Far more Americans have graduated from college compared to 1976

Share of US adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more. The percentage of adults with degrees has increased even as overall population has risen.

Line chart showing the share of US adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more rising from 14.7 percent in 1976 to 38.7 percent in 2024.

(Please use a modern browser to see the interactive version of this visualization)

Figures before 1992 reflect adults who completed four or more years of college; 1992 and later reflect adults holding a bachelor's degree

Chart: Bryan Walsh/VoxSource: US Census Bureau