Educational Attainment in The United States - General Attainment of Degrees/diplomas

General Attainment of Degrees/diplomas

Educational attainment in the United States, Age 25 and Over (2011)
Education Percentage
High school graduate 87.58%
Some college 56.86%
Associate's and/or Bachelor's degree 39.89%
Bachelor's degree 30.44%
Master's degree 7.95%
Doctorate or professional degree 3.00%

In 2005, the proportion of the population having finished high school and the percentage of those having earned bachelor's degrees remained at an all-time high, while the growth in both categories has slowed down over the past two decades. The vast majority of the population, 85.2%, had finished high school and nearly a quarter, 22%, had earned a Bachelor's degree. The percentage of both college and high school graduates continued to increase since 2000.

Since 1983 the percentage of people graduating from high school has increased from 85% to 88%. The greatest increases in educational attainment were documented in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. In the 1950s and much of the 1960s high school graduates constituted about 50% of those considered adults (25 and above). For young adults aged between 25 and 29, the percentage of high school graduates was roughly 50% in 1950 versus 90% today.

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