Random Samplings

Science and Engineering Degree Holders Concentrated Along the Coasts

Written by Julie Siebens

More than 18 million students were enrolled in undergraduate education in 2009. At some point in their education, these students will declare a major field of study. Their chosen fields will influence many other decisions over their life course, such as the probability of entering graduate or professional school, future occupation, and possibly even where the student eventually chooses to live.

Although where people call home depends on a number of factors, local employment opportunities are influential. If a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in botany moved to New York, he or she would be among just 5 percent of that state’s population 25 and over with a bachelor’s degree to have majored in a biological, agricultural or environmental science field.

If the graduate instead moved to Wyoming, he or she would be among 12 percent of that state’s college-educated population to have a bachelor’s degree in a biological, agricultural or environmental science field. 

Although all fields have some geographic variation regarding where their degree holders live, science and engineering degrees were particularly concentrated in a handful of states. The Atlantic coastal areas of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia were home to 28 percent of the nation’s science and engineering degree holders. Nineteen percent of all science and engineering degree holders lived in the Pacific coast states of California, Oregon and Washington.  

While many Midwestern and Southern states had lower proportions of science and engineering degrees among their college-educated populations, they did have higher-than-average concentrations of people with education degrees. Approximately one-fifth of the bachelor’s degrees in North Dakota and South Dakota were in education, compared with just 8 percent in California.

These numbers should not be understood to mean that college students from Midwestern and Southern states don’t earn science and engineering degrees, or that college students from coastal states tend not to major in education. Some graduates choose to move across state lines sometime after graduation, so when we look at the total population 25 and over with college degrees, we observe people who have grown up or been educated in many different states.

For more details on field of bachelor’s degree, see our report Field of Bachelor’s Degree in the United States: 2009.

Do Higher Degrees Always Pay Off? It Depends

Written by Stephanie Ewert

Many statistics suggest that education is a key way to improve one’s economic position in life.  Consequently, parents often stress the importance of education to their kids in hopes of ensuring economic success for them down the road. But do higher degrees always pay off?

When looking only at education level, the answer appears to be yes. In 2009, the average monthly earnings for an adult with a professional degree were $11,927, while the average monthly earnings for bachelor’s degree recipients were $5,455 and for vocational certificate holders were $3,538.

However, when considering the field of degree in addition to education level, the answer is less straightforward.  In some cases, technical fields can pay off more than higher degrees in nontechnical fields. 

In 2009, adults with associate’s degrees in computer science and engineering, along with vocational certificate holders in engineering, earned more on average than those with bachelor’s degrees in education. 

For example, adults with associate’s degrees in engineering earned $4,813 per month, on average, while bachelor’s degree holders in education earned $3,806 per month. People with professional and doctorate degrees in medicine, the natural sciences and law earned the most out of all education level and field of study combinations. 

Earnings vary across fields of degree for several reasons, including that some fields teach highly valued skills or lead into more lucrative occupations. 

For more details on the relationship between educational attainment, fields of study, and eventual occupation and earnings, see our report What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2009.

GED Recipients Have Lower Earnings, are Less Likely to Enter College

Written by Stephanie Ewert

Although most people complete high school by earning a traditional high school diploma, some complete a high school equivalency by passing the GED test. Most states and many federal programs consider the GED certificate to be formally the same as a high school diploma, yet GED recipients and high school graduates differ in levels of educational attainment and earnings.

In 2009, 16.9 million adults earned a GED certificate to satisfy their high school requirements. While 73 percent of those who received a high school diploma went on to complete at least some postsecondary education, less than half (43 percent) of GED certificate recipients did so. Furthermore, only 5 percent earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. In contrast, of high school diploma holders, 33 percent earned this level of education.

GED certificate holders had lower earnings than those who earned a regular high school diploma regardless of sex, race and ethnicity or age. Overall, high school diploma holders earned approximately $4,700 in mean monthly earnings compared with GED certificate holders, who earned $3,100.

That said, having a GED certificate is much better than having no high school diploma at all. Those with some high school had mean earnings of about $2,400 a month, and those with only an elementary school education earned an average of about $2,100.

In addition to being less likely to pursue a college education, GED certificate holders earned less than high school diploma recipients even when they did achieve higher education. Among adults who attained a bachelor’s degree or higher, the mean earnings of those who earned a high school diploma were approximately $6,300, while the earnings of those who earned a GED certificate were approximately $4,900.

For more details, see our report What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2009.

Foreign-Born Residents Have Diverse Education Backgrounds

Written by Julie Siebens

The educational background of the foreign-born population compared with the native-born population is more diverse than some people may realize.

At first glance, it may appear that foreign-born people simply have less education than the native-born population. In 2009, the percentage of the foreign-born population with less than a high school diploma or GED was 32.3 percent compared with 11.4 percent of the native-born population.

However, the difference narrows as we look at higher levels of educational attainment — and they reverse at the very highest levels:

• Less than a high school diploma or GED is the highest education level attained for 32.3 percent of the foreign-born population and 11.4 percent of the native-born population.
• A high school diploma or GED is the highest education level attained for 22.2 percent of the foreign-born population and 29.7 percent of the native-born population.
• Some college or associate’s degree is the highest level attained for 18.7 percent of the foreign-born population and 30.8 percent of the native-born population.
• A bachelor’s degree is the highest level attained for 15.8 percent of the foreign-born population and 17.9 percent of the native-born population.
• A master’s degree is the highest level attained for 7.0 percent of the foreign-born population and 7.3 percent of the native-born population.
• A professional degree is the highest level attained for 2.1 percent of the foreign-born population and 1.9 percent of the native-born population.
• A doctorate degree is the highest level attained for 1.9 percent of the foreign-born population and 1.0 percent of the native-born population.

There are other differences in educational attainment of the foreign-born population, including differences by state and region. Nationally, 35 percent of the population age 25 and over who had completed less than high school was foreign-born.

In Texas and Nevada, foreign-born people made up half or more of the population 25 and older who had not completed high school. In California, the foreign-born made up 70 percent of this population. Out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, nineteen states had a higher proportion of foreign-born adults 25 and older with at least a bachelor’s degree compared to the proportion of native-born adults who had completed college.

The educational attainment of the foreign-born has also changed over time. The number of foreign-born residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased by 49 percent since 2000. In 2009, the foreign-born population made up 15 percent of the population 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree, up from 13 percent in 2000.

For more details about educational attainment of the foreign-born population as well as other groups, see our report Educational Attainment in United States: 2009.

Nation Reaches Educational Attainment Milestone

Written by: Sonia Collazo

The Census Bureau collects data on educational attainment in three different surveys: the Current Population Survey (CPS), the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Each serves as an important tool to measure the educational level of our nation’s population. The ACS, for instance, offers local-level statistics.

But only one ─ the CPS ─ provides annual statistics all the way back to the 1940s, thereby giving us real perspective. Since that time, the percentage of the nation’s adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s had never topped 30 percent ─ until now.

According to tables from the 2011 CPS released today, more than 30 percent of adults this age reported they had a bachelor’s or higher degree. As recently as 1998, less than a quarter of people this age had this level of education. And back in 1947, the rate was only 5 percent. Yes, we’ve come a long way.

In the last 10 years the number of Hispanics with a bachelor’s degree or more grew by 80 percent, from 2.1 million in 2001 to 3.8 million in 2011.  Over the same period, the number of blacks with a bachelor’s degree or more grew by 47 percent.  The number of Asians with this level of education increased by 28 percent, and the number of non-Hispanic whites increased 24 percent.  These last two percentages are not statistically different, so we can’t really say whether Asians or non-Hispanic whites had the higher growth.

Eleven percent of the population, or 22 million, had an advanced degree, including 16 million with master’s and 6 million with professional or doctoral degrees. The number with advanced degrees increased 40 percent from 2001 to 2011.

These statistics are part of five different products the Census Bureau released today measuring different aspects of educational attainment.

Read the news release

Census Bureau Announces Schedule for Population Estimates Releases

Written by: Victoria Velkoff

The 2010 Census counted 3 million residents of Orange County, Calif. How quickly has the home of Disneyland grown since? You will find out a little later this year, as the Census Bureau releases several sets of population estimates pertaining to July 1, 2011.

The Census Bureau releases population estimates every year, except during decennial census years. These estimates measure population change since the latest census using administrative records and survey data and are used heavily by local planners.

The release of these various sets of estimates will occur on a flow basis starting April 5, with estimates of the total population for counties, Puerto Rico municipios, and metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, and continuing through June 28 with estimates of the total population for cities, towns and other subcounty areas. In between, we will publish U.S., state, and county estimates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, as well as estimates of housing units for the nation, states and counties.

Two sets of estimates have already been released — those for the total population for the nation and states (in December) and the voting-age population of states (Jan. 5). To access these estimates... 

For more information on the methodology used to produce the population estimates, Population Estimates Methodology...

Read the press release...

Census.gov Transformation - Pardon Our Dust

Stephen Buckner, Center for New Media and Promotions, U.S. Census Bureau

The U.S. Census Bureau has launched a newly redesigned census.gov homepage.

 This is the first of several steps in a progressive series of enhancements to census.gov over the next year to make our content more accessible, useful, comprehensible and interesting to the broadest possible audience.  Our goal is to make it easier for visitors to reach their desired destination, increase user satisfaction, and expand the public’s understanding of how the Census Bureau measures America’s people, places and economy. 

Some of the new features and tools users will experience are:

• A prominent dashboard featuring our economic indicators
• A top dropdown menu for quick navigation to key topics
• A new interactive map showing a mash up of economic and demographic statistics
• A “Stat of the Day” highlighting Census Bureau statistics across all the data we collect
• A “mega footer” with links categorized under familiar topics and highly trafficked pages
• A feature for users to provide feedback
• More prominent placement of our latest releases

We hope the public will gain greater accessibility to our statistics through both their desktops and mobile devices.   Also, users will eventually see improved search and navigation, thematic pages and additional features. 

If you have any comments, please click on the “Tell us what you think” section on the homepage.

 

 

 

First Population Estimates Since 2010 Census are Released

Written by: Alexa Jones-Puthoff

It probably seems like just yesterday that you filled out and mailed back your 2010 Census form. But it has already been well over a year, and in that time, our society has hardly remained static.

Today, the Census Bureau released its first set of population estimates since the initial release of census results a year ago. These numbers estimate the total population of each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as of July 1, 2011, and measure how much the population has increased or decreased in these jurisdictions since the 2010 Census. A combination of administrative records — including birth and death records and tax returns from the IRS — and survey data are utilized to arrive at these figures.

According to the results, Texas has gained more people since the census than any other state, adding more than a half million people. California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina followed. Altogether, these five states accounted for slightly more than half the nation’s total population growth.

Nationally, the U.S. population growth of 0.92 percent between the census and July 1, 2011, marked its lowest since the mid-1940s.

The fastest-growing state or equivalent since the census was the District of Columbia, whose population rose 2.7 percent. This marks the first time the District of Columbia led states and equivalents in growth since the early 1940s.

The list of fastest-growing states and equivalents includes some states that in recent years have not been there. One state that falls into this category is North Dakota, which ranked 37th in population growth between censuses, but sixth since the 2010 census. Other fast-growing states, such as Texas, Utah, Alaska and Colorado, were no strangers on the list.

California, with 37.7 million residents, remains our most populous state. Wyoming remains the least populous state, with 568,000 residents.

To see the complete list of the fastest-growing states and those with the largest numerical increase, as well as other highlights from the state population estimates, read the press release.

$35 billion owed in child support payments

Written by: Tim Grall

During a time when the number of people living in poverty reached its largest recorded number in 51 years, 28.3 percent of custodial parents found themselves below the poverty level. For many families, the income from child support is critical in order to care for their dependent children.

According to the 2009 report, Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support, child support represented 62.6 percent of the average income for custodial parents below poverty who received full support, compared with 20.8 percent for all custodial parents. In 2009, 49.5 percent of custodial parents worked year-round full time, a decline from the 2007 figure of 53.6 percent. The percentage who participated in at least one public assistance program rose from 31.5 percent in 2007 to 37.7 percent in 2009.

The report focuses on the child support income that the nation’s 13.7 million custodial parents reported receiving, and other types of support such as health insurance and noncash assistance. The average amount of child support received by custodial parents who were owed support payments in 2009 was $3,630, or about $300 per month. More than half (60.3 percent) of custodial parents received some type of noncash support from noncustodial parents on behalf of their children. The most common type of noncash support was gifts for birthdays, holidays or other occasions, followed by clothes, and by food or groceries. Custodial fathers were more likely than custodial mothers to receive this type of assistance (70.4 percent compared with 58.1 percent).

This report is one of several related to children and families released recently by the Census Bureau, including America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2011, Maternity Leave and Employment Patterns of First-Time Mothers: 1961-2008 and Who’s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2010. The data come from the Child Support Supplement to the April 2010 Current Population Survey.  This supplement is sponsored, in part, by the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Read the press release...

 

A Slow Economy Can Increase Child Care Provided by Fathers

Written by: Lynda Laughlin

Changes in the use of father-provider child care is often related to changes in the family and the economy. The recent recession was particularly difficult for men. Men had higher jobless rates than women because of steep losses in the manufacturing and construction industries. The more time fathers have available to care for children, the more likely they are to do so.

New data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation indicates that in the spring of 2010, a third of fathers with an employed wife provided a regular source of care for their preschoolers. This is an increase from 29 percent in 2005, when the economy was relativity stronger. 

A father’s involvement in child care tends to be shaped by his employment characteristics. For example, a father’s employment status can determine whether he provides child care while his wife is working. Among married fathers with preschoolers in 2010, a greater percentage of fathers who were not employed cared for their young children than did employed fathers (54 percent compared with 17 percent).

The amount and shift that a father works can often determine his ability to take care of children. Married fathers who work part time are much more likely to be a primary child care provider than are fathers who work full time — 34 percent of fathers compared with 16 percent. The time of day a father works is also an important factor. Married fathers who worked evening or night shifts were twice as likely to be the primary child care provider during the mothers’ work hours than fathers who worked day shifts (28 percent and 14 percent, respectively).

Read the press release...