Pennsylvania's high school graduates in increasing numbers are continuing to build their futures through higher education

                    March 20, 1997

Pennsylvania's high school graduates in increasing numbers
are continuing to build their futures through higher education

                           
Figures compiled by the Pennsylvania State Data Center at Penn
State Harrisburg show a total of 120,965 students graduated in
June, 1995, from high schools across the Commonwealth. 
According to the State Department of Education, 69.3 percent of
these graduates were college-bound with females (73.5 percent)
leading the way over the male counterparts (64.9 percent).

Among public school graduates, 66.8 percent were
college-bound.  For private and nonpublic schools, the figure
was 84.4 percent.  In public schools, 61.8 percent of males and
71.6 percent of females were reported to be college-bound.  In
private and nonpublic schools, again, a larger percentage of
females were college-bound  (85.6 percent) compared to males
(83.3 percent).  

The highest college-bound rate in 1995 was for Asian graduates,
83.8. percent.  For all graduates, the rate was 69.3 percent.  Of
the white, non-Hispanic graduates in 1995, 69.4 percent were
college-bound, of the
African American non-Hispanic graduates, 66.8 percent were
college-bound, American Indian graduates, 60.9 percent,  and for
Hispanic graduates, 58.8 percent.  There was a larger percentage
of college-bound females than males in all racial groups. 

Montour County had the highest percentage of college-bound
public school graduates in 1995, 78.5 percent, followed by
Allegheny county (77.8 percent), Montgomery (77.4 percent),
Westmoreland (76.6 percent), and Chester (75.0 percent). 
Counties with the lowest college-bound rate include; Fulton
(47.5 percent), Mifflin (49.3 percent), and Fayette (50.3 percent). 
In all counties, except Lycoming and Sullivan, a larger
percentage of females than males were college-bound.    

The future also looks financially rosier for college graduates. 
National figures for 1993 show average income increases
steadily with education.  For persons lacking a high school
diploma, the mean monthly
income was $906, for high school graduates it increased to
$1,380.  For persons with associate's degrees, monthly income
jumped to $1,985.  For those with bachelor's degrees, the
average was $2,625 and it was $3,411 for master's degrees. 
Average earnings varied by age, gender and race, but in all cases
increased with education.

In 1990, the percentage of Pennsylvanians who were high school
graduates nearly equaled the national average.  Figures compiled
by the State Data Center show that among Pennsylvanians age
25 and older in 1990, 74.7 percent were high school graduates,
compared to 75.2 percent nationally. 

 Commonwealth statistics for 1990 also show that, 5.2 percent of
the population held an associate's degree (6.2 percent nationally)
and 11.3 percent held a bachelor's degree (13.1 percent
nationally).   

By 1995, national figures show 81.7 percent of persons age 25
and older were high school graduates, 7.1 percent held
associate's degrees, and 15.2 percent held a bachelor's degree.  In
1995, 81.7 percent of males and 81.6 percent of females were
high school graduates, and 16.5 percent of males and 14.0
percent of females held a bachelor's degree. 

The state-sponsored Pennsylvania State Data Center is the
Commonwealth's official source of population and economic
statistics and services. It is based at Penn State Harrisburg's
Institute of State and Regional Affairs.

_________________________________________________
Editors: For additional information, contact Jennifer Shultz at the
Data Center's State Capital Office, (717) 772-2710, or Penn State
Harrisburg's Public Information Office, (717) 948-6029.

Source of Information:	U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990
			Census of Population and Current
			Population Reports. Pennsylvania
			Department of Education
			
Accompany Table:        Public, Private, and Nonpublic College-Bound High School Graduates for Pennsylvania Counties 1994-1995