Percentage of American students that has graduated from four-year colleges during the time period 2000 through 2017

The percentage of students that had graduated from four-year colleges during the time period 2000 through 2017, had escalated from 26.3 percent to 34.6 percent, thereby reflecting a sharp increase in the number of college graduates in the United States of America. As more individuals pursue higher education in order to obtain college degrees, this trend is anticipated to persist.

The rising number of high school graduates is the main cause of the increase in college graduates. As more students graduate from high school, more are likely to continue their lives in pursuit of college degrees aiming to enhance their future ability to land decent careers in order to ensure a sustainable income.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that there were 3.8 million high school graduates in 2017 as opposed to 3.2 million in 2000. This supports the general perception that the number of kids planning to attend college has increased, mainly as a consequence of the rising cost of college tuition in conjunction with the fact that student loans are more readily available than before.

The rising number of non-traditional students has also contributed to the rise in college graduates. Non-traditional students are either individuals who have put off starting college for a while, or are going back after a long absence, or are simultaneously working full-time jobs and attending academic institutions at the same time. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, more adults strive to enrich their education in order to upgrade their earning potential and enhance their employment opportunities. They report that, during 2017, the percentage of non-traditional students had increased by 22.7 percent as opposed to what it was in 2000. This tendency is also likely to continue.

Along with the rise of college graduates, there has been a rise in the proportion of people with bachelor's degrees. Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher made up 33.6 percent of the population in 2017 compared to 28.8 percent in 2000. As more people pursue higher education and realize the benefits of a college degree, this trend will probably also continue.

Finally, there had been an increase in the proportion of people with graduate degrees. Adults with a master's degree or more made up 12.6% of the population in 2017 compared to 8.6% in 2000. As more people want to extend their career prospects by acquiring specialized knowledge and expertise via higher education, this inclination is also anticipated to stick around.

In general, the proportion of Americans with college degrees is rising and is projected to do so for some time to come. The percentage of people with college degrees and graduate degrees is likely to keep growing as a result of the increased number of high school graduates, non-traditional students, and awareness of the importance of higher education. The proportion of students who graduate from academic institutions is projected to keep rising as more students strive to raise their earning potential and improve their career opportunities via higher education.



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