Educational attainment in the U.S.

Educational attainment distribution in the United States from 1960 to 2024

Year	High school graduate or more	College graduate or more
2024	91.4%	38.7%
2023	91.4%	38.3%
2022	91.2%	37.7%
2021	91.1%	37.9%
2020	90.9%	37.5%
2019	90.1%	36%
2018	89.8%	35%
2017	89.6%	34.2%
2016	89.1%	33.4%
2015	88.4%	32.5%
2014	88.3%	32%
2013	88.2%	31.7%
2012	87.6%	30.9%
2011	87.6%	30.4%
2010	87.1%	29.9%
2009	86.7%	29.5%
2008	86.6%	29.4%
2007	85.7%	28.7%
2006	85.5%	28%
2005	85.2%	27.7%
2004	85.2%	27.7%
2003	84.6%	27.2%
2002	84.1%	26.7%
2001	84.1%	26.2%
2000	84.1%	25.6%
1999	83.4%	25.2%
1998	82.8%	24.4%
1997	82.1%	23.9%
1996	81.7%	23.6%
1995	81.7%	23%
1994	80.9%	22.2%
1993	80.2%	21.9%
1992	79.4%	21.4%
1991	78.4%	21.4%
1990	77.6%	21.3%
1985	73.9%	19.4%
1980	66.5%	16.2%
1975	62.5%	13.9%
1970	52.3%	10.7%
1965	49%	9.4%
1960	41.1%	7.7%

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Release date

August 2025

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

1960 to 2024

Age group

25 years and older

Citation formats

In 2024, about 38.7 percent of the U.S. population who were aged 25 and above had graduated from college or another higher education institution, a slight increase from 38.3 percent the previous year. However, this is a significant increase from 1960, when only 7.7 percent of the U.S. population had graduated from college.

Demographics

Educational attainment varies by gender, location, race, and age throughout the United States. Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders had the highest level of education, on average, while Massachusetts and the District of Columbia are areas home to the highest rates of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher. However, education levels are correlated with wealth. While public education is free up until the 12th grade, the cost of university is out of reach for many Americans, making social mobility increasingly difficult.

Earnings

White Americans with a professional degree earned the most money on average, compared to other educational levels and races. However, regardless of educational attainment, males typically earned far more on average compared to females. Despite the decreasing wage gap over the years in the country, it remains an issue to this day. Not only is there a large wage gap between males and females, but there is also a large income gap linked to race as well.