Cook County Education Attainment Charts

This section of charts contains education data for Cook County Illinois based mainly on the latest year 2020 American Community Survey census data but also the survey from Common Core Data available for Public Elementary through Secondary Schools. In Figure 1, the percent of all people aged 25 years or older, who have either graduated from high school or completed the Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) or some equivalent certification/credential. Cook County depicts it has a High School Grad or higher of 87% which is the second smallest in order of percent high school graduates or better of all the other counties in the metro area. The county with the highest percent high school graduates or better in the area is Porter County which shows a high school graduates of 94% (7.4% larger).

In Figure 2, the percentage of people aged 25 years or older who have graduated from college/university with at least a bachelor's degree is provided. Note that the bachelor's degree is also called a four-year degree because it normally takes four years of full-time study to finish the course curriculum required to obtain the degree. This chart portrays the proportion of the population in this region who are college graduates with at least a bachelor degree or higher. In many ways, this analysis alongside the prior chart are very quick measures of the level of education in any particular area. Cook County depicts it has a Bachelors Degree or higher of 39% which is the third most percent with a bachelors degree or higher of all other counties in the greater Cook County region. The county with the highest percent with a bachelors degree or higher in the area is DuPage County which depicts a percent with a bachelors degree of 49% (27.2% larger).

Figure 4 shows the percentage of people 25 years of age or older who either have no schooling at all or dropped out of school before being able to complete high school. Additionally, these are people who also do not have a Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) or some other high school level type credential/student achievement. This analysis, along with the last two charts, provides another high level review and comparative data on the Cook County Illinois educational level. Cook County depicts it has a School Dropout Rate of 13% which is the second most percent who dropped out of school of all the counties in the greater Cook County region. The county with the highest percent who dropped out of school in the area is Kane County which depicts a percent who dropped out of school of 15% (19.6% larger).

Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at the educational attainment for Cook County Illinois. This chart provides the proportion of people aged 25 years of age or older and what was their level of educational attainment. The chart provides 5 broad categories including: No Education/No School, Some High School, High School or equivalent, Some college or Associates Degree, and Bachelors Degree or higher. Cook County has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with no schooling at 11% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger county being Kane County with 13%. Second, it has in the intermediate range of other counties in the area when sorted by percent of people with less than a high school education at 23% of the total.

The next chart shows a break down of people who have received a bachelor's degree or higher advanced degree generally in a campus learning environment. In particular, Figure 6, provides the proportional breakdown of all the people who have received a postsecondary education along with what the level of advanced degree that was obtained. Note that these categories do not include any type professional development type activities such as those related to maintaining professional credentials in workshop lessons. Note Professional Degree includes medical, dental, lawyers, etc. Cook County has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a bachelors degree at 25% of the total and is ranked #3. Only #2 DuPage County (25%), and #1 Lake County-IL (26%) are larger. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 7% of the total and is ranked #1.

The chart in Figure 7 shows the broad area of academic concentration or the discipline for people who have received a bachelors degree. This high level classification is essentially the field of study for which a degree was obtained. Cook County has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in a science or engineering related at 26.8% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a business degree at 9.1% of the total.

The next chart (Figure 8) provides a more detailed deep dive on the category of major degree obtained for people aged 25 years or older who earned a bachelor's degree or higher. Specifically, this frequency distribution details out what the major field of study was the degree obtained. Cook County has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in psychology at 9.4% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in engineering at 0.9% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a degree in business at 9.1% of the total. Also, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in education at 5.2% of the total and is ranked #1. In addition, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in liberal arts and history at 5.5% of the total and is ranked #1. Furthermore, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in visual and performing arts at 5.8% of the total and is ranked #1.

Figure 9 provides comparative data between the places in the greater Cook County Illinois region for broad educational attainment. This analysis uses provides five broad education attainment categories including: No Education/No School, Some High School, High School or equivalent, Some college or Associates Degree, and Bachelors Degree or higher. Cook County has the percentage of percent of people with high school (or ged) the second smallest in terms of percent of people with no schooling of all the other counties in the area at 25.2% of the total.

A more detailed frequency distribution of educational attainment is provided in Figure 10. In particular this illustration breaks out the highest levels of university educational opportunities beyond the four year college degree. Included in the breakout are the relative proportion of masters degrees, PhD/Doctorate/Doctorial holders, and professional degrees such as medicine, dentistry, lawyers, etc. Cook County has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with no schooling at 11.1% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger county being Kane County with 13.3%. Second, it has in the mid range of other counties in the local area in order of percent of people with less than high school at 23.1% of the total. The next exhibit (Figure 11) provides detailed cross tabulation analysis that provides education success data broken out or cross tabulated by age group. Please note that the columns add to 100% and you must use the pagination buttons at the bottom of the table to see all the rows. Figure 12 is a cross tabulation analysis that shows large educational success categories and is broken out or cross tabulated by racial group. Please note that the columns add to 100% and you must use the pagination buttons at the bottom of the table to see all the rows.The final cross tabulation analysis is provided in Figure 13 and shows education success broken out by gender. Please note that the columns add to 100% and you must use the pagination buttons at the bottom of the table to see all the rows.

Cook County School Enrollment Charts

The next section of chart resources look at school enrollment by a variety of educational institutions and are categorized into a number of other groupings. Figure 14 provides the overall school enrollment by broad range of school age/level groupings. Cook County has the smallest proportion of percent of children in grades 5 to 8 at 22.0% of the total. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of children in grades 9 to 12 at 22.4% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people in undergraduate colleges at 8.3% of the total and is ranked #1.

Figure 15 provides a simple high level comparison of the proportion of students that are enrolled in public schools versus students enrolled in private schools in the Cook County Illinois region. Cook County shows percent enrolled in public schools approximately 3.3 times bigger as the percent enrolled in private schools.

The next comparison provided in Figure 16 shows the proportion of students enrolled in private schools versus students enrolled public schools for students enrolled in Kindergarten through 8th grade (grade 8) or (K through 8). Cook County shows percent of children enrolled in public k-8 grades markedly bigger as the percent of children enrolled in private k-8 grades.

Figure 17 provides a comparative analysis all students enrolled in a public high school versus those students who are enrolled in private high school schools. Cook County shows percent enrolled in a public high school markedly bigger as the percent enrolled in a private high school.

The next chart (Figure 18) provides a similar analysis to the last chart but provides the data for public post secondary education versus private higher education colleges. Cook County depicts percent enrolled in a public college 73.9% larger as the percent enrolled in a private college.

Figure 19 shows another view of students enrolled in public or private schools-postsecondary schools or colleges/universities. This analysis shows the proportion for all graduate and professional schools (such as law or medical school) and whether those students are enrolled in private or public institutions. Cook County depicts percent enrolled in a public gradudate or professional school approximately half the size as the percent enrolled in a private gradudate or professional school.

The next chart in this series of resources shown in Figure 20 looks at the total number of students enrolled in any educational institution for each place in the greater Cook County region. (Total enrollment in this case includes all students from preschool all the way through students enrolled in graduate school.) Cook County shows it has a Total Enrolled of 1,285,634 which is the most of all counties in the greater Cook County region. Comparing total population enrolled in school to the United States average of 81,084,866, Cook County is only about 1.6% the size. Also, versus the state of Illinois, total population enrolled in school of 3,228,360, Cook County is approximately half the size.

Cook County Area Schools Charts

Figure 23 lists all the schools in the area along with the school district, county location and other program information/credential such as if they are a public charter school or private charter school or magnet school. Some of the Area Schools are: Jenner Elem Academy Of The Arts, Payton College Preparatory Hs, Skinner North Elem Sch, Salazar Elem Bilingual Center, and Near North Elementary School. The next illustration in Figure 24 shows the total child school enrollment for all grades (through 12th grade) at the school shown using NCES data (Common Core of Data, Public Elementary-Secondary School Universe Survey.) Looking at Enrollment for Area Schools we find that Noble Street Charter High School ranks the largest with a value of 7,842 enrolled students. The next largest values are for: Payton College Preparatory Hs (856), Skinner Elem School (831), Chicago Virtual Charter School (594), and Wells Community Academy Hs (593). The difference between the highest value (Noble Street Charter High School) and the next highest (Payton College Preparatory Hs) is that the enrolled students is about substantially bigger.

Figure 25 show the ratio of the number of students to the number of teachers in the classroom. A good student to teacher ratio should be low because it indicates that there are less students for any one teacher to educate in a class and generally a better learning environment, better success and optimal teaching excellence. Teachers includes all educational staff such as special education teachers and any other educator. Note that distance learning (online learning/remote learning) is not included in these values. Looking at Student to Teacher Ratio for Area Schools we find that Near North Elementary School ranks the largest with a value of 5.3 student to teacher ratio. The next largest values are for: Wells Community Academy Hs (10.2), Otis Elem School (10.3), Jenner Elem Academy Of The Arts (10.9), and Hope Inst Learning Acad Elem School (11.9). The difference between the lowest value (Near North Elementary School) and the next lowest (Wells Community Academy Hs) is that the student to teacher ratio is about twice as large.

The next chart, Figure 26, shows the racial mix of students at each location in this district of the state of Illinois department of education.