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However, despite this
increase in high school graduates, the analogous increase in
the percent of people with at least a bachelor's degree was
a mere 2.3 percentage points, which ranked 35th in the
country. While Oklahomans increasingly appreciate the need
for a high school diploma, pursuit of a college education
remains underrated.
- Among eleven regional comparison states, Oklahoma has
the third lowest percent of college graduates (although
New Mexico, Arizona and Louisiana are all within 1
percentage point of Oklahoma);
- The percent of college graduates in Oklahoma (20.1%)
is below both national and regional averages (23.6% and
21.3%, respectively) and ranks 39th in the country;
- An additional 72,300 Oklahomans 25 years or older
needed to earn a bachelor's degree for Oklahoma to match
the 1996 proportion of college graduates;
- Oklahoma increased its proportion of college
graduates between 1990 and 1996 by 2.3 percentage points
(7th highest increase of eleven regional comparison
states);
- This is below the national increase of 3.2 percentage
points, but above the regional increase of 1.9 percentage
points;
- Despite gaining ground on high school graduates,
Oklahoma is not gaining any ground on neighboring states
with respect to completion of 4-year college programs,
and is actually loosing ground on the nation,
overall.
(Source: USCB,
1990 Census Data; USCB, Current
Population Reports [P20-493])
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