Clicking on a legend item will show/hide corresponding data series.
2.6.2 Share of the Population Ages 25+ with at Least Some College or an Associate's Degree
Why is this important?
Community colleges fill a vital need in the United States. Their offering targets three types of students: those who intend to transfer to a four-year institution at some point; those who are enrolled for specific coursework related to a trade; and those who need to acquire basic skills such as English proficiency, a GED, or adult literacy. This indicator captures not only those residents who have attended Walla Walla Community College, but also any resident who has attended a community college elsewhere.
Associate's degrees are awarded by community colleges upon completion of a course of study equivalent to the first two years in a four-year college or university. Some bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States also award associate's degrees. Advantages of associate's degrees for some students -- especially "non-traditional" students who are often older than typical college students and already employed full time -- include lower costs, more evening classes for those with day jobs, and specific skills training for certain types of employment.
This indicator measures the percentage of people in Walla Walla & Columbia Counties combined who are at least 25 years old and whose highest education achievement is an Associate's or Vocational degree, or who have taken some college courses but have not yet earned a degree, relative to the adult population. Washington State and the U.S. are offered as benchmarks. Additional information, including historical data previous to Walla Walla becoming a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in 2013, can be found in the “Download Data” section.
According to the US Census Bureau, the pandemic made the collection of accurate one-year estimates for the American Community Survey (ACS) impossible in 2020. Five-year estimates might be available for popular series in early 2022.
Where are we?
During 2023 in Walla Walla & Columbia Counties combined, the share of the population ages 25 or older whose highest educational achievement was:
- An Associate’s or Vocational Degree was 11.3%, decreasing from 11.6% in 2013 (not statistically significant).
- Completing some college coursework but yet to earn a degree was 23.9%, decreasing from 24.5% in 2013 (not statistically significant).
By comparison in Washington State during 2023, the share of the population ages 25 or older whose highest educational achievement was:
- An Associate’s or Vocational Degree was 9.8%, increasing from 9.5% in 2013 (statistically significant).
- Completing some college coursework but yet to earn a degree was 20.5%, decreasing from 24.6% in 2013 (statistically significant).
In the U.S. during 2023, the share of the population ages 25 or older whose highest educational achievement was:
- An Associate’s or Vocational Degree was 8.8%, increasing from 8.1% in 2013 (statistically significant).
- Completing some college coursework but yet to earn a degree was 18.9%, decreasing from 21.1% in 2013 (statistically significant).
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey (ACS) - Explore Census Data
Notes:
1) This information comes from a survey, so the data presented are estimates. All significant tests are done at the 90% confidence interval. The margin of errors is provided in the “Download Data” section.
2) Not all indicators can be tested for statistical significance. For example, some indicators use portions of data from multiple ACS sources, and the test is cannot be running. If available, the results of the test are offered. When no test results are offered, the statistical significance test was not able to be conducted.
3) Learn more about the ACS:
