Post-high school educational attainment in the U.S. has reached a record high, with 54.9% of working-age adults holding a degree or credential in 2023, according to
The data tool and report A Stronger Nation released on Thursday shows a look at national, state and local attainment trends, with the 2023 report highlighting a steady increase in attainment across race, ethnicity, and credential type.
“In 2008, Lumina set a goal for the nation, that by 2025, 60% of people in the U.S. would have a degree or other high-quality credential, and so we've been tracking progress for this ever since setting that goal in a really transparent, clear way on A Stronger Nation,” said Dr. Courtney Brown, vice president of impact and planning at Lumina.
According to the report, the figure of post-high school educational attainment of Americans ages 25 to 64 has increased from 37.9% in 2008 to 54.9% in 2023, an increase of 17 percentage points, but not enough to reach 60% by 2025.
“I think we have made incredible progress…,” Brown said. “I do think we will continue to see increases in attainment, but we have to continue to focus our efforts on that,” said Brown. “We have to continue to promote practices and policies that increase access, increase success, so that we don't continue to have 42 million people in the United States who have some college, no degree.”
In the past year, 42 states and Puerto Rico saw attainment gains, with five states—Colorado, Massachusetts, Utah, Minnesota, and Connecticut—achieving or exceeding the 60% goal. The District of Columbia (D.C.) also surpassed the 60% attainment goal. In the past 15 years, Utah, Arizona, Indiana and D.C. have achieved the most significant growth among states, with Puerto Rico experiencing the highest increase of 23.5% since 2009.
A Stronger Nation breaks down attainment by degree holders—associate or bachelor’s—and those earning short-term credentials, which include college-level certificates or industry-recognized certificates. Of the 54.9% national attainment rate, 47.1% are degree holders and 7.8% are short-term credential holders.
When it comes to race and ethnicity, educational attainment has approved improved across all groups. Black attainment has increased by nearly 10%, Hispanic and Latino attainment has risen by over 9 points, white attainment is at 52%, Asian attainment remains the highest at over 67%, and Native American attainment is 26%, which has been steadily increasing but still lags behind other groups.
“The big story is actually the Hispanic Latino population,” Brown said. “So, while they have increased by more than 9 points, that actually represents a nearly 50% increase, the most of any race or ethnicity since 2009, so they have made incredible progress.”
Overall, the younger generation is leading the way in educational progress, with the attainment rate for adults 25-34 reaching 56.8%.
“I think as the 25- to 34-year-old population is at 57%, I think that there is an incredible possibility that if any population is going to make it, that younger population is going to make it…,” Brown said. “We're at 55% as a nation, and I think that the 25- to 34-year-old population is a really good population to stay focused on in the next two years to see where they go.”
Deborah A. Santiago, CEO of Excelencia in Education said that she is encouraged by the data that shows positive progress nationally in post high school educational attainment across the years.
“This provides a level of understanding of what has been accomplished as well as what remains before us to reach an attainable national goal where all can contribute and benefit," said Santiago. "In order to meet our national goals, all communities must increase their educational attainment; to close gaps in attainment, Latinos—and other groups—must accelerate their educational attainment while others are increasing their attainment if we are to close the gaps in attainment."
