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.

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 Bachelor's Degree or Higher (5-year estimate) in San Francisco County/city, CA (HC01ESTVC1706075) from 2010 to 2023 about San Francisco County/City, CA; San Francisco; tertiary schooling; educational attainment; education; CA; 5-year; and USA.

U.S. citizens with a professional degree had the highest median household income in 2023, at 172,100 U.S. dollars. In comparison, those with less than a 9th grade education made significantly less money, at 35,690 U.S. dollars. Household income The median household income in the United States has fluctuated since 1990, but rose to around 70,000 U.S. dollars in 2021. Maryland had the highest median household income in the United States in 2021. Maryland’s high levels of wealth is due to several reasons, and includes the state's proximity to the nation's capital. Household income and ethnicity The median income of white non-Hispanic households in the United States had been on the rise since 1990, but declining since 2019. While income has also been on the rise, the median income of Hispanic households was much lower than those of white, non-Hispanic private households. However, the median income of Black households is even lower than Hispanic households. Income inequality is a problem without an easy solution in the United States, especially since ethnicity is a contributing factor. Systemic racism contributes to the non-White population suffering from income inequality, which causes the opportunity for growth to stagnate.

Created for the 2023-2025 State of Black Los Angeles County (SBLA) interactive report. To learn more about this effort, please visit the report home page at https://ceo.lacounty.gov/ardi/sbla/. For more information about the purpose of this data, please contact CEO-ARDI. For more information about the configuration of this data, please contact ISD-Enterprise GIS. table name indicator name Universe timeframe source race notes source url

below_fpl_perc below 100% federal poverty level percent (%) Population for whom poverty status is determined 2016-2020 American Community Survey - S1703 Race alone; White is Non-Hispanic White https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US06037&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1703

below_200fpl_perc below 200% federal poverty level percent (%) Total population 2021 Population and Poverty Estimates of Los Angeles County Tract-City Splits by Age, Sex and Race-Ethnicity for July 1, 2021, Los Angeles, CA, April 2022 All races are Non-Hispanic LA County eGIS-Demography

median_income Median income (household) Households 2016-2020 American Community Survey - S1903 All races are Non-Hispanic; Race is that of householder https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=S1903&g=0500000US06037

percapita_income Mean Per Capita Income Total population 2016-2020 American Community Survey - S1902 Race alone; White is Non-Hispanic White https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US06037&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1902

college_degree_any College degree AA, BA, or Higher % Population 25 years and over 2021 American Community Survey - B15002B-I Race alone; White is Non-Hispanic White https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=b15002b&g=0500000US06037

graduate_professional_degree Graduate or professional degree % Population 25 years and over 2021 American Community Survey - B15002B-I Race alone; White is Non-Hispanic White https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=b15002b&g=0500000US06037

unemployment_rate Unemployment Rate Population 16 years and over 2016-2020 American Community Survey - S2301 Race alone; White is Non-Hispanic White https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=S2301%3A%20EMPLOYMENT%20STATUS&g=0500000US06037&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S2301

below_300fpl_food_insecure Percent of Households with Incomes <300% Federal Poverty Level That Are Food Insecure Percent of Households with Incomes <300% Federal Poverty Level 2018 Los Angeles County Health Survey

https://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/LACHSDataTopics2018.htm

below_185fpl_snap Percent of Adults (Ages 18 Years and Older) with Household Incomes <185% Federal Poverty Level Who Are Currently Receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Also Known as Calfresh Adults (Ages 18 Years and Older) with Household Incomes <185% Federal Poverty Level Los Angeles County Health Survey 20182018 https://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/LACHSDataTopics2018.htm

B24010 Sex by Occupation for the Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over Civilian employed population 16 years and over