) | 24 | (3.1) | 44 | (4.0) | 26 | (3.0) | 288 | (3.3) | ‡ | (†) | 9 | (2.1) | 28 | (3.2) | 39 | (3.3) | 22 | (2.6) | |||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| !Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Scale ranges from 0 to 500. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Proficiency levels 4 and 5 are combined for reporting purposes. The proficiency levels correspond to the score ranges shown in parentheses: below level 1 (0-175), level 1 (176-225), level 2 (226-275), level 3 (276-325), and level 4/5 (326-500). For details about the literacy proficiency levels as well as specific examples of tasks at each level, see https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/litproficiencylevel.asp. For details about the numeracy proficiency levels as well as specific examples of tasks at each level, see https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/numproficiencylevel.asp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Includes persons of all other races and those of Two or more races. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Includes completion through an equivalency program, such as a GED program. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Excludes those who were employed but did not report the number of hours worked per week. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Full-time employment is defined as working 35 hours or more per week. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 Part-time employment is defined as working less than 35 hours per week. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 Annual earnings were calculated based on monthly earnings, which include bonuses and self-employment income. Excludes those who reported no earnings. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Data exclude literacy-related nonresponse. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), U.S. PIAAC 2017, retrieved May 26, 2020, from the PIAAC International Data Explorer (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/ideuspiaac/). (This table was prepared May 2020.) |
