West Salem Illinois Education Attainment Charts

This section of charts contains education data for West Salem 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. West Salem depicts it has a High School Grad or higher of 89% which is in the middle range of other places in the greater region. The city with the highest percent high school graduates or better in the area is Bone Gap which shows a high school graduates of 96% (8.4% 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. West Salem shows it has a Bachelors Degree or higher of 12% which is the second most percent with a bachelors degree or higher of all the places in the greater West Salem region. The city with the highest percent with a bachelors degree or higher in the area is Albion which shows a percent with a bachelors degree of 16% (26.9% 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 West Salem Illinois educational level. West Salem depicts it has a School Dropout Rate of 11% which is in the mid range of other places in the greater region. The city with the highest percent who dropped out of school in the area is Parkersburg which shows a percent who dropped out of school of 16% (37.9% larger).

Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at the educational attainment for West Salem 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. West Salem has the percentage of percent of people with less than a high school education in the mid point range of other places in the area at 35% 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. West Salem has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with an associate degree at 29% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Albion with 36%. Second, it has the second smallest when sorted by percent of people with an associate degree of all the other places in the metro area in terms of percent of people with a bachelors degree at 5% of the total. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 2% of the total and is ranked #1. Also, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a professional school degree at 3% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Calhoun with 4%.

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. West Salem has the percentage of percent of people with a science or engineering degree the second smallest when sorted by percent of people with a science or engineering degree of all the other places in the local area at 7.9% of the total. Second, it has the second smallest when ranked by percent of people with a science or engineering degree of all the other places in the local area when ranked by percent of people with a degree in a science or engineering related at 17.1% of the total. Third, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with an arts, humanities, or other degree at 13.2% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Bellmont with 25.0%. Also, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a business degree at 46.1% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Bellmont with 62.5%.

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. West Salem has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in social sciences at 5.3% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the second smallest when sorted by percent of people with a degree in computers, mathematics and statistics of all the other places in the greater region in terms of percent of people with a degree in multidisciplinary studies at 7.9% of the total. Third, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a degree in science and engineering related fields at 13.2% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Bellmont with 25.0%. Also, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a degree in business at 46.1% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Bellmont with 62.5%.

Figure 9 provides comparative data between the places in the greater West Salem 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. West Salem has the percentage of percent of people with high school (or ged) less than most other places in the local area at 41.9% 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. West Salem has the percentage of percent of people with less than high school in the mid range of other places in the greater region at 34.6% of the total. Second, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people high school graduates (or ged) at 21.1% of the total. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 0.5% of the total and is ranked #1. 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.

West Salem Illinois 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. West Salem has the percentage of percent of children in kindergarten in the middle range of other places in the local area at 16.2% of the total. Second, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of children in grade 1 to 4 at 28.6% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Bone Gap with 37.1%. Third, it has in the center range of other places in the local area when sorted by percent of children in grades 5 to 8 at 36.8% of the total. Also, it has the second smallest in terms of percent of children in kindergarten of all the other places in the area as measured by percent of children in grades 9 to 12 at 11.4% of the total. In addition, it has the largest proportion of percent of people in undergraduate colleges at 1.6% 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 West Salem Illinois region. West Salem shows percent enrolled in public schools considerably bigger as the percent enrolled in private schools.

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 West Salem region. (Total enrollment in this case includes all students from preschool all the way through students enrolled in graduate school.) West Salem shows it has a Total Enrolled of 187 which is the second most of all the places in the metropolitan area. The city with the highest total population enrolled in school in the area is Albion which depicts a total population enrolled in school of 537 (approximately 2.9 times bigger). Comparing total population enrolled in school to the United States average of 81,084,866, West Salem is only about 0.0% the size. Also, compared with the state of Illinois, total population enrolled in school of 3,228,360, West Salem is only about 0.0% the size.

West Salem Illinois 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: West Salem Grade School, Albion Grade School, Edwards County High School, Mount Erie Elem School, and Mt Carmel Middle 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 East Richland Elementary School ranks the largest with a value of 992 enrolled students. The next largest values are for: East Richland High School (623), Mount Carmel High School (569), Albion Grade School (497), and East Richland Middle School (457). The difference between the highest value (East Richland Elementary School) and the next highest (East Richland High School) is that the enrolled students is about 59.2% larger.

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 West Richland High School ranks the largest with a value of 6.1 student to teacher ratio. The next largest values are for: Allendale Elementary School (6.4), Edwards County High School (10.0), Mount Erie Elem School (10.3), and Mt Carmel Middle School (10.3). The difference between the lowest value (West Richland High School) and the next lowest (Allendale Elementary School) is that the student to teacher ratio is only about 5.3% larger.

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.