Mercer County

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

The Census reports on the level of education attained by adults age 25 and older. Our elderly population grew up in a time when education attainment was typically lower, and college attendance was less widespread. As this population is succeeded by younger and increasingly well-educated cohorts, the percent of the population that has attained higher levels of education slowly increases. Not only has the number of diplomas and degrees increased, but their percentage in the population has also increased, indicating a growth in attainment greater than the relative growth in national population.

Educational Attainment in Population 25 Years and Over, 1990-2000
1990 2000
Number Percent of Total Number Percent of Total
Total Population Age 25+ 214,314 100.00% 231,139 100.00%
Less than 9th grade 19,013 8.87% 13,598 5.88%
Some high school, no diploma 30,072 14.03% 28,407 12.29%
High school graduate* 58,420 27.26% 59,141 25.59%
Some college, no degree 32,383 15.11% 39,094 16.91%
Associate degree 11,186 5.22% 12,393 5.36%
Bachelor's degree 36,182 16.88% 42,680 18.47%
Graduate or professional degree 27,058 12.63% 35,826 15.50%

* "High school graduate" includes people with the G.E.D. and similar equivalents.

Source: Census 2000 analyzed by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN).

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