As America Becomes More Diverse:
The Impact of State Higher Education Inequality
Rhode Island State Profile
Questions You Should Ask
How educated is Rhode Island’s adult population and workforce?
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average, the most
educated states, and the most educated countries?
What are the disparities in educational attainment, participation and
completion in higher education, and personal income by gender and
race/ethnicity?
How is the demographic composition of Rhode Island expected to
change?
How will expected changes in demography – given current disparities
in education and personal income – affect the overall educational
attainment and personal income of Rhode Island?
Prepared by the National Center for Higher Education Management
The Impact of State Higher Education Inequality
Rhode Island State Profile
Racial/Ethnic Composition of Rhode Island’s Working Age Population (Ages 25 to 64) from 1980 to 2000 424,000 458,187 457,284 10,860 8,320 16,080 19,402 20,374 39,117 1,080 2,900 1,677 7,800 1,994 11,259 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 450,000 500,000 1980 1990 2000 White African-American Hispanic/Latino
Native American/AK Native Asian/Pacific Islander
Educational Attainment of 25 to 64 Year Olds in 2000 (All Races)
16.2% 27.1% 19.3% 8.4% 18.2% 10.8% 16.1% 27.8% 22.3% 7.2% 17.1% 9.4% 22.4% 41.3% 29.9% 11.6% 23.2% 15.1% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Less than High School
High School/No College
Some C ollege Associates Bachelor's Graduate and Professional Rhode Island US Average Highest State
MS WV UT ND CO MA
Sources: US Census Bureau’s Public Use Microdata Samples (Based on the 1990 and 2000 Census’)
1
Disparities in Educational Attainment by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Females Males White Females Males African-American Females Males Hispanic/Latino Females MalesNative American/AK Native
LEGEND
Females Males
Asian/Pacific Islander
Educational Attainment of 25 to 64 Year Olds (Working Age)
Percent with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher – by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Sources: US Census Bureau’s Public Use Microdata Samples (Based on the 1980, 1990, and 2000 Census’) Note: Associate Degree Data not Available for 1980.
Percent with an Associates Degree or Higher – by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 1980 1990 2000 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 1990 2000
Educational Attainment of 25 to 34 Year Olds (The Young Workforce)
2
Percent with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher – By Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Sources: US Census Bureau’s Public Use Microdata Samples (Based on the 1980, 1990, and 2000 Census’) Note: Associate Degree Data not Available for 1980.
Percent with an Associates Degree or Higher – By Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Educational Attainment by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
(25 to 34 Year Olds Continued)
Females Males White Females Males African-American Females Males Hispanic/Latino Females Males
Native American/AK Native
LEGEND
Females Males
Asian/Pacific Islander
Educational Attainment of 25 to 34 Year Olds (The Young Workforce) Indexed to the Top Country
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4
WM WF BM BF HM HF NAM NAF APM APF 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Indexed to the Top Country – Percent with a Bachelor’s
Degree or Higher – By Gender and Race/Ethnicity Indexed to the Top Country – Percent with an Associates Degree or Higher – By Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Sources: US Census Bureau’s Public Use Microdata Samples (Based on the 2000 Census) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Top Country (Norway)
Top Country (Canada)
US Index = 0.86 US Index = 0.77
Personal Income
98.2% 100.5% 95.7% 103.0% 98.3% 60% 80% 100% 120% 1960 1970 1980 1990 20003
Rhode Island US AverageRhode Island’s Personal Income Per Capita as a Percent of the US Average (1960 to 2000)
Higher Education Participation and Completion by Race/Ethnicity
White
LEGEND
African-American Hispanic/Latino Native American/AK Native Asian/Pacific Islander
80.6% 67.6% 63.0% 57.7% 66.4% 54.3% 7.7% 0.0% 12.3% 2.5% 13.4% 29.1% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Representation (%) of Race/Ethnic Groups at Each Stage of the Education Pipeline (2002)
Difference in the Percentage of Credentials Awarded and the Percentage of 18 Year Olds by Race/Ethnicity (2002)
Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity (2002)
4
Sources: US Census Bureau (18 Year Olds), Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (HS Graduates), and the National Center for Education Statistics (College Participation and Completion)
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey) Sources: US Census Bureau (18 Year Olds), Western Interstate Commission for
Higher Education (HS Graduates), and the National Center for Education Statistics (College Participation and Completion)
Actual vs. Parity Three-Year Graduation Rates for Associate Students
Six-Year Graduation Rates for Bachelor’s Students
US Average US Average 77% 79% 80% 80% 81% 80% 79% 6% 7% 7% 6% 8% 4% 5% 10% 10% 7% 6% 5% 4% 4% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 4% 4% 4% 3% 5% 4% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
The Impact of Changing Demographics on Educational Attainment and
Personal Income (2000 to 2020)
Projected changes in educational attainment and personal income per capita are based on the US Census Bureau’s population projections by age and race/ethnicity and 2000 educational attainment and personal income data by age and race/ethnicity. The analyses are designed to help answer the following question: “Given current disparities in educational attainment and personal income by age and race/ethnicity, how will the changing demographics in my state impact the overall educational attainment and personal income of the adult population?”
457,284 442,362 19,402 25,620 39,117 78,653 1,994 2,854 11,259 21,593 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 450,000 500,000 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020
Projected Change in 25 to 64 Year Olds by Race/Ethnicity (from 2000 to 2020)
White
African-American Hispanic/Latino
Native American/AK Native Asian/Pacific Islander
Changes in Educational Attainment as a Result of the Projected Changes In Race/Ethnicity (25 to 64 Year Olds from 2000 to 2020)
16.7% 18.8% 27.3% 27.2% 18.8% 18.3% 8.2% 8.0% 18.2% 17.3% 10.8% 10.5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020
Less than High School High School
Some College
Associates Bachelor’s
Graduate/Professional
Sources: US Census Bureau’s Population Projections (from 1995 to 2025) and Census 2000
5
The Impact of Changing Demographics on Educational Attainment and
Personal Income (2000 to 2020) - Continued
$ 21,788 $ 20,943 $ 21,591 $ 21,196 $ 28,869 $ 27,813 $0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 2000 2020 16,750 7,644 2,414 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 1 2 3 4 5
Number Change in Adult from 2000 1,044 476 1,140 6 s 25 to 64 by Degree Level
to 2020 Change in Per Capita Personal Income from 2000 to 2020 (In 2000 $)
Top State Rhode Island US Average
Less than High School High School
Some College Associates Bachelor’s
Graduate/Professional
Source: US Census Bureau’s Population Projections and Census 2000 Source: US Census Bureau’s Population Projections and Census 2000
If Hispanics/Latinos, African-Americans, and Native Americans
achieved the same levels of education as Whites by 2020, Rhode
Island’s personal income would increase by $494 Million (in 2000 $).
Note: Does not account for racial/ethnic disparities in personal earnings for the same levels of education.
6
The Impact of State Higher Education Inequality
Rhode Island Summary
All race/ethnic populations grew in Rhode Island from 1980 to 2000 – with the
majority of growth among Whites and Hispanics. Hispanics are expected to
account for the majority of future growth – doubling in numbers between 2000 and 2020 – while the White population is projected to decline.
The workforce has slightly more college degrees than the nation as a whole but
substantially less than the most educated states. A relatively high percentage of 25 to 64 year olds (16%) have less than a high school education and 15 percent of the younger population ages 25 to 34 have less than a high school diploma.
Females have made progress in educational attainment relative to males but
sizable disparities still exist among race/ethnic populations. The difference
between the two largest populations (White and Hispanic) is among the largest of any state. Only 13 percent of Hispanics have attained college degrees – compared to 40 percent of Whites. The education gaps between Whites and Minority
populations is widening – not closing.
Only Asians (a small percentage of the population) exceed the most educated
country in the percentage of young adults (ages 25 to 34) with a bachelor’s degree and no race/ethnic population exceeds the top country in the percentage with a college degree (associate and higher) – which is an important consideration in an increasingly global economy.
Over the past four decades, Rhode Island’s personal income per capita has
remained close to the U.S. average.
The education system in Rhode Island (from high school to college completion)
fails to retain Hispanics at nearly the rate of Whites. African-Americans also fall out at higher rates. These racial/ethnic disparities are also evident in the graduation rates of associate and baccalaureate students.
Unless these inequities are addressed, current disparities in educational attainment
and the population projections by race/ethnicity indicate that Rhode Island will lose ground in the percentage of its workforce that is college-educated. The most substantial growth will occur in the “less than high school” and “high school only” populations.
A similar trend is projected for personal income. Rhode Island’s personal income
per capita will decline relative to other states which will also have a negative impact on the tax base and its ability to provide services to its citizens – namely higher education.