The State of West Virginia Education Attainment Charts

This section of charts contains education data for West Virginia 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. West Virginia shows it has a High School Grad or higher of 88% which is in the middle range of other states in the greater region. The state with the highest percent high school graduates or better in the group is District of Columbia which depicts a high school graduates of 92% (only about 4.7% 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. the state of depicts it has a Bachelors Degree or higher of 22% which is in the center range of other states in the local area. The state with the highest percent with a bachelors degree or higher in the group is District of Columbia which shows a percent with a bachelors degree of 61% (approximately 2.8 times bigger).

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 Virginia educational level. West Virginia shows it has a School Dropout Rate of 12% which is the largest of all states in the greater West Virginia region.

Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at the educational attainment for West Virginia. 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 Virginia has the largest proportion of percent of people with no schooling at 11% 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 40% 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 22% 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 Virginia has the percentage of percent of people with a bachelors degree the second smallest in order of percent of people with an associate degree of all the other states in the greater region at 22% of the total.

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 Virginia has the largest proportion of percent of people with a science or engineering degree at 13.7% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a degree in a science or engineering related at 20.1% of the total. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a business degree at 19.1% 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. West Virginia has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in computers, mathematics and statistics at 7.0% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in physical and related sciences at 5.2% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a degree in psychology at 5.0% of the total. Also, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in multidisciplinary studies at 13.7% of the total and is ranked #1. In addition, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in business at 19.1% of the total and is ranked #1. Furthermore, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a degree in education at 2.8% of the total. Next it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a degree in liberal arts and history at 2.8% of the total.

Figure 9 provides comparative data between the places in the greater West Virginia 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 Virginia has the largest proportion of percent of people with no schooling at 11.1% 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 40.1% 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 21.8% 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. West Virginia has the largest proportion of percent of people with no schooling at 11.1% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than high school at 40.1% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with an associate degree at 13.0% of the total. Also, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a bachelors degree at 6.4% of the total. In addition, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 1.4% of the total. Furthermore, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a professional school degree (e.g. law or medicine) at 1.0% 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.

The State of West Virginia 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 Virginia has one of the largest proportions of percent of children in kindergarten at 22.0% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger state being South Carolina with 22.3%. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of children in grade 1 to 4 at 23.6% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of children in grades 9 to 12 at 20.9% 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 West Virginia region. West Virginia depicts percent enrolled in public schools very much 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). West Virginia 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. West Virginia depicts percent enrolled in a public high school substantially 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. West Virginia shows percent enrolled in a public college considerably 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. West Virginia depicts percent enrolled in a public gradudate or professional school approximately 3.6 times bigger 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 West Virginia 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 375,418 which is the smallest when sorted by total population enrolled in school of all the other states in the metro area. The state with the highest total population enrolled in school in the group is Florida which depicts a total population enrolled in school of 4,786,330 ( very much bigger).

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.) West Virginia has the smallest proportion of public preschool enrollment at 20% of the total.