Composition of U.S. workforce by education level and region, 2015–2017 average
| Less than high school | High school | Some college | College | Advanced degree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | 6.15% | 28.36 | 28.1 | 23.59 | 13.8 |
| Manufacturing Southeast | 7.51 | 29.2 | 29.7 | 21.66 | 11.93 |
| California | 9.98 | 24.15 | 28.56 | 24.05 | 13.27 |
| Texas | 11.16 | 26.43 | 29.11 | 22.11 | 11.18 |
| Other Northeast | 5.27 | 25.33 | 23.82 | 26.97 | 18.61 |
| Other Southeast | 6.73 | 29.64 | 29.08 | 22.31 | 12.24 |
| Other Midwest | 6.63 | 27.82 | 32.45 | 22.63 | 10.48 |
| Other Pacific | 6.32 | 25.52 | 30.78 | 24.12 | 13.26 |
| Other West | 8.02 | 26.55 | 31.69 | 22.2 | 11.55 |
Notes: Calculations reflect pooled data for 2015 through 2017 to ensure sufficient sample sizes. See Table 3 for a list of the states in each region.
| Region | States |
|---|---|
| Great Lakes | Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin |
| Manufacturing Southeast | Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee |
| California | California |
| Texas | Texas |
| Other Northeast | Connecticut, Delaware, District Of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont |
| Other Southeast | Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia |
| Other Midwest | Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota |
| Other Pacific | Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington |
| Other West | Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming |
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group microdata