In 2008, some 88 percent of 25- to 29-year-olds had received at least a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. During the period of 1971 to 2008, the gap in high school attainment between Blacks and Whites decreased from 23 to 6 percentage points.

Between 1971 and 2008, the educational attainment of 25- to 29-year-olds increased. In 2008, for example, 88 percent of these young adults had received at least a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, a 10 percentage point increase from 1971 (see table A-23-1). Although the high school completion rate increased 8 percentage points during the 1970s, it has remained between 85 and 88 percent since the late 1970s.

In 1971, a higher percentage of Whites than Blacks or Hispanics had completed high school (82 vs. 59 and 48 percent, respectively). The high school completion rate for Blacks increased between 1971 and 2008 from 59 to 88 percent, and the gap between Blacks and Whites decreased from 23 to 6 percentage points during this period. Between 1971 and 2008, the high school completion rate for Hispanics increased from 48 to 68 percent, and the gap between Hispanics and Whites decreased from 33 to 25 percentage points. In 1990, a higher percentage of Asians/Pacific Islanders had completed high school than Blacks and Hispanics (90 vs. 82 and 58 percent, respectively). Between 1990 and 2008, there were no measurable changes in the size of the gaps between Asians/Pacific Islanders and Blacks and Hispanics, respectively. In 2008, the high school completion rates for Blacks and Hispanics remained below those of Whites and Asians/Pacific Islanders (88 and 68 vs. 94 and 96 percent, respectively).

Between 1971 and 2000, the percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds who had completed a bachelor's degree or higher increased from 17 to 29 percent; however, the rate in 2008, at 31 percent, showed no measurable difference from the rate in 2000. Between 1971 and 2008, the percentage who had attained a bachelor's degree or higher increased from 19 to 37 percent for Whites, from 7 to 20 percent for Blacks, and from 5 to 12 percent for Hispanics. Between 1990 and 2008, the percentage of Asians/Pacific Islanders who had attained a bachelor's degree or higher increased from 42 to 58 percent, although most of this increase (11 percentage points) occurred between 1995 and 2000. Between 2000 and 2008, there was no measurable difference in the percentage of Asians/Pacific Islanders who had attained a bachelor's degree or higher. Between 1971 and 2008, the gap favoring Whites over Blacks widened from 12 to 17 percentage points, and the gap favoring Whites over Hispanics widened from 14 to 25 percentage points. Between 1990 and 2008, the gap favoring Asians/Pacific Islanders over Whites widened from 16 to 21 percentage points.

In 2008, some 7 percent of 25- to 29-year-olds had completed a master's degree. Between 1995 and 2008, the rate of master's degree attainment increased for Whites (from 5 to 8 percent), Blacks (from 2 to 4 percent), and Asians/Pacific Islanders (from 11 to 20 percent). The percentage of Whites who had attained a master's degree in 2008 was higher than the percentages of Blacks and Hispanics who had done so, and the percentage of Asians/Pacific Islanders who had attained a master's degree was higher than those of their peers of all other races/ethnicities.

Gender gaps in educational attainment switched from favoring males in 1971 to favoring females in 2008. For example, between 1971 and 2008, the percentage completing at least high school shifted from favoring males by 3 percentage points to favoring females by 4 percentage points, and the percentage completing a bachelor's degree or higher shifted from favoring males by 7 percentage points to favoring females by 8 percentage points.

Technical Notes

Estimates of educational attainment represent the percentage who achieved at least the cited credential. This indicator uses March Current Population Survey (CPS) data to estimate the percentage of civilian, noninstitutionalized people ages 25 through 29 who are out of high school. Prior to 1992, high school completers referred to those who completed 12 years of schooling, and some college meant completing 1 or more years of college; beginning in 1992, high school completers referred to those who received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, and some college meant completing any college at all. For more information on the CPS, see supplemental note 2. For more information on educational attainment of 25- to 29-year-olds, see supplemental note 6. Some estimates are revised from previous publications. Included in the totals but not shown separately are estimates for those from other racial/ethnic groups. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. For more information on race/ethnicity, see supplemental note 1.