How has the education rate changed in America?

Hey all, I'm kind of curious about the education system in America. How has the education rate changed over the years? Is there a significant difference in the rates of high school graduates now compared to, say, a few decades ago?

Hey there! There has indeed been a change in the education rate in the United States over the past few decades. To understand this shift, we can look at high school graduation rates, as well as college enrollment and attainment rates.

Starting with high school graduation rates, they have been on an upward trend in recent years. In the 1970s, the high school graduation rate hovered around 75%, whereas now, it has risen to just over 86% (as of 2021). It's important to note that there's variation between different states and racial/ethnic groups, but overall, the United States has seen an increase in high school graduates over this period.

If we move on to higher education, college enrollment rates have also experienced growth. In 1970, only around 20-25% of adults between the ages 18-24 enrolled in college. However, this number has increased steadily over the years, reaching around 41% (as of 2021). While the growth has been significant, it's worth mentioning that the rate of college enrollment has somewhat plateaued or even decreased slightly in recent years, especially during and after the pandemic’s immense disruptions to higher education, and education as a whole.

In terms of college completion, unsurprisingly the rate of adults with at least a bachelor's degree has also grown. In 1970, only around 10-15% of adults held at least a bachelor's degree, compared to about 33% in 2021. This increase signifies an overall higher level of educational attainment across the country.

So, to summarize, there has been a notable increase in education rates in the US over the past few decades. The number of high school graduates has grown, and both college enrollment and attainment rates have experienced significant growth as well. While there is still work to be done, particularly in closing education gaps among certain subpopulations, these changes reflect an overall improvement in the American education system.