Americans now lag in getting college degrees

The New York Times reports today about something we’ve been talking about for some time – the fact that not enough of our younger citizens are going on to, and completing, higher education.

A new report presented by Gaston Caperton, the president of the College Board (which creates the SAT college entrance tests and runs the AP program) says that while the US used to rank number one in the world for the percentage of its 25- to 34-year olds with college degrees, we’ve now sunk to number 12 among 36 developed nations.

Today, Canada leads the international degree competition with 56 percent of its younger adult citizens holding at least an Associate’s Degree. In the US, only 40.4 percent from this age group hold such credentials.

Things are even worse for US minority and disadvantaged students. The College Board’s president indicated that only 30 percent of our African-Americans and just 20 percent of our Latinos hold postsecondary degrees.

A graphic included with the report shows that at present the percentage of Kentuckians aged 25 to 34 who hold at least a two-year degree ranks only 39th among the 50 states and Washington, DC.

On this map, which is a part of that graphic, more than 40 percent of the young adults in states shown in green have at least an Associate’s Degree. States shown in blue have a rate between 30 to 40 percent. Less than 30 percent of the young adults in the states shown in pink hold at least an Associate’s Degree.


What does the College Board say bears major responsiblity for the decline in US degree holders? Answer: the K to 12 education system in the United States.

The College Board had no trouble outlining many shortcomings with the K to 12 program in the US.

Of course, that will be no surprise to our steady readers.

There is a lot more of interest in the new College Board Report, so stay tuned.

(Revised post updates statistic and adds last sentence)