Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population in United States
United States: Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population was 39.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population in United States, 1994–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in United States is 39.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in United States peaked at 39.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 22.5%, in 1994.
United States ranks 7th of 112 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population in United States, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 22.5% | — |
| 1995 | 23.2% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 23.8% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 24.2% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 24.9% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 25.6% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 25.9% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 26.3% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 26.9% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 27.5% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 27.7% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 27.9% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 28.4% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 29.1% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 29.5% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 29.7% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 30.0% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 30.4% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 31.1% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 31.7% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 32.0% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 32.5% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 33.4% | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 32.0% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 35.0% | +9.3% |
| 2019 | 36.1% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 37.5% | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 35.0% | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 37.7% | +7.5% |
| 2023 | 38.6% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 39.1% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.0% | 22.5% | 25.6% | 6 |
| 2000s | 27.9% | 25.9% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.4% | 30.0% | 36.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.6% | 35.0% | 39.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More education data for United States
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.56 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.6653 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0343 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.27 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0364 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5778 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.78 million (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.3162 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in United States?
- Educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in United States was 39.1% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 39.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.5% in 1994.
- How does United States rank for educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population?
- United States ranks 7th out of 112 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Bachelor's or equivalent.