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Educational attainment and occupation groups by race and ethnicity in 2014

November 18, 2015

In 2014, among people age 25 and older in the labor force, over 90 percent of Whites, Blacks, and Asians had at least a high school diploma. By contrast, 72 percent of Hispanics age 25 and older in the labor force had completed high school.

Educational attainment of the labor force age 25 and older by race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2014 annual averages
Educational attainment White Black or
African American
Asian Hispanic or Latino

Less than a high school diploma

8.0 8.2 6.2 27.7

High school graduates, no college

26.7 31.3 17 30.3

Some college, no degree

16.3 21.8 9.8 15.2

Associate's degree

11.3 11.3 6.8 8.2

Bachelor's degree and higher

37.7 27.3 60.1 18.6

Note: People whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Data may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

Asians were the most likely to have graduated from college. Sixty percent of Asians in the labor force had a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 38 percent of Whites, 27 percent of Blacks, and 19 percent of Hispanics.

Individuals with higher levels of education are more likely to be employed in higher-paying jobs—such as those in management, professional, and related occupations—than are individuals with less education.

In 2014, 51 percent of Asians worked in management, professional, and related occupations—the highest paying major occupational category—compared with 39 percent of employed Whites, 30 percent of employed Blacks, and 21 percent of employed Hispanics.

Employed people by occupation, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2014 annual averages
Occupation group White Black or African American Asian Hispanic or Latino

Management, professional, and related occupations

39.0 29.5 50.7 20.8

Service occupations

16.5 25.0 16.7 25.7

Sales and office occupations

22.9 23.9 19.4 21.2

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

10.1 5.9 3.3 15.9

Production, transportation, and material-moving occupations

11.5 15.7 9.9 16.3

Note: People whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Data may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

Hispanics (26 percent) and Blacks (25 percent) were more likely than other groups to be employed in service occupations.

These data are from the Current Population Survey (CPS). For more information, see "Labor Force Characteristics by Race and Ethnicity, 2014" (PDF). For additional data about race and ethnicity, visit the CPS demographics page.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Educational attainment and occupation groups by race and ethnicity in 2014 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2015/educational-attainment-and-occupation-groups-by-race-and-ethnicity-in-2014.htm (visited October 10, 2024).

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