POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS

14

Educational Attainment

Census data from 2000 indicate that men achieve higher levels of education than women. While slightly more women aged 25 and older have a high school diploma or an associate degree, a larger proportion of males have obtained a bachelor's or master's degree or above. The percentage of males with bachelor's degrees or above was slightly higher in 2000 than that of females. However, as women now outnumber men among college students, this educational gap is expected to narrow.

In 2000, 16 percent of adults aged 25 and older had not completed a high school education; however, 30 percent of both women and men in this group were aged 65 and older, a group less likely than younger cohorts to have pursued higher education.

Asian/Pacific Islander women were significantly more likely than women of other races to achieve higher levels of education. Approximately 41 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander women had a bachelor's degree or above in 2000, followed by 25.5 percent of non-Hispanic White women, and 17 percent of non-Hispanic Black women. Forty-three percent of Hispanic women had an eleventh grade education or less.

Educational attainment for population 25 years and over, all races by sex, 2000: Female: 11thgrade or less: 16.0%; High School Graduation: 34.3%; Associate Degree or Some College, no degree: 26.1%; Bachelor's Degree: 16.3%; Master's degree or above: 7.3%. Male: 11th grade and above: 15.8%; High School Graduation: 31.9%; Associate Degree or some college, no degree: 24.5%; Bachelor's Degree: 17.8%; Master's Degree or above: 10.0%.

 

Education Attainment for Female Population 25 years and over, by race and Hispanic Origin, 2000: 11.6% of non-Hispanic whites, 21.3% of non-Hispanic blacks, 42.5% of Hispanics, and 16.6% of Asian/Pacific Islanders went through the 11th grade or less. 35.8% of non-Hispanic whites, 34.1% of non-Hispanic blacks, 27.6% of Hispanics, and 23.6% of Asian/Pacific Islanders have a high school diploma. 27.1% of non-Hispanic whites, 27.8% of non-Hispanic blacks, 19.4% of Hispanics, and 19% of Asian/Pacific Islanders have some college. 17.6% of non- Hispanic whites, 11.4% of non-Hispanic blacks, 7.3% of Hispanics, and 29.5% of Asian/Pacific Islanders have a bachelor's degree. 7.9% of non-Hispanic whites, 5.4% of non-Hispanic blacks, 3.3% of Hispanics, and 11.3% of Asian/Pacific Islanders have an advanced degree.

 

<<Back | Next Page>>