By Staff
Niles Community Schools' Doug Law recently passed along some interesting data, which I share with you here.
While I have not verified the information, nor did Law, we both assume it to be valid.
The data was disseminated via e-mail by Ken Walsh, an official with the Michigan Association of Community and Adult Education.
The most striking statistic in the report is this:
"The Census Bureau reported that in 2006, people with bachelor's degrees earned an average of $54,946 while those with high school degrees earned $29,448.
"Those with less than high school educations earned an average of $19,915, while those with post-graduate degrees earned an average of $79,946."
Here's more interesting information about education in Michigan.
"More Michigan residents are graduating both high school and college, the U.S. Census Bureau reports, as individuals seek some hedge against the state's continuing economic troubles.
"In 2006, Census Bureau data showed that 89.7 percent of all Michigan residents aged 25 or older had graduated high school or its equivalent.
"In 2005, the total was 88.6 percent.
"And in 2006, the Census Bureau said 26.1 percent of all residents older than 25 had at least a bachelor's degree from college, compared to 24.6 percent of all residents in 2005.
"Compared to national statistics, Michigan is above average in terms of high school graduates, but below the national average in college graduates.
"In 2006, 86 percent of all adults older than 25 had high school degrees while 28 percent had a bachelor's degree.
"In terms of high school diplomas, Michigan in 2006 did better than Ohio with 88.1 percent, Illinois with 87.6 percent and Indiana with 88.2 percent, but was behind Wisconsin with 91.1 percent and Minnesota with 93 percent of its residents with high school diplomas.
In fact, Minnesota led all the states and District of Columbia in terms of high school graduates.
Texas was at the bottom with just 78.7 percent of its residents older than 25 having graduated high school.
"Michigan also had more residents with bachelor's degrees than Ohio with 23.3 percent, indiana with 21.9 percent and Wisconsin with 24.6 percent.
"But 31.2 percent of Illinois residents older than 25 had college degrees and 33.5 percent of Minnesota residents have bachelor's degrees.
"The District of Columbia had the highest percentage of adult residents with bachelor's degrees with 49.1 percent. Among the states, Massachusetts had the highest percentage with 40.4 percent. Arkansas had the lowest percentage with 19 percent holding bachelor's degrees.
"In Michigan, more women older than 25 than men had graduated high school – 90.2 percent compared to 89.1 percent – but more men had bachelor's degrees – 27.7 percent compared to 24.6 percent.
"Asian residents led all other ethnic groups in the state in terms of both high school and bachelor's degrees, with 96.4 percent of those older than 25 with high school degrees.
"Of white residents, 89.9 percent had graduated high school while 26.4 percent had bachelor's degrees. Among black residents, 87.6 percent had graduated high school while just 16.5 percent had bachelor's degrees.
"And 72.5 percent of Hispanic residents had graduated high school while just 13.4 percent had bachelor's degrees."
Readers are invited to submit their opinions for publication.
Comments?
jan. griffey@leaderpub.com