Educational Attainment

View Quarterly by: This Issue | Volume and Issue | Topics

Vol 2, Issue 3, Topic: Crosscutting Statistics

By: The Condition of Education: 1999

This article was originally published as an Indicator of the Month, taken from The Condition of Education: 1999. The sample survey data are from the U.S. Census Bureau's March Current Population Survey (CPS).

Changes in educational attainment over time indicate fluctuations in the demand for skills and knowledge in the workforce as well as societal changes. An increase in the overall level of educational attainment can reflect the increasing emphasis society places on completing high school and college. Completing high school or college is an important educational accomplishment that yields many benefits, such as better job opportunities and higher earnings.

The educational attainment of 25- to 29-year-olds increased between 1971 and 1998. The percentage with a high school diploma or equivalency certificate rose from 78 to 88 percent; the percentage of high school completers with at least some college rose from 44 to 66 percent; and the percentage of high school completers with a bachelor's degree or higher rose from 22 to 31 percent (table 1 and figure 1).
The educational attainment of blacks ages 25-29 increased across all education levels between 1971 and 1998. During this period, the rates of high school completion became more similar for blacks and whites. In 1971, blacks ages 25-29 completed high school at a rate that was 72 percent of the rate of whites, while in 1998 the high school completion rate for blacks was 94 percent of the rate of whites. In contrast, the gaps in attainment between white and black high school completers with at least some college remained about the same, and the gap for those with a bachelor's degree or higher widened.
The educational attainment of Hispanics ages 25-29 increased across all levels between 1971 and 1998. However, despite these increases, the gaps in attainment between Hispanics and whites remained similar at every attainment level during this period.
In 1971, females ages 25-29 had lower rates of attainment at every education level than their male peers. However, between 1971 and 1998, the educational attainment of females increased at a faster rate than that of males, and by 1998, the attainment rate of females surpassed that of their male peers.

Figure 1. - Percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds who completed high school and percentage of high school completers with at least some college or a bachelor's degree or higher, by race/ethnicity: March 1971-98

NOTE: The Current Population Survey (CPS) questions used to obtain educational attainment were changed in 1992. In 1994, the survey instrument for the CPS was changed and weights were adjusted. Included in totals, but not shown separately, are other racial/ethnic groups.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, (Current Population Survey CPS), March 1971-98.

Table 1. - Percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds who completed high school and percentage of high school completers with at least some college or a bachelor's degree or higher, by race/ethnicity: March 1971-98

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), March 1971-98.

Data source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS), March 1971-98.

For technical information, see

the electronic version of The Condition of Education: 1999 (NCES 1999-022)
volume 2 of the printed version: The Condition of Education: 1999 Supplemental and Standard Error Tables (NCES 1999-016)

For questions about content: contact John Wirt (john.wirt@ed.gov).

To obtain this Indicator of the Month (NCES 2000-010), call the toll-free ED Pubs number (877-433-7827) or visit the NCES web site (http://nces.ed.gov)