Educational Attainment of Adult Residents of Tennessee Counties

Educational Attainment of Adult Residents of Tennessee Counties
Author: Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Publisher:
Total Pages: 123
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN:

This report presents data on the educational attainment of Tennessee residents by county, postsecondary degree level, age group, and ethnicity. The report is made available through interactive maps which allow the user to view county-level educational attainment data for different populations. Data for this analysis were drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates from 2007-2011. In the survey, individuals were asked about the highest degree or level of school completed. This analysis focuses primarily on Tennessee residents who have not been awarded a college degree. For purposes of this analysis, college degrees are defined as an associate's degree or higher. The data presented in the report are based on two distinct populations, which cannot be combined due to the manner in which the Census Bureau compiles age and race data. The first population observed in this study includes adults ages 25-64, residing in all 95 Tennessee counties, by educational attainment. In contrast, the data on race were reported for the aggregate 25 and higher age group and were not separated into more specific age ranges. Direct comparisons between the race and population data would be inaccurate and the reader should be cautioned when comparing results. Key findings include: (1) Counties with the highest levels of college degree attainment are generally in proximity to densely populated metropolitan areas, especially the ones with university campuses; (2) The counties with the highest share of non-degreed adults typically have a small population and are rural; and (3) The distribution of educational attainment needs within racial groups is generally consistent with the overall percentage of people without a college degree, with some variation among racial groups.