Kansas educational attainment reached new highs on several measures in 2023 and its national ranking for young adults increased over 2022, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.  

Education attainment is the level of education a person has completed, such as graduating from high school, attending college and earning degrees. Around 90 percent of jobs are expected to require at least a high school diploma and between 70 and 75 percent will require at least some college or postsecondary credential. On average, each additional level of education means higher earnings and less poverty, which benefits the state and nation as well as individuals. 

The U.S. Census Bureau annually estimates educational attainment in certain age groups. This enables systems to track attainment and compare these results over time and with other states. 

Young Adult Attainment 

For the age group of 18-24, the following percentages are reported: 

• Not completed high school 
• High school graduate (including equivalency like a GED) 
• Some college or a two-year associate’s degree 
• Four-year bachelor's degree or higher  

These numbers show the status of everyone in the 18-24 age group during these first years after most students leave high school and enter postsecondary programs. Many individuals take college courses either before or after these years. 

High School Completion 

In 2023, 89.0 percent of Kansans aged 18-24 had completed high school or higher. That’s the highest percentage ever for that age group, up from 88.6 percent in 2022, 88.1 percent in 2021, and 85.4 percent in 2010. 

Kansas was just slightly above the national average of 88.9 percent and ranked 22nd among all 50 states in 2023. Kansas has made advances in the ranking in previous years. It ranked 26th in 2022 and 31st in 2021. 

Some College  

Nearly 55 percent of 18-24-year-olds in Kansas had at least some college, from any college credits up to two-year, four-year or advanced degrees, including technical college certificates. However, it doesn’t include industry recognized credentials. It means nearly 55 percent of young Kansans had at least started a postsecondary program. That 54.9 percent is an increase over 2022, when 53.9 percent had at least some college, but down from 56.3 percent in 2021 and 57.9 percent in 2010. College enrollment nationwide declined sharply during the pandemic and has not fully recovered. 

Kansas is doing better than most states in this area, ranking 9th in 2023, up from 19th in 2022, 13th in 2021 and 10th in 2010. Kansas exceeds the national average of 52 percent by almost three points. 

Bachelor's Degree 

The percentage of Kansans age 18-24 that have completed at least a bachelor’s degree is 13.2. This is the highest percentage in state history, up from 11.1 percent in 2022 and just 8.7 percent in 2010. The national average is 13.4 percent. Kansas ranked 20th in four-year degree completion by 18-24-year-olds, up from 32nd in 2022. 

Older Adult Attainment 

The Census Bureau also estimates educational attainment for those 25 and older. For Kansans over 24 years old, 91.7 percent had completed high school in 2023. For Kansans in this group 35.8 percent have completed a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree, or professional degree. Two-thirds had at least some college. 

Earnings and Poverty 

The same Census data on educational attainment also reports how education affects earnings. In 2023, for those over age 24, the following annual employee averages were reported: 

• All Kansans = $48,154  
• No high school diploma = $34,079 
• High school graduate with no additional education = $37,333 
• Some college or an associate’s degree = $41,745 
• Bachelor's degree $60,620 
• Advanced degree = $71,844 

So, about two-thirds of Kansans with less than a bachelor’s degree earned less than the state average while roughly one-third with a four-year degree or higher earned more than average. These figures only include regular earnings. Other research indicates that employees with higher credentials have greater benefits and much higher net wealth. 

The impact of education is equally significant on poverty rates. In 2023, the following poverty rates for Kansans over 24 were reported: 

• No high school diploma = 21% 
• High school graduate with no additional education = 14% 
• Some college or an associate’s degree = 9% 
• Bachelor’s degree or higher = 3.5% 

Although not part of the Census report, the U.S. Department of Labor consistently finds that people with less education have substantially higher unemployment rates. 

These differences in economic outcomes by education are common across all states. As would be expected, there is a very strong correlation between the percentage of a state’s population with a bachelor’s degree or higher and average earnings. For example, for those over age 24, Colorado has 46.4 percent of its population with a bachelor’s degree or higher and average earnings of $59,075, while Oklahoma has just 28.7 percent with a BA or higher and average earnings of $44, 055. Kansas is between the two, with 35.8 percent holding at least a four-year degree and average earnings of $48,154. 

The increase in educational attainment levels among Kansans since 1990 equates to an increase in total annual earnings of $9.62 billion. That is more than the entire total spending of $8.2 billion for K-12 public education in 2023.