Contact: Laura Osberger
lauraosberger@schev.edu
(804) 387-5191 (mobile)
February 28, 2023
For immediate release
RICHMOND — The percentage of Virginians with a college degree or other postsecondary education certificate or credential is at an all-time high, according to a recent report from the Lumina Foundation. The State Council for Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) released an analysis of the recent report.
In 2021, 59.3% of working-aged Virginians had earned a college degree or postsecondary education certificate or credential, a two-point increase from 2019. (The Lumina Foundation did not release 2020 estimates due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) Virginia ranks seventh in the nation in terms of postsecondary education attainment. This ranking is a dip from fifth two years ago, due to faster attainment rate growth in New Jersey and Utah.
Postsecondary attainment comes with economic and social benefits: College graduates earn higher wages, are more likely to have health insurance, pay taxes, vote and volunteer, and are less likely to rely on public assistance. Pathways to Opportunity, Virginia's strategic plan for higher education, sets a target of achieving the 70% attainment rate for working aged Virginians by 2030. While the state as a whole continues to increase educational attainment, Virginia still faces significant gaps by region and demography.
“We are encouraged with Virginia’s overall progress in education attainment,” said Peter Blake, SCHEV Director. “Today’s report also shows room for improvement in how higher education serves all Virginians.”
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The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is the state’s coordinating agency for higher education. With Pathways to Opportunity: The Virginia Plan for Higher Education, SCHEV is dedicated to making Virginia the best state for education by 2030. For more on this statewide strategic plan, visit schev.edu/TheVirginiaPlan.
