Educational attainment is primarily measured by identifying the highest level of education an individual has successfully completed.
Measuring Educational Attainment via the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS)
One of the most common and standardized ways to measure educational attainment in the United States is through surveys like the American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. This method directly asks individuals about their highest level of schooling.
The ACS Question
The ACS poses a direct question to ascertain an individual's educational background:
"What is the highest degree or level of school this person has completed?"
ACS Response Categories
Respondents choose from a range of predefined categories that reflect different levels of educational achievement. The categories provided by the U.S. Census Bureau for the ACS include, but are not limited to, the following:
- No schooling completed.
- Nursery school.
- Grades 1 through 11.
- 12th grade—no diploma.
- Regular high school diploma.
- GED or alternative credential.
- Some college credit, but less than 1 year of college.
These categories allow for the systematic collection of data on educational attainment, providing valuable insights for policy-making, research, and understanding demographic trends. For more details, you can refer to the U.S. Census Bureau's information on Educational Attainment.
