Percentage of adults over age 25 with a Bachelor's degree or higher
Adult education levels are closely related to individual economic opportunity, financial stability, and even health. Education levels are also a factor in business location and expansion decisions, as they indicate both the qualifications of the workforce and the potential market for certain goods and services. Educational attainment varies widely by age, family income, and race and ethnicity. At the neighborhood level, differences in educational attainment can persist across generations, as children living in neighborhoods with high adult educational attainment tend to have greater exposure to the world of work and higher expectations for their own education and employment prospects.
The percentage of adults in Mecklenburg County with a bachelor's degree was 45% in 2019, and has remained virtually unchanged over the last 10 years. Typical of urban areas, Mecklenburg County's percentage is significantly higher than North Carolina (28%) and the United States (29%). However, in a 2012 study, the Charlotte metro region ranked 28th among large metro areas in the share of adults with a bachelor's degree at 32.2%, trailing other metro areas in the region including the Raleigh, NC metro (ranked 7th at 41.0%) and the Atlanta, GA metro (ranked 16th at 34.1%).
Note: In order to make equal comparisons to the smaller areas, the values for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and the United States in the previous paragraph are also from the American Community Survey 5-Year estimates. While more current 1-year estimates are available for the larger areas, it is important to use the most precise and most comparable 5-year estimates. Click here to learn more on the difference between 1-and 5-year estimates.
The unemployment rate drops significantly for each level of education attained. In 2014, the unemployment rate in Mecklenburg County for adults over 25 was: 13.6% for those without a high school diploma; 7.2% for those with an Associate's degree; and 3.8% for those with a Bachelor's degree or higher.
Education - High School Diploma
Employment Rate
Household Income
Food and Nutrition Services
Age of Death
Population age 25 or older with a Bachelor's degree or higher divided by total population age 25 or older.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey. The Census collects ACS data from only a small sample of households every month. For reliable small-area estimates, the Census compiles five years of ACS data, which are used in the Quality of Life Explorer, 5-Year Estimates: Table B15003
| Resource | Learn More and Take Action |
|---|---|
| Where the Grrads Are | A look at degree attainment in large metro areas. |
| Continue Your Education! | Explore Charlotte's colleges and universities: Central Piedmont Community College, (Johnson C. Smith University, Johnson & Wales University, Queens University of Charlotte, and University of North Carolina at Charlotte. |
| Apply for Student Aid | Apply for grants and loans to pay for college. |
| GED Prep | CPCC offers classes to prepare for people wanting to take the General Educational Development test. |