The Census reports on the level of education attained by adults age 25 and older. Our elderly population grew up in a time when education attainment was typically lower, and college attendance was less widespread. As this population is succeeded by younger and increasingly well-educated cohorts, the percent of the population that has attained higher levels of education slowly increases. Not only has the number of diplomas and degrees increased, but their percentage in the population has also increased, indicating a growth in attainment greater than the relative growth in national population.
| Educational Attainment in Population 25 Years and Over, 1990-2000 | ||||
| 1990 | 2000 | |||
| Number | Percent of Total | Number | Percent of Total | |
| Total Population Age 25+ | 7,293,930 | 100.00% | 7,973,671 | 100.00% |
| Less than 9th grade | 750,932 | 10.30% | 597,684 | 7.50% |
| Some high school, no diploma | 984,857 | 13.50% | 882,759 | 11.07% |
| High school graduate* | 2,187,342 | 29.99% | 2,212,291 | 27.74% |
| Some college, no degree | 1,414,555 | 19.39% | 1,720,386 | 21.58% |
| Associate degree | 421,248 | 5.78% | 482,502 | 6.05% |
| Bachelor's degree | 989,808 | 13.57% | 1,317,182 | 16.52% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 545,188 | 7.47% | 760,867 | 9.54% |
* "High school graduate" includes people with the G.E.D. and similar equivalents.
Source: Census 2000 analyzed by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN).
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