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Chapter 8. State Indicators

Higher Education

Bachelor's degree holders among individuals 25–44 years old



Findings

  • The early- to mid-career population with at least a bachelor's degree was 30.9% nationwide in 2009, an increase from 26.8% in 2000.
  • All states showed an increase in the percentage of their early-career population with at least a bachelor's degree between 2000 and 2009.
  • In 2009, the percentage of the early-career population with at least a bachelor's degree varied among states, ranging from 20.3 % to 45.1%. The highest percentages tended to be found in the New England and Middle Atlantic states.
  • States with the lowest cost of living tended to rank lowest on this indicator.
  • The difference between EPSCoR and non-EPSCoR states, as a group, remained relatively unchanged and may have increased slightly over the decade.


Description

This indicator represents the percentage of the early- to mid-career population that has earned at least a 4-year undergraduate degree. The indicator represents where college degree holders live rather than where they were educated. The age cohort of 25–44 years represents a group of individuals who are potential long-term participants in a state's workforce.

Estimates of educational attainment are developed by the U.S. Census Bureau. Small differences in the value of this indicator between states and across time generally are not meaningful.

Data Table

Table 8-31
Bachelor's degree holders among individuals 25–44 years old, by state: 2000, 2005, and 2009
 
  Bachelor's degree holders 25–44 years old   Individuals 25–44 years old   Bachelor's degree holders/individuals 25–44 years old (%)
State 2000 2005 2009   2000 2005 2009   2000 2005 2009
 
EPSCoR states 3,004,954 3,199,506 3,399,367   13,582,778 13,120,340 13,171,410   22.1 24.4 25.8
Non-EPSCoR states 19,692,206 21,057,298 22,147,292   71,268,034 69,946,658 69,726,885   27.6 30.1 31.8
Average EPSCoR state value na na na   na na na   23.4 26.0 27.4
Average non-EPSCoR state value na na na   na na na   28.0 30.7 32.4
 
United States 22,781,996 24,353,620 25,662,617   85,040,251 83,257,116 83,096,278   26.8 29.3 30.9
Alabama 275,759 288,817 303,640   1,288,527 1,231,043 1,235,509   21.4 23.5 24.6
Alaska 45,560 45,315 45,858   203,522 191,837 197,248   22.4 23.6 23.2
Arizona 355,836 408,522 458,075   1,511,469 1,695,189 1,826,751   23.5 24.1 25.1
Arkansas 136,883 152,225 161,439   750,972 747,630 755,915   18.2 20.4 21.4
California 2,882,717 3,112,603 3,270,704   10,714,403 10,668,824 10,604,180   26.9 29.2 30.8
Colorado 480,984 512,178 537,204   1,400,850 1,388,046 1,445,400   34.3 36.9 37.2
Connecticut 362,272 362,929 354,994   1,032,689 951,020 899,649   35.1 38.2 39.5
Delaware 65,811 71,090 73,657   236,441 234,823 232,837   27.8 30.3 31.6
District of Columbia 84,836 96,816 115,958   189,439 190,118 197,983   44.8 50.9 58.6
Florida 1,081,551 1,212,200 1,270,000   4,569,347 4,787,948 4,789,059   23.7 25.3 26.5
Georgia 718,591 820,695 844,470   2,652,764 2,746,294 2,830,740   27.1 29.9 29.8
Hawaii 99,378 95,029 111,896   362,336 354,560 360,037   27.4 26.8 31.1
Idaho 80,235 89,959 98,196   362,401 375,247 400,329   22.1 24.0 24.5
Illinois 1,149,688 1,216,933 1,264,186   3,795,544 3,611,958 3,544,995   30.3 33.7 35.7
Indiana 397,050 408,107 440,159   1,791,828 1,716,726 1,689,050   22.2 23.8 26.1
Iowa 202,004 221,497 228,596   808,259 746,659 734,622   25.0 29.7 31.1
Kansas 223,467 224,946 234,605   769,204 713,752 717,645   29.1 31.5 32.7
Kentucky 234,921 256,209 287,622   1,210,773 1,172,770 1,162,402   19.4 21.8 24.7
Louisiana 256,363 267,429 285,090   1,293,128 1,217,593 1,186,325   19.8 22.0 24.0
Maine 86,989 85,987 91,692   370,597 344,295 322,409   23.5 25.0 28.4
Maryland 566,294 582,280 613,136   1,664,677 1,611,882 1,557,085   34.0 36.1 39.4
Massachusetts 773,569 780,522 805,478   1,989,783 1,857,726 1,787,350   38.9 42.0 45.1
Michigan 719,607 757,970 714,045   2,960,544 2,743,365 2,536,880   24.3 27.6 28.1
Minnesota 476,707 511,402 520,361   1,497,320 1,420,387 1,394,305   31.8 36.0 37.3
Mississippi 144,488 152,606 161,959   807,170 771,676 761,785   17.9 19.8 21.3
Missouri 407,449 429,501 456,593   1,626,302 1,566,374 1,554,391   25.1 27.4 29.4
Montana 62,682 63,693 71,370   245,220 226,076 231,769   25.6 28.2 30.8
Nebraska 134,516 149,233 148,518   487,107 453,659 451,666   27.6 32.9 32.9
Nevada 111,517 143,301 167,403   628,572 719,501 769,608   17.7 19.9 21.8
New Hampshire 114,745 122,682 118,843   381,240 357,080 333,694   30.1 34.4 35.6
New Jersey 899,016 943,939 935,352   2,624,146 2,485,721 2,363,679   34.3 38.0 39.6
New Mexico 110,360 110,562 117,143   516,100 510,063 523,059   21.4 21.7 22.4
New York 1,817,661 1,964,870 2,072,041   5,831,622 5,548,409 5,351,598   31.2 35.4 38.7
North Carolina 636,799 697,740 768,610   2,500,535 2,485,963 2,553,673   25.5 28.1 30.1
North Dakota 46,291 48,381 50,787   174,891 151,681 153,582   26.5 31.9 33.1
Ohio 806,803 833,138 852,179   3,325,210 3,122,259 2,998,151   24.3 26.7 28.4
Oklahoma 209,025 218,272 224,298   975,169 929,451 957,235   21.4 23.5 23.4
Oregon 257,875 284,778 315,664   997,269 988,164 1,028,645   25.9 28.8 30.7
Pennsylvania 938,930 979,367 1,035,976   3,508,562 3,280,173 3,187,617   26.8 29.9 32.5
Rhode Island 88,647 98,477 94,159   310,636 296,463 274,622   28.5 33.2 34.3
South Carolina 259,773 283,280 315,848   1,185,955 1,172,501 1,200,366   21.9 24.2 26.3
South Dakota 51,213 56,951 55,005   206,399 194,122 196,143   24.8 29.3 28.0
Tennessee 380,929 401,027 458,483   1,718,428 1,698,113 1,710,134   22.2 23.6 26.8
Texas 1,571,951 1,668,865 1,848,862   6,484,321 6,665,252 7,064,651   24.2 25.0 26.2
Utah 162,495 197,780 225,717   626,600 686,668 775,481   25.9 28.8 29.1
Vermont 52,787 53,693 52,956   176,456 158,184 148,584   29.9 33.9 35.6
Virginia 722,081 763,865 815,770   2,237,655 2,194,670 2,194,699   32.3 34.8 37.2
Washington 520,382 554,104 602,269   1,816,217 1,783,093 1,855,094   28.7 31.1 32.5
West Virginia 83,441 91,539 93,104   501,343 468,846 459,606   16.6 19.5 20.3
Wisconsin 402,965 430,486 438,368   1,581,690 1,495,775 1,449,006   25.5 28.8 30.3
Wyoming 30,103 29,830 34,279   138,619 127,487 139,035   21.7 23.4 24.7
                       
Puerto Rico 245,975 276,934 286,174   1,049,995 1,076,844 1,084,239   23.4 25.7 26.4
 

na = not applicable

EPSCoR = Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

NOTE: For explanation of EPSCoR and non-EPSCoR averages, see chapter introduction.

SOURCES: Census Bureau, American Community Survey (various years), 2000 Decennial Census, and Population Estimates Program (various years).

Science and Engineering Indicators 2012
Source Data

State Data Tool

The state data tool allows interactive exploration of the 58 indicators in this chapter. Users have the ability to choose and explore a single indicator in-depth, compare multiple indicators for preselected groups, customize their own graphics, or download data tables. Click the button below to get started.

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Chapter 8
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