By Ian Wooldridge–
According to recent data released by the 2011 U.S. Census Bureau, over 30 percent of American adults age 25 or older now hold bachelor’s degrees or have attained some level of higher education.
That is the equivalent of approximately 61 million Americans. This new milestone could have college students excited about the possibility of continuing a very important trend and can serve as motivation to continue to work toward their educational goals and dreams.
The data also shows numerous gaps among the different groups that make up the approximate 61 million bachelor’s degree holders. According to an Inside Higher Ed observation, 50 percent of Asians in America 25 years or older reported having a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2011, as well as 34 percent of Caucasians, 20 percent of black people and 14 percent of Latino Americans. The New York Times observed that there were “significant gains in all demographic groups, but blacks and Latinos not only trail far behind Caucasians, the gap has also widened in the last decade.”
Inside Higher Ed also reports that of the approximate 61 million degree-holders, 30 million are men and 31 million are women. The number of women with bachelor’s degrees increased 37 percent in the last decade, while the increase for men was 23 percent. The U.S. Census Bureau shows in the new “Field of Bachelor’s Degree in the United States: 2009” report, issued in February 2012, that of the approximate 61 million people holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, close to 21 million of them held a degree in a science or engineering field.
The U.S. Census Bureau also shows in another recent report, “Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009”, issued in February 2012, that bachelor’s degree-holders suffered significantly lower rates of unemployment than those with less education during every month from January 2008 to December 2010.
Nick Keutzer, a freshman English major, finds the data as something to be excited about, saying, “I think it’s awesome that the higher education level is now at [over 30 percent.]” He then goes on to say, “and it definitely does motivate me to work harder towards my degree so that I am not left behind in any way in regards to opportunities I might have in the future… I know that simply having a degree will greatly increase my chances of getting a job.”
However, despite this educational increase, room for improvement is made apparent, The College Insider reports, of a study conducted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education that reveals that only 56 percent of people who enroll in bachelor’s degree programs earn their qualifications in six years or less. Despite this apparent shortcoming observed by Harvard University, the current 61 million degree-holders represent a first for the United States, and lead the way for the educational goals that the U.S. government wishes to obtain; President Obama aims to raise the nation’s college-completion rate so that this country leads the world by 2020.
“This is an important milestone in our history,” Robert Groves, director of the Census Bureau said in a statement. He then adds, “For many people, education is a sure path to a prosperous life. The more education people have, the more likely they are to have a job and earn more money, particularly for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree.”
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Photo/Flickr: UniversityofLouisville
