In 2021, the District of Columbia had the most highly educated population in the United States, with 61.4 percent of residents over the age of 25 having a Bachelor's degree or higher. Massachusetts followed closely behind, with 45.2 percent of residents having completed a Bachelor's degree or higher. For the United States as a whole, this figure stood at 33.7 percent of the population.

In 2021, about 37.7 percent of the U.S. population who were aged 25 and above had graduated from college or another higher education institution, a slight decline from 37.9 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-American and Pacific Islanders had the highest level of education, on average, while Massachusetts and the District of Colombia 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.

In an impressive increase from years past, 39 percent of women in the United States had completed four years or more of college in 2022. This figure is up from 3.8 percent of women in 1940. A significant increase can also be seen in males, with 36.2 percent of the U.S. male population having completed four years or more of college in 2022, up from 5.5 percent in 1940.

4- and 2-year colleges

In the United States, college students are able to choose between attending a 2-year postsecondary program and a 4-year postsecondary program. Generally, attending a 2-year program results in an Associate’s Degree, and 4-year programs result in a Bachelor’s Degree.

Many 2-year programs are designed so that attendees can transfer to a college or university offering a 4-year program upon completing their Associate’s. Completion of a 4-year program is the generally accepted standard for entry-level positions when looking for a job.

Earnings after college

Factors such as gender, degree achieved, and the level of postsecondary education can have an impact on employment and earnings later in life. Some Bachelor’s degrees continue to attract more male students than female, particularly in STEM fields, while liberal arts degrees such as education, languages and literatures, and communication tend to see higher female attendance.

All of these factors have an impact on earnings after college, and despite nearly the same rate of attendance within the American population between males and females, men with a Bachelor’s Degree continue to have higher weekly earnings on average than their female counterparts.

Graph and download economic data for Employment Level - Bachelor's Degree and Higher, 25 Yrs. & over (LNU02027662) from Jan 1992 to Feb 2025 about 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, employment, and USA.

In the academic year of 2020/21, about 860,760 male and 1.2 million female students earned a Bachelor's degree in the United States. By the academic year of 2031/32, the number of male Bachelor's degree recipients is expected to reach 975,020.

Bachelor’s degrees in the United States

American students typically earn a Bachelor’s degree for an undergraduate course of study and it is normally completed in four years. Depending on the major, students receive a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Fine Arts, or another type of certificate.

In 2021, about 1.17 million white students earned a Bachelor's degree, followed by 324,848 Hispanic students.

Bachelor's degrees and earnings

When looking at the mean income of Bachelor’s degree holders in 2021, there are marked differences between the female and male Bachelor’s degree holders. Men with a Bachelor’s degree earned about 107,315 U.S. dollars per year, compared to women, who earned 77,099 U.S. dollars per year. In addition, salaries tended to increase the more educated a person was.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 years and over (CGBD25O) from Jan 2000 to Feb 2025 about 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

United States - Unemployment Rate: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 25 years and over was 2.30% in February of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 25 years and over reached a record high of 6.20 in April of 2020 and a record low of 1.00 in December of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 25 years and over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 to 34 years, Women was 3.10% in February of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 to 34 years, Women reached a record high of 11.00 in July of 2020 and a record low of 1.30 in September of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 to 34 years, Women - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

This statistic shows the percentage of the U.S. population, aged 25 years and older, with a bachelor's degree or more as of 2010. The results are distinguished by ethnic groups. 49 percent of Asian-Americans aged 25 and older held a bachelor's degree as of 2010.

Graph and download economic data for Labor Force Participation Rate - Bachelor's Degree and Higher, 25 Yrs. & over (LNS11327662) from Jan 1992 to Feb 2025 about 25 years +, participation, tertiary schooling, civilian, education, labor force, labor, household survey, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher for California (GCT1502CA) from 2006 to 2023 about 25 years +, tertiary schooling, educational attainment, education, CA, and USA.

United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 to 64 years was 2.40% in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 to 64 years reached a record high of 9.20 in April of 2020 and a record low of 1.50 in April of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 to 64 years - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Bachelor's degree or higher Poverty Rate Statistics for 2023. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in United States by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher for New Hampshire (GCT1502NH) from 2006 to 2023 about NH, 25 years +, tertiary schooling, educational attainment, education, and USA.

United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 & Over: Bachelor's Degree & Higher data was reported at 2.000 % in Oct 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 2.000 % for Sep 2018. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 & Over: Bachelor's Degree & Higher data is updated monthly, averaging 2.600 % from Jan 1992 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 322 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.300 % in Jul 2009 and a record low of 1.400 % in Dec 2000. United States Unemployment Rate: Age 25 & Over: Bachelor's Degree & Higher data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G018: Current Population Survey: Unemployment Rate.

United States Labour Force Parti Rate: Age 25 & Over: Bachelor's Degree & Higher data was reported at 73.600 % in Oct 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 73.600 % for Sep 2018. United States Labour Force Parti Rate: Age 25 & Over: Bachelor's Degree & Higher data is updated monthly, averaging 78.100 % from Jan 1992 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 322 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81.700 % in Oct 1994 and a record low of 73.200 % in Jul 2018. United States Labour Force Parti Rate: Age 25 & Over: Bachelor's Degree & Higher data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G008: Current Population Survey: Labour Force.

This statistic shows the percentage of the Black, non-Hispanic population aged between 25 and 29 years with a bachelor's degree or a higher level degree in the United States from 1975 to 2021, by gender. In 2021, about 32 percent of Black, non-Hispanic females had attained at least a bachelor's degree in the United States.

Bachelor's degree or higher Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in American Fork, Utah by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

United States - Unemployment Rate - Bachelor's Degree and Higher, 25 Yrs. & over was 2.50% in February of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - Bachelor's Degree and Higher, 25 Yrs. & over reached a record high of 8.40 in April of 2020 and a record low of 1.50 in April of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - Bachelor's Degree and Higher, 25 Yrs. & over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 45 to 54 years, Men was 2.30% in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 45 to 54 years, Men reached a record high of 6.90 in April of 2020 and a record low of 0.80 in May of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 45 to 54 years, Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.