Thurston County Education Attainment Charts

This section of charts contains education data for Thurston County Washington based mainly on the latest year 2021 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. Thurston County depicts it has a High School Grad or higher of 94% which is the second most of all the counties in the local area. The county with the highest percent high school graduates or better in the area is Kitsap County which depicts a high school graduates of 95% ( only slightly 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. Thurston County depicts it has a Bachelors Degree or higher of 36% which is the highest of all counties in the greater Thurston County region.

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 Thurston County Washington educational level. Thurston County depicts it has a School Dropout Rate of 6% which is the second smallest in order of percent who dropped out of school of all the other counties in the local area. The county with the highest percent who dropped out of school in the area is Lewis County which shows a percent who dropped out of school of 11% (73.8% larger).

Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at the educational attainment for Thurston County Washington. 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. Thurston County has the percentage of percent of people with no schooling the second smallest when sorted by percent of people with no schooling of all the other counties in the surrounding region at 5% of the total. Second, it has the second smallest when sorted by percent of people with no schooling of all the other counties in the local area in terms of percent of people with less than a high school education at 22% of the total. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with high school degree, ged, or equivalent at 36% of the total. Also, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with some college or an associates degree at 36% 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. Thurston County has the largest proportion of percent of people with a bachelors degree at 21% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 5% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a professional school degree at 3% 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. Thurston County has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a business degree at 10.7% 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. Thurston County has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in computers, mathematics and statistics at 9.2% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a degree in business at 10.7% of the total.

Figure 9 provides comparative data between the places in the greater Thurston County Washington 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. Thurston County has the percentage of percent of people with less than a high school degree the second smallest as measured by percent of people with no schooling of all the other counties in the local area at 21.8% of the total. Second, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with high school (or ged) at 36.3% of the total. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with some college or an associates degree at 35.7% 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. Thurston County has the percentage of percent of people with no schooling the second smallest when ranked by percent of people with no schooling of all the other counties in the area at 5.2% of the total. Second, it has the second smallest when sorted by percent of people with no schooling of all the other counties in the local area as measured by percent of people with less than high school at 21.8% of the total. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people high school graduates (or ged) at 25.3% of the total. Also, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a bachelors degree at 9.9% of the total and is ranked #1. In addition, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 2.4% of the total and is ranked #1. Furthermore, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a professional school degree (e.g. law or medicine) at 1.2% 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.

Thurston 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. Thurston County has the percentage of percent of children in kindergarten less than most other counties in the local area at 22.1% of the total. Second, it has the smallest proportion of percent of children in grade 1 to 4 at 21.5% of the total. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of children in grades 9 to 12 at 23.8% of the total and is ranked #1. Also, it has the largest proportion of percent of people in undergraduate colleges at 5.1% 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 Thurston County Washington region. Thurston County depicts percent enrolled in public schools substantially 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). Thurston County depicts percent of children enrolled in public k-8 grades very much 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. Thurston County indicates 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. Thurston County depicts percent enrolled in a public college approximately 4.0 times bigger 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. Thurston County shows percent enrolled in a public gradudate or professional school about twice as large 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 Thurston County region. (Total enrollment in this case includes all students from preschool all the way through students enrolled in graduate school.) Thurston County depicts it has a Total Enrolled of 64,435 which is the second most total enrolled of all the counties in the greater Thurston County region. The county with the highest total population enrolled in school in the area is Pierce County which shows a total population enrolled in school of 210,911 (approximately 3.3 times bigger). Comparing total population enrolled in school to the United States average of 80,497,960, Thurston County is only about 0.1% the size. Also, benchmarked against the state of Washington, total population enrolled in school of 1,753,707, Thurston County is only about 3.7% the size.

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.) Thurston County Washington has one of the largest proportions of public preschool enrollment at 47% of the total and is ranked #3. Only #2 Kitsap County (48%), and #1 Mason County (49%) are larger.

Thurston 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: East Olympia Elementary, Horizons Elementary, Chambers Prairie Elementary School, Aspire Middle School, and Lakes 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 Timberline High School ranks the largest with a value of 1,636 enrolled students. The next largest values are for: Tumwater High School (1,138), Komachin Middle School (791), Horizons Elementary (717), and Lakes Elementary School (694). The difference between the highest value (Timberline High School) and the next highest (Tumwater High School) is that the enrolled students is about 43.8% 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 Peter G Schmidt Elementary ranks the largest with a value of 16.8 student to teacher ratio. The next largest values are for: Tenino Elementary School (18.3), East Olympia Elementary (18.9), Woodland Elementary (19.2), and Chambers Prairie Elementary School (20.4). The difference between the lowest value (Peter G Schmidt Elementary) and the next lowest (Tenino Elementary School) is that the student to teacher ratio is 9.2% larger.

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