The U.S. Census Bureau has published new data on educational attainment in the United States for 2024, providing a detailed look at the education levels of adults aged 18 and older. The figures are drawn from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement, which is jointly sponsored by the Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the latest findings, 42.8% of individuals between ages 25 and 39 held a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2024. Among those aged 40 to 54, this figure was slightly lower at 41.5%, while it dropped to 34.2% for adults age 55 and older.
When examining educational attainment by gender, women surpassed men: “In 2024, 40.1% of women and 37.1% of men age 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher.”
The data also highlighted employment trends based on education level. “In 2024, 49.3% of employed workers had a high school diploma or associate degree and 44.5% had a bachelor’s degree or higher as their highest level of educational attainment, and 6.1% did not have a high school diploma or equivalent.”
Educational requirements varied across occupations and industries in the report’s breakdowns:
– “In 2024, 76.5% of people who worked in professional and related occupations and 64.2% of people in management, business and financial occupations held a bachelor’s degree or higher.”
– “The occupation with the highest percentage of high school diploma or associate degree holders was installation, maintenance and repair (78.3%).”
– “The industry with the highest percentage of workers with a high school diploma or associate degree was transportation and utilities (67.5%).”
– “The industries with the highest percentage of workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher were information (64.9%) and education and health services (61.2%).”
The Current Population Survey remains an essential resource for national labor force statistics.
All comparative statements included in this summary have been statistically tested at the ten percent significance level according to Census Bureau technical documentation.
