Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Nome Census Area, AK (HC01ESTVC1702180) from 2010 to 2023 about Nome Census Area, AK; AK; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; 5-year; and USA.

In 2022, 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.

Overall educational attainment measures the highest level of education attained by a given individual: for example, an individual counted in the percentage of the measured population with a master’s or professional degree can be assumed to also have a bachelor’s degree and a high school diploma, but they are not counted in the population percentages for those two categories. Overall educational attainment is the broadest education indicator available, providing information about the measured county population as a whole.

Only members of the population aged 25 and older are included in these educational attainment estimates, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).

Champaign County has high educational attainment: over 48 percent of the county's population aged 25 or older has a bachelor's degree or graduate or professional degree as their highest level of education. In comparison, the percentage of the population aged 25 or older in the United States and Illinois with a bachelor's degree in 2023 was 21.8% (+/-0.1) and 22.8% (+/-0.2), respectively. The population aged 25 or older in the U.S. and Illinois with a graduate or professional degree in 2022, respectively, was 14.3% (+/-0.1) and 15.5% (+/-0.2).

Educational attainment data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, which are released annually.

As with any datasets that are estimates rather than exact counts, it is important to take into account the margins of error (listed in the column beside each figure) when drawing conclusions from the data.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of providing the standard 1-year data products, the Census Bureau released experimental estimates from the 1-year data in 2020. This includes a limited number of data tables for the nation, states, and the District of Columbia. The Census Bureau states that the 2020 ACS 1-year experimental tables use an experimental estimation methodology and should not be compared with other ACS data. For these reasons, and because data is not available for Champaign County, no data for 2020 is included in this Indicator.

For interested data users, the 2020 ACS 1-Year Experimental data release includes a dataset on Educational Attainment for the Population 25 Years and Over.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (16 October 2024).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (29 September 2023).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (6 October 2022).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (4 June 2021).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; (4 June 2021).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2017 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (13 September 2018).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2016 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (13 September 2018). U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2015 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (19 September 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2013 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2012 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2009 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2008 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2007 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2006 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2005 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using American FactFinder; (16 March 2016).

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Clay County, TX (HC01ESTVC1748077) from 2010 to 2023 about Clay County, TX; Wichita Falls; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; TX; 5-year; and USA.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; https://data.census.gov/cedsci/; (7 February 2025).

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Santa Cruz County, CA (HC01ESTVC1706087) from 2010 to 2023 about Santa Cruz County, CA; Santa Cruz; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; CA; 5-year; and USA.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S1501; generated by CCRPC staff; using data.census.gov; https://data.census.gov/cedsci/; (10 February 2025).

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Broward County, FL (HC01ESTVC1712011) from 2010 to 2023 about Broward County, FL; Miami; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; FL; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in San Diego County, CA (HC01ESTVC1706073) from 2010 to 2023 about San Diego County, CA; San Diego; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; CA; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Orange County, CA (HC01ESTVC1706059) from 2010 to 2023 about Orange County, CA; Los Angeles; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; CA; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Indian River County, FL (HC01ESTVC1712061) from 2010 to 2023 about Indian River County, FL; Sebastian; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; FL; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Los Angeles County, CA (HC01ESTVC1706037) from 2010 to 2023 about Los Angeles County, CA; Los Angeles; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; CA; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Kern County, CA (HC01ESTVC1706029) from 2010 to 2023 about Kern County, CA; Bakersfield; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; CA; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Middlesex County, MA (HC01ESTVC1725017) from 2010 to 2023 about Middlesex County, MA; Boston; MA; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Riverside County, CA (HC01ESTVC1706065) from 2010 to 2023 about Riverside County, CA; Riverside; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; CA; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Archuleta County, CO (HC01ESTVC1708007) from 2010 to 2023 about Archuleta County, CO; CO; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Lake County, CO (HC01ESTVC1708065) from 2010 to 2023 about Lake County, CO; CO; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Dallas County, TX (HC01ESTVC1748113) from 2010 to 2023 about Dallas County, TX; Dallas; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; TX; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Idaho County, ID (HC01ESTVC1716049) from 2010 to 2023 about Idaho County, ID; ID; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; 5-year; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in Webb County, TX (HC01ESTVC1748479) from 2010 to 2023 about Webb County, TX; Laredo; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; TX; 5-year; and USA.