Racial Disparities in Education
Racial Disparities in Education
Contents
Educational Attainment, By Race, Over Time
The following tables show how education rates have changed over time for the U.S. population over age 25.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
High School Graduation Rates, Age 25 and Older
| Year | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian/Pacific Islander |
| 1960 | 43% | 20% | ||
| 1970 | 57% | 34% | ||
| 1980 | 70.5% | 51.2% | ||
| 1990 | 79.9% | 66.7% | 51.3% | |
| 2000 | 88.4% | 78.9% | 57.0% | 85.6% |
| 2010 | 90% | 81.6% | 60.6% | 88.3% |
College Graduation Rates, Age 25 and Older*
| Year | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian/Pacific Islander |
| 1960 | 8.1% | 3.1% | ||
| 1970 | 11.6% | 4.5% | ||
| 1980 | 17.8% | 7.9% | ||
| 1990 | 22.2% | 11.5% | 9.7% | |
| 2000 | 28.1% | 16.6% | 10.6% | 43.9% |
| 2010 | 33.3% | 19.8% | 13.9% | 52.4% |
- For some years, the figures used were for completion of four or more years of college, and for other years, the figures are for completion of a bachelor's degree or higher.
The Value of a College Degree
The value of a college education can be seen in median earnings. As of 2009, the median income for those who did not complete high school was $18,432. It was $26,776 for those who did graduate high school, and $47,510 with a bachelor's degree. However, median incomes varied by race. The non-Hispanic white median income with a bachelor's degree was $48,585, compared to $41,329 for blacks, $49,110 for Asians, and $39,867 for Hispanics.[9] Also, between January 2008 and December 2010, those with only a high school education were more likely to be unemployed than those with bachelor's degrees.
A 1999 study found that "the payoff to attending an elite college appears to be greater for students from more disadvantaged family backgrounds."[10]
Articles and resources
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References
- ↑ Table 76. Years of School Completed by Persons 25 Years Old and Over, by Color and Sex, for the United States, Urban and Rural, 1960 and 1950, and for Conterminous United States, 1940 to 1960, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Table A.--Educational Attainment of Persons 25 Years Old and Over and 25 to 29 Years Old, By Race: 1969,1960, 1950, and 1940, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Population Characteristics: Educational Attainment, March 1970, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ [1], U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Table 12. Percentage of Persons 25 Years Old and Over Who Have Completed High School or College, by Race and Sex: April 1940 to March 1981, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Robert Kominski and Andrea Adams, Educational Attainment in the United States: March 1991 and 1990, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Table 10. Educational Attainment of People 25 Years and Over, by Nativity and Period of Entry, Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: March 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, March 2000, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Table 3. Detailed Years of School Completed by People 25 Years and Over by Sex, Age Groups, Race and Hispanic Origin: 2010, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Camille L. Ryan and Julie Siebens, Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009, U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Stacy Berg Dale andAlan B. Krueger, "Estimating the Payoff to Attending a More Selective College: An Application of Selection on Observables and Unobservables," National Bureau of Economic Research, August 1999.
