The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data on educational attainment for adults in the United States, based on the 2024 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement. The report examines education levels by age, sex, race, nativity, and other demographic characteristics.
According to the findings, in 2024, 42.8% of individuals ages 25 to 39 held a bachelor’s degree or higher. Among those ages 40 to 54, this figure was 41.5%, while for those age 55 and older it was 34.2%. The data also show that among adults age 25 and older, 40.1% of women and 37.1% of men had attained at least a bachelor’s degree.
Employment statistics indicate that among employed workers in 2024, nearly half (49.3%) had a high school diploma or associate degree as their highest level of education, while another 44.5% had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. A smaller share—6.1%—did not have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Analysis by occupation revealed that professional and related fields had the largest proportion of workers with at least a bachelor’s degree (76.5%), followed by management, business and financial occupations (64.2%). In contrast, installation, maintenance and repair roles saw the highest percentage (78.3%) of employees holding only a high school diploma or associate degree.
Industry comparisons showed that transportation and utilities had the largest share (67.5%) of workers whose highest education was a high school diploma or associate degree. Meanwhile, information industries (64.9%) and education and health services (61.2%) reported the greatest percentages of employees with at least a bachelor’s degree.
The Current Population Survey is conducted jointly by the Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as the main source for national labor force statistics.
“All comparative statements in this tip sheet have undergone statistical testing, and, unless otherwise noted, all are statistically significant at the 10 percent significance level,” according to technical documentation provided by the Census Bureau.
More details on methodology can be found through resources offered by both agencies.
