Educational Attainment of

Veterans: 2000 to 2009

Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
January 2011
NCVAS National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Data Source and Methods
Data for this analysis come from 10 years of the Current Population Survey
(CPS) .
The CPS is the official source of employment statistics for the nation.
The CPS is a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted by
the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The universe for this analysis is the civilian population 18 years and older.
Educational attainment refers to the highest level of education an individual
has completed.
In this analysis, advanced degree refers to Masters, PhD, JD, MD, or other professional
degree.
All comparative statements have undergone statistical testing and are
significant at the 90-percent confidence level.
2
Prior to 2003, the CPS used the 1990 Census question on race that does not allow for
more than one race reporting.
Starting in 2003, the CPS began using the Census 2000 question on race that allows
for more than one race reporting, but does not include the Census 2000 "Some Other
Race" category.
Data from 2003 and later in this analysis are shown for single-race reportings (i.e.,
White Non-Hispanic means White alone Non-Hispanic). Therefore, data may not
be directly comparable to earlier years.
Hispanics may be of any race. To avoid overlap, races are shown as Race Non-
Hispanic.
Other Non-Hispanic in this analysis includes American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian,
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and two or more races. Sample sizes for
the Veteran population are too small to show these races individually.
3
Notes about Race and Hispanic Origin
4
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Percent with a Bachelors Degree
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Percent with an Advanced Degree
Throughout the decade, a higher percentage of Veterans than non-Veterans had completed some college, but not a degree.
While Veterans lagged behind non-Veterans for completion of a Bachelors degree, there was a significant increase in the
percentage of Veterans with a Bachelors degree between 2000 and 2009. The percentage of Veterans with an advanced
degree was higher than that of non-Veterans each year and increased significantly over the decade.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Percent with Some College
Veteran Non-Veteran
Higher percentages of both male and female Veterans had completed some college education (i.e., an Associates degree or
less) compared with non-Veterans. Female Veterans were also more likely than male Veterans to have completed
some college education.
5
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Men Women
31.9%
25.4%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Veteran Non-Veteran
43.4%
29.2%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Percent of the Population 18 Years and Older with Some College by Sex and Veteran Status
Male Veterans lagged behind male non-Veterans with a Bachelors degree throughout the decade. In contrast, female Veterans
were more likely to have a Bachelors degree than their non-Veteran counterparts. Since 2002, a higher percentage of female
Veterans than male Veterans had completed a Bachelors degree.
6
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Men Women
16.3%
18.1%
0
5
10
15
20
25
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
21.0%
18.2%
0
5
10
15
20
25
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Percent of the Population 18 Years and Older with a Bachelors Degree by Sex and Veteran Status
Veteran Non-Veteran
The percentage of male and female Veterans with an advanced degree has increased over the past decade. Overall, a higher
percentage of male Veterans had an advanced degree compared with male non-Veterans. Since 2004, the percentage of female
Veterans with an advanced degree has been significantly higher than female non-Veterans
but not statistically different than male Veterans.
7
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Men
Women
10.4%
9.5%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
11.0%
8.8%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Percent of the Population 18 Years and Older with an Advanced Degree by Sex and Veteran Status
Veteran
Non-Veteran
Some differences in educational attainment may be attributable to age. Male Veterans overall are significantly older than male
non-Veterans, female Veterans, and female non-Veterans. A large portion of the older male Veteran population may have
completed all the secondary education they ever will while the relatively young population of female Veterans may still be
pursuing college degrees.
61
47
41
46
Male Veterans
Male Non-Veterans
Female Veterans
Female Non-Veterans
8
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
58
45
37
43
62
47
42
43
64
50
48
47
Male Veterans
Male Non-Veterans
Female Veterans
Female Non-Veterans
Some College
Bachelor's Degree
Advanced Degree
Median Age by Sex and Veteran Status: 2009
Median Age by Sex, Veteran Status, and
Educational Attainment: 2009
9
A higher percentage of Veterans in all race groups had completed some college education, compared with non-Veterans. For the
Veteran population, only White Non-Hispanic Veterans had a significant increase in the percentage completing some college
between 2000 and 2009. There was no significant change for Veterans in the other race groups.
41.9%
23.7%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Other Non-Hispanic
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
36.6%
21.0%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Hispanic
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
31.5%
29.1%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
38.4%
29.8%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
Percent of the Population 18 Years and Older with Some College Education by Race and Hispanic Origin and Veteran Status
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
White Non-Hispanic
Veteran
Non-Veteran
Veterans: significant increase 2000 to 2009
Black Non-Hispanic
10
The percentage of White Non-Hispanic and Other Non-Hispanic Veterans with a Bachelors degree was significantly lower than
the percentage of similar non-Veterans throughout the decade. There was not a significant difference in the percentage of Black
Non-Hispanic Veterans and non-Veterans with a Bachelors degree. A higher percentage of Hispanic Veterans than Hispanic
non-Veterans had a Bachelors degree.
16.0%
26.1%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Other Non-Hispanic
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
13.8%
8.5%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Hispanic
Veterans: significant increase 2000 to 2009
17.4%
20.5%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
White Non-Hispanic
Veterans: significant increase 2000 to 2009
12.3%
12.1%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Black Non-Hispanic
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Percent of the Population 18 Years and Older with a Bachelors Degree by Race and Hispanic Origin and Veteran Status
Veteran
Non-Veteran
11
In each year from 2000 to 2009, a higher percentage of White Non-Hispanic and Hispanic Veterans had an advanced degree,
compared with similar non-Veterans. A higher percentage of Black Non-Hispanic Veterans in all years except 2002, 2005, 2006,
and 2007 had an advanced degree compared with non-Veterans. A lower percentage of Other Non-Hispanic Veterans had an
advanced degree in all years.
7.4%
5.6%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Black Non-Hispanic
8.1%
15.1%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Other Non-Hispanic
5.6%
3.2%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Hispanic
11.2%
10.4%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Percent of the Population 18 Years and Older with an Advanced Degree by Race and Hispanic Origin and Veteran Status
Veteran
Non-Veteran
White Non-Hispanic
Veterans: significant increase 2000 to 2009
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
Veterans: no significant change 2000 to 2009
Summary
Between 2000 and 2009, there has been a significant increase in the percentage of Veterans 18 years and older with
a Bachelors degree and the percentage of Veterans with an advanced degree as their highest level of education
completed.
Overall, the percentage of Veterans with a Bachelors degree was lower than that of non-Veterans throughout the
decade. However, after taking sex into consideration, a higher percentage of female Veterans were found to have
completed a Bachelors degree compared with non-Veteran women.
Since 2002, a higher percentage of female Veterans than male Veterans had a Bachelors degree. Since 2004, there
has been no statistical difference in the percentage of male and female Veterans with an advanced degree.
Age may be a factor in the differences between the educational attainment of male and female Veterans and
non-Veterans. Male Veterans, as a group, are significantly older and may have completed all the education they ever
will while the younger female Veteran cohort may still be pursuing their secondary education.
When taking race and Hispanic origin into consideration, only Hispanic Veterans had a higher percentage with a
Bachelors degree when compared with their non-Veteran counterparts. A lower percentage of White Non-Hispanic
and Other Non-Hispanic Veterans than non-Veterans had a Bachelors degree. There was no significant difference
between Black Non-Hispanic Veterans and non-Veterans with a Bachelors degree.
There was a significant increase in the percentage of White Non-Hispanic and Hispanic Veterans with a Bachelors
degree between 2000 and 2009. There was no significant change over the decade for Black Non-Hispanic or Other
Non-Hispanic Veterans.
12
Contact Information
Kelly Ann Holder
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Policy and Planning
National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics
Kelly.Holder@va.gov
(202)266-4643
13