The State of Pennsylvania Education Attainment Charts

This section of charts contains education data for Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania shows it has a High School Grad or higher of 91% which is the largest of all states in the greater Pennsylvania region.

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. the state of shows it has a Bachelors Degree or higher of 33% which is the third most of all other states in the metro area. The state with the highest percent with a bachelors degree or higher in the group is New Jersey which shows a percent with a bachelors degree of 42% (25.3% 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 Pennsylvania educational level. Pennsylvania depicts it has a School Dropout Rate of 9% which is the third most percent who dropped out of school of all other states in the greater Pennsylvania region. The state with the highest percent who dropped out of school in the group is New York which depicts a percent who dropped out of school of 13% (45.4% larger).

Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at the educational attainment for Pennsylvania. 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. Pennsylvania has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with no schooling at 8% of the total and is ranked #3. Only #2 New Jersey (8%), and #1 New York (10%) are larger. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than a high school education at 34% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with high school degree, ged, or equivalent at 24% of the total and is ranked #1.

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. Pennsylvania has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a bachelors degree at 23% of the total and is ranked #3. Only #2 New Jersey (25%), and #1 New York (26%) are larger. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a professional school degree at 4% 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. Pennsylvania has the largest proportion of percent of people with a science or engineering degree at 10.7% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a business degree at 13.4% of the total and is ranked #1.

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. Pennsylvania has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in computers, mathematics and statistics at 6.4% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in multidisciplinary studies at 10.7% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in business at 13.4% of the total and is ranked #1. Also, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in communications at 6.0% of the total and is ranked #1.

Figure 9 provides comparative data between the places in the greater Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than a high school degree at 33.8% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with high school (or ged) at 24.4% of the total and is ranked #1.

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. Pennsylvania has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with no schooling at 7.6% of the total and is ranked #3. Only #2 New Jersey (7.9%), and #1 New York (10.2%) are larger. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than high school at 33.8% 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.

The State of Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania has the largest proportion of percent of children in kindergarten at 20.9% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of children in grade 1 to 4 at 22.4% 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 Pennsylvania region. Pennsylvania depicts percent enrolled in public schools approximately 3.2 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). Pennsylvania depicts percent of children enrolled in public k-8 grades appreciably 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. Pennsylvania shows percent enrolled in a public high school very much 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. Pennsylvania shows percent enrolled in a public college 56.5% 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. Pennsylvania depicts percent enrolled in a public gradudate or professional school about 13.3% smaller 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 Pennsylvania region. (Total enrollment in this case includes all students from preschool all the way through students enrolled in graduate school.) the state of shows it has a Total Enrolled of 2,950,780 which is the second most total enrolled of all the states in the greater Pennsylvania region. The state with the highest total population enrolled in school in the group is New York which shows a total population enrolled in school of 4,801,219 (62.7% larger).

The final chart in this series is Figure 22 and provides analysis data for the school year shown. The chart shows the proportion of kids/children that are enrolled in a pre-school public district versus those kids/children who are enrolled in a private pre-school oriented tuition institution (private salary/superintendent/etc.) Pennsylvania has the largest proportion of public preschool enrollment at 50% of the total and is ranked #1.