Education Attainment of the Adult Population 1
  Percent With High School Diplomas or GED Credentials Percent With Bachelor's Degrees or Higher  
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
United States
34.3
41.1
52.3
66.5
75.2
80.4
6.2
7.7
10.7
16.2
20.3
24.4
United States
SREB states2
26.7
35.3
45.1
60.2
71.3
77.7
5.4
7.1
9.8
15.0
18.7
22.5
SREB states2
SREB states as a percent of U.S.
77.8
85.8
86.1
90.5
94.8
96.7
87.7
91.7
91.9
92.4
92.1
92.4
SREB states as a percent of U.S.
Alabama
21.9
30.3
41.3
56.5
66.9
75.3
3.9
5.7
7.8
12.2
15.7
19.0
Alabama
Arkansas
21.5
28.9
39.9
55.5
66.3
75.3
3.2
4.8
6.7
10.8
13.3
16.7
Arkansas
Delaware
34.8
43.3
54.6
68.6
77.5
82.6
7.5
10.1
13.1
17.5
21.4
25.1
Delaware
Florida
35.8
42.6
52.6
66.7
74.4
79.9
6.5
7.8
10.3
14.9
18.3
22.3
Florida
Georgia
20.8
32.0
40.6
56.4
70.9
78.6
4.5
6.2
9.2
14.6
19.3
24.3
Georgia
Kentucky
22.3
27.6
38.5
53.1
64.6
74.1
3.9
4.9
7.2
11.1
13.6
17.1
Kentucky
Louisiana
22.5
32.3
42.2
57.7
68.3
74.8
5.0
6.7
9.0
13.9
16.1
18.7
Louisiana
Maryland
32.1
40.0
52.3
67.4
78.4
83.8
7.2
9.3
13.9
20.4
26.5
31.5
Maryland
Mississippi
22.0
29.8
41.0
54.8
64.3
72.9
3.9
5.6
8.1
12.3
14.7
16.9
Mississippi
North Carolina
20.9
32.3
38.5
54.8
70.0
78.1
5.1
6.3
8.5
13.2
17.4
22.5
North Carolina
Oklahoma
33.8
40.5
51.6
66.0
74.6
80.6
6.4
7.9
10.0
15.1
17.8
20.3
Oklahoma
South Carolina
19.0
30.4
37.8
53.7
68.3
76.3
5.5
6.9
9.0
13.4
16.6
20.4
South Carolina
Tennessee
24.6
30.4
41.8
56.2
67.1
75.9
4.1
5.5
7.9
12.6
16.0
19.6
Tennessee
Texas
30.7
39.5
47.4
62.6
72.1
75.7
6.2
8.0
10.9
16.9
20.3
23.2
Texas
Virginia
29.4
37.9
47.8
62.4
75.2
81.5
6.7
8.4
12.3
19.1
24.5
29.5
Virginia
West Virginia
24.9
30.6
41.6
56.0
66.0
75.2
4.4
5.2
6.8
10.4
12.3
14.8
West Virginia
1 Population ages 25 and older. 2 Includes the District of Columbia.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau: "A Half-Century of Learning: Historical Statistics on Educational Attainment in the United States, 1940 to 2000" (2006) — (www.census.gov).
June 2007