Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics
2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 502.10. Occupation of employed persons 25 years old and over, by highest level of educational attainment and sex: 2020 and 2021
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Sex and occupation Total employed
(in thousands)
Percentage distribution, by highest level of educational attainment
Total Less than high school completion High school completion1 College
Some college,
    no degree
Associate's degree Bachelor's degree Master's or higher degree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2020                                              
All persons 135,602   (362.6) 100.0 (†) 6.1   (0.13) 24.3   (0.24) 14.6   (0.17) 11.4   (0.16) 27.1   (0.23) 16.6   (0.19)
Management, professional, and related 61,734   (401.8) 100.0 (†) 1.2   (0.07) 9.3   (0.22) 9.3   (0.20) 10.0   (0.21) 38.7   (0.36) 31.6   (0.34)
Management, business, and financial operations 26,484   (301.2) 100.0 (†) 1.9   (0.14) 13.9   (0.39) 12.5   (0.37) 9.0   (0.28) 40.2   (0.55) 22.5   (0.50)
Professional and related 35,250   (303.5) 100.0 (†) 0.6   (0.07) 5.8   (0.21) 6.9   (0.22) 10.7   (0.30) 37.5   (0.48) 38.4   (0.45)
Education, training, and library 8,681   (160.6) 100.0 (†) 0.5   (0.14) 5.7   (0.46) 4.8   (0.38) 6.0   (0.44) 35.2   (0.92) 47.8   (0.91)
Preschool and kindergarten teachers 583   (43.4) 100.0 (†) 2.1 ! (0.97) 19.3   (3.13) 7.9   (1.76) 14.8   (2.32) 35.3   (3.35) 20.5   (2.75)
Elementary and middle school teachers 3,432   (105.4) 100.0 (†)   (†)   (†) 1.9   (0.35) 2.7   (0.51) 43.1   (1.46) 52.4   (1.45)
Secondary school teachers 976   (55.3) 100.0 (†)   (†)   (†) 1.7 ! (0.79) 2.0 ! (0.69) 40.0   (2.74) 56.2   (2.77)
Special education teachers 318   (31.7) 100.0 (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 3.8 ! (1.56) 33.8   (4.30) 55.3   (4.54)
Postsecondary teachers 1,139   (64.3) 100.0 (†)   (†)   (†) 1.2 ! (0.49) 3.0   (0.77) 13.3   (1.92) 82.0   (2.08)
Other education, training, and library workers 2,233   (84.9) 100.0 (†) 1.4 ! (0.46) 16.4   (1.32) 11.8   (1.15) 12.5   (1.10) 32.3   (1.67) 25.6   (1.61)
Service occupations 19,803   (232.0) 100.0 (†) 12.8   (0.42) 36.6   (0.61) 18.4   (0.46) 13.2   (0.41) 15.6   (0.45) 3.4   (0.24)
Sales and office occupations 25,603   (244.9) 100.0 (†) 2.9   (0.18) 28.4   (0.49) 21.5   (0.42) 13.3   (0.36) 27.0   (0.53) 6.9   (0.28)
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 12,041   (189.5) 100.0 (†) 17.6   (0.61) 42.7   (0.81) 16.0   (0.55) 13.6   (0.51) 8.6   (0.45) 1.6   (0.19)
Production, transportation, and material moving 16,421   (247.2) 100.0 (†) 13.4   (0.50) 45.9   (0.69) 17.7   (0.52) 9.7   (0.40) 10.9   (0.42) 2.3   (0.21)

Males
71,616   (251.7) 100.0 (†) 7.4   (0.18) 27.1   (0.32) 14.5   (0.24) 10.2   (0.19) 25.8   (0.29) 15.0   (0.24)
Management, professional, and related 29,662   (265.5) 100.0 (†) 1.5   (0.12) 10.2   (0.30) 9.7   (0.29) 8.3   (0.27) 39.3   (0.49) 31.1   (0.47)
Management, business, and financial operations 14,364   (190.1) 100.0 (†) 2.4   (0.21) 15.3   (0.50) 12.5   (0.46) 7.9   (0.40) 39.2   (0.76) 22.7   (0.63)
Professional and related 15,298   (195.8) 100.0 (†) 0.6   (0.10) 5.4   (0.30) 7.0   (0.37) 8.6   (0.35) 39.4   (0.67) 39.0   (0.67)
Education, training, and library 2,278   (78.1) 100.0 (†)   (†) 2.7   (0.52) 3.3   (0.67) 5.4   (0.81) 32.5   (1.71) 56.1   (1.78)
Service occupations 8,416   (147.3) 100.0 (†) 12.0   (0.67) 35.9   (0.92) 18.9   (0.69) 11.9   (0.62) 17.3   (0.71) 4.1   (0.40)
Sales and office occupations 9,637   (151.0) 100.0 (†) 3.1   (0.32) 26.5   (0.87) 19.5   (0.68) 10.8   (0.53) 32.1   (0.92) 8.0   (0.49)
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 11,342   (181.5) 100.0 (†) 17.2   (0.61) 43.5   (0.86) 15.9   (0.56) 13.8   (0.52) 8.0   (0.46) 1.5   (0.20)
Production, transportation, and material moving 12,558   (200.5) 100.0 (†) 13.0   (0.54) 46.7   (0.79) 17.8   (0.60) 10.0   (0.46) 10.6   (0.45) 2.0   (0.21)

Females
63,986   (258.6) 100.0 (†) 4.7   (0.14) 21.2   (0.29) 14.6   (0.23) 12.6   (0.23) 28.5   (0.32) 18.4   (0.26)
Management, professional, and related 32,072   (269.8) 100.0 (†) 0.9   (0.09) 8.5   (0.27) 8.9   (0.27) 11.5   (0.33) 38.1   (0.50) 32.0   (0.43)
Management, business, and financial operations 12,120   (185.3) 100.0 (†) 1.3   (0.17) 12.3   (0.51) 12.4   (0.55) 10.4   (0.45) 41.3   (0.75) 22.2   (0.73)
Professional and related 19,952   (237.7) 100.0 (†) 0.6   (0.10) 6.1   (0.29) 6.8   (0.27) 12.2   (0.43) 36.1   (0.67) 38.0   (0.58)
Education, training, and library 6,403   (132.0) 100.0 (†) 0.7   (0.18) 6.7   (0.58) 5.3   (0.45) 6.3   (0.50) 36.2   (1.08) 44.8   (1.04)
Service occupations 11,387   (177.6) 100.0 (†) 13.5   (0.50) 37.0   (0.77) 18.1   (0.63) 14.2   (0.55) 14.3   (0.57) 2.9   (0.27)
Sales and office occupations 15,965   (195.3) 100.0 (†) 2.8   (0.21) 29.6   (0.65) 22.7   (0.53) 14.8   (0.53) 23.9   (0.58) 6.2   (0.33)
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 699   (46.3) 100.0 (†) 23.3   (2.75) 30.4   (2.70) 16.8   (2.48) 9.6   (1.89) 17.6   (2.42) 2.4 ! (0.82)
Production, transportation, and material moving 3,863   (119.0) 100.0 (†) 15.0   (1.01) 43.3   (1.22) 17.6   (1.00) 9.0   (0.73) 11.9   (0.89) 3.3   (0.50)

2021
                                             
All persons 132,290   (404.6) 100.0 (†) 6.0   (0.13) 24.1   (0.24) 14.2   (0.16) 11.1   (0.16) 27.5   (0.22) 17.1   (0.20)
Management, professional, and related 60,706   (396.7) 100.0 (†) 1.0   (0.06) 9.0   (0.22) 9.0   (0.19) 9.7   (0.21) 38.8   (0.37) 32.5   (0.36)
Management, business, and financial operations 26,397   (270.9) 100.0 (†) 1.7   (0.12) 13.5   (0.39) 11.6   (0.33) 9.0   (0.28) 41.6   (0.53) 22.5   (0.42)
Professional and related 34,310   (317.2) 100.0 (†) 0.5   (0.06) 5.5   (0.23) 7.1   (0.24) 10.2   (0.30) 36.6   (0.46) 40.1   (0.52)
Education, training, and library 8,425   (170.3) 100.0 (†) 0.4 ! (0.12) 4.6   (0.34) 5.3   (0.43) 6.0   (0.41) 33.0   (0.86) 50.7   (1.01)
Preschool and kindergarten teachers 548   (41.0) 100.0 (†)   (†) 9.8   (1.98) 12.8   (2.42) 14.9   (2.49) 39.9   (3.39) 21.7   (3.08)
Elementary and middle school teachers 3,157   (96.8) 100.0 (†)   (†)   (†) 2.1   (0.42) 2.0   (0.38) 39.5   (1.48) 56.3   (1.49)
Secondary school teachers 948   (46.2) 100.0 (†)   (†)   (†) 2.0 ! (0.80) 1.6 ! (0.74) 37.1   (2.57) 59.3   (2.70)
Special education teachers 374   (32.8) 100.0 (†)   (†)   (†) 5.3 ! (1.82) 4.6 ! (1.51) 36.7   (4.45) 53.1   (4.35)
Postsecondary teachers 1,156   (63.4) 100.0 (†)   (†) 1.1 ! (0.53)   (†) 2.7   (0.78) 9.2   (1.35) 86.6   (1.63)
Other education, training, and library workers 2,243   (90.9) 100.0 (†) 1.3 ! (0.44) 14.2   (1.06) 11.9   (1.25) 13.3   (1.17) 32.1   (1.65) 27.2   (1.54)
Service occupations 18,369   (221.8) 100.0 (†) 12.6   (0.39) 36.5   (0.58) 18.5   (0.47) 13.3   (0.42) 15.6   (0.45) 3.5   (0.22)
Sales and office occupations 25,306   (253.2) 100.0 (†) 3.0   (0.16) 28.4   (0.46) 20.7   (0.44) 12.9   (0.38) 28.3   (0.49) 6.7   (0.27)
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 11,978   (182.2) 100.0 (†) 18.2   (0.66) 42.7   (0.75) 15.1   (0.53) 13.6   (0.50) 8.8   (0.47) 1.6   (0.19)
Production, transportation, and material moving 15,931   (230.6) 100.0 (†) 12.8   (0.46) 46.5   (0.72) 18.0   (0.55) 9.5   (0.39) 10.6   (0.44) 2.6   (0.23)

Males
69,935   (255.5) 100.0 (†) 7.3   (0.19) 27.2   (0.31) 14.3   (0.22) 10.0   (0.21) 26.0   (0.30) 15.1   (0.23)
Management, professional, and related 29,160   (249.4) 100.0 (†) 1.3   (0.11) 10.2   (0.33) 9.6   (0.30) 8.1   (0.26) 39.3   (0.50) 31.4   (0.47)
Management, business, and financial operations 14,485   (193.7) 100.0 (†) 2.2   (0.18) 15.0   (0.53) 11.9   (0.47) 8.4   (0.38) 41.0   (0.67) 21.7   (0.52)
Professional and related 14,675   (200.5) 100.0 (†) 0.5   (0.10) 5.5   (0.37) 7.4   (0.39) 7.9   (0.37) 37.7   (0.73) 41.0   (0.75)
Education, training, and library 2,195   (74.0) 100.0 (†)   (†) 2.6   (0.53) 3.8   (0.72) 4.2   (0.74) 31.3   (1.58) 57.9   (1.89)
Service occupations 7,836   (162.8) 100.0 (†) 11.8   (0.60) 36.7   (0.93) 18.1   (0.68) 12.5   (0.60) 17.5   (0.69) 3.5   (0.36)
Sales and office occupations 9,738   (160.0) 100.0 (†) 3.2   (0.31) 26.9   (0.76) 19.7   (0.67) 10.4   (0.56) 32.6   (0.80) 7.2   (0.44)
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 11,354   (174.8) 100.0 (†) 18.0   (0.66) 43.5   (0.75) 15.0   (0.56) 13.6   (0.53) 8.4   (0.47) 1.5   (0.18)
Production, transportation, and material moving 11,846   (186.4) 100.0 (†) 12.4   (0.55) 47.4   (0.82) 18.1   (0.67) 9.2   (0.47) 10.6   (0.51) 2.3   (0.25)

Females
62,355   (264.2) 100.0 (†) 4.5   (0.13) 20.6   (0.27) 14.1   (0.21) 12.4   (0.24) 29.0   (0.30) 19.4   (0.29)
Management, professional, and related 31,547   (257.3) 100.0 (†) 0.7   (0.07) 7.9   (0.25) 8.5   (0.25) 11.1   (0.29) 38.3   (0.47) 33.4   (0.50)
Management, business, and financial operations 11,912   (168.3) 100.0 (†) 1.2   (0.17) 11.7   (0.48) 11.4   (0.47) 9.7   (0.43) 42.5   (0.79) 23.6   (0.63)
Professional and related 19,635   (218.1) 100.0 (†) 0.5   (0.07) 5.6   (0.25) 6.8   (0.30) 12.0   (0.40) 35.7   (0.57) 39.4   (0.64)
Education, training, and library 6,230   (135.1) 100.0 (†) 0.4 ! (0.13) 5.3   (0.42) 5.9   (0.52) 6.6   (0.49) 33.7   (1.04) 48.1   (1.14)
Service occupations 10,533   (154.2) 100.0 (†) 13.2   (0.50) 36.3   (0.76) 18.8   (0.67) 14.0   (0.57) 14.2   (0.58) 3.5   (0.32)
Sales and office occupations 15,568   (189.7) 100.0 (†) 2.8   (0.19) 29.4   (0.51) 21.2   (0.54) 14.5   (0.51) 25.7   (0.58) 6.4   (0.30)
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 623   (39.7) 100.0 (†) 22.0   (2.72) 29.0   (2.94) 16.1   (2.41) 13.8   (2.34) 16.4   (2.54) 2.7 ! (1.24)
Production, transportation, and material moving 4,085   (111.1) 100.0 (†) 14.0   (0.82) 43.8   (1.37) 17.6   (0.95) 10.5   (0.77) 10.6   (0.81) 3.6   (0.44)
†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 Includes equivalency credentials, such as the GED credential.
NOTE: Data are based on sample surveys of the noninstitutionalized population, which excludes persons living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities); this table includes only data on the civilian population (excludes all military personnel). Caution should be used when comparing 2020 and 2021 estimates to those of prior years due to the impact that the coronavirus pandemic had on interviewing and response rates. For additional information about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Current Population Survey data collection, please see https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/techdocs/cpsmar21.pdf. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 2020 and 2021. (This table was prepared December 2021.)

2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest