Wheatland County Education Attainment Charts

This section of charts contains education data for Wheatland County Montana based mainly on the latest year 2022 Census data using the American Community Survey 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. Wheatland County depicts it has a High School Grad or higher of 91% which is the smallest when sorted by percent high school graduates or better of all the other counties in the greater region. The county with the highest percent high school graduates or better in the area is Meagher County which indicates a high school graduates of 96% (6.4% 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. Wheatland County shows it has a Bachelors Degree or higher of 18% which is the smallest when sorted by percent with a bachelors degree or higher of all the other counties in the greater region. The county with the highest percent with a bachelors degree or higher in the area is Meagher County which shows a percent with a bachelors degree of 30% (66.0% 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 Wheatland County Montana educational level. Wheatland County shows it has a School Dropout Rate of 9% which is the largest of all counties in the greater Wheatland County region.

Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at the educational attainment for Wheatland County Montana. 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. Wheatland County has the largest proportion of percent of people with no schooling at 9% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than a high school education at 39% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with some college or an associates degree at 18% 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. Wheatland County has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a degree in computers, mathematics and statistics at 24.5% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger county being Judith Basin County with 27.7%. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in visual and performing arts at 11.2% of the total and is ranked #1.

Figure 9 provides comparative data between the places in the greater Wheatland County Montana 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. Wheatland County has the largest proportion of percent of people with no schooling at 9.2% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than a high school degree at 39.3% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has less than most other counties in the area when sorted by percent of people with high school (or ged) at 33.4% of the total. Also, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with some college or an associates degree at 17.8% 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. Wheatland County has the largest proportion of percent of people with no schooling at 9.2% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than high school at 39.3% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with an associate degree at 13.7% 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.

Wheatland 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. Wheatland County has one of the largest proportions of percent of children in kindergarten at 28.6% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger county being Stillwater County with 31.2%. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of children in grade 1 to 4 at 30.9% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of children in grades 9 to 12 at 5.8% of the total.

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 Wheatland County Montana region. Wheatland County depicts percent enrolled in public schools very much bigger as the percent enrolled in private schools.

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. Wheatland County depicts percent enrolled in a public high school markedly bigger as the percent enrolled in a private high 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 Wheatland County region. (Total enrollment in this case includes all students from preschool all the way through students enrolled in graduate school.) Wheatland County shows it has a Total Enrolled of 397 which is less than most other counties in the greater region. The county with the highest total population enrolled in school in the area is Fergus County which depicts a total population enrolled in school of 1,896 (approximately 4.8 times bigger). Comparing total population enrolled in school to the United States average of 81,076,829, Wheatland County is only about 0.0% the size. Also, benchmarked against the state of Montana, total population enrolled in school of 242,642, Wheatland County is only about 0.2% the size.

Wheatland 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: Hillcrest School, Hillcrest 7-8, Harlowton High School, Judith Gap 7-8, and Judith Gap High 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 Hillcrest School ranks the largest with a value of 180 enrolled students. The next largest values are for: Harlowton High School (74), Moore School (59), Hillcrest 7-8 (41), and Moore High School (36). The difference between the highest value (Hillcrest School) and the next highest (Harlowton High School) is that the enrolled students is about approximately 2.4 times 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 Judith Gap High School ranks the largest with a value of 1.7 student to teacher ratio. The next largest values are for: Judith Gap 7-8 (2.9), Ryegate High School (3.6), Judith Gap School (4.3), and Moore High School (6.0). The difference between the lowest value (Judith Gap High School) and the next lowest (Judith Gap 7-8) is that the student to teacher ratio is 71.8% larger.

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