More Adults Are Earning College Degrees

In 2009 the President proclaimed that he wanted the United States to become a leader in college attainment, and so far the nation has been living up to his expectations.

3 in 10 Americans, over the age of 25 now have at least a bachelor’s degree according to the Census Bureau. 30.4% had a bachelor, master, professional or doctoral degree as of March 2011; up 4% since 2001.

From 2001 to 2011, the number of Hispanics with a bachelor’s or higher education increased by a whopping 80% from 2.1 million to 3.8 million adults. The number of African-Americans with a bachelor’s degree also rose to approximately 13.1% compared to 11.5% in 2009.

Adults with bachelor’s degrees fared much better during the recession than their counterparts without a degree. Every month from January 2008 to December 2010 those with a bachelor’s degree had a lower unemployment rate than those with less education. In 2010 the unemployment rate for those with a high school diploma or GED was nearly double the rate of adults with a bachelor’s degree.

“For many people, education is a sure path to a prosperous life. The more education people have the more likely they are to have a job and earn more money, particularly for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree.” Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said in a press release.

The U.S has been on an upward trend of educational attainment for decades, this is just another milestone of hopefully many more to come.