What does this measure?

The number of residents with a particular level of education, expressed as a percentage of all residents 25 and older, broken down by race and ethnicity.

Why is this important?

An educated population makes a more attractive workforce and is better prepared to instruct the next generation of residents. High educational attainment represents a region's investment in human capital and preparation for long-term growth.

How is the region performing?

The proportion of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher in 2016-20 was highest among Asian residents (53%) in the Mid-Hudson Valley, followed by white (35%), African American (23%), and Hispanic (22%) residents. These disparities in educational levels among racial and ethnic groups were very similar to those at the state level (excluding NYC).

From 2000 to 2016-20, rates for residents with a bachelor's degree or higher rose 11 percentage points for African American residents, 10 points for whites, 9 points for Hispanics residents, and dropped 3 points for Asian residents.

Local areas with particularly high shares of white residents with a bachelor's degree or higher included Tuxedo Park village in Orange (83%) and New Paltz village in Ulster (71%). The populations in some local areas, when broken down by race and ethnicity, were too small to yield reliable survey results.

Why do these disparities exist?

There are a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in educational attainment. School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools with high proportions of low-income students who may not have benefited from early learning opportunities at the same rate as other students. Schools also have different levels of resources ranging from qualified/experienced teachers to advanced courses to facilities and technology, and schools with large Black and Latino populations often have lower levels. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color. Low staff expectations at racially and economically segregated schools also contribute disparities in educational attainment. The accumulation of inequities leads to lower graduation rates and college matriculation, with college affordability acting as another barrier. When Black and Latino students enter higher education institutions, they are less likely to attain a college a degree given weaker academic preparation and financial hardship.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter.