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UTB-CBIRD Report: “At The Crossroads” Education & Training 41
CAMERON COUNTY EDUCATION ATTAINMENT
Only 4.9% of Texans enroll in higher education compared with 6.1% in
California, 6% in Illinois, and 5.6% in New York and the Texas rate is
dropping; by 2015 college enrollment for the state is expected to dip to
4.6% and ethnic groups with the lowest college-going and graduations rates
– particularly Hispanics – are a growing proportion of Texas’ population.
If more Texans – especially members of minority groups – do not get
college degrees by 2030 the state stands to lose up to $40 billion in annual
household income. One of the strongest predictors of socioeconomic
success is education.
Steven H. Murdock, Chief Demographer
Texas State Data Center, Texas A&M University
Quoted by Michael Arnone in
“Texas Falls Behind in Plan to Enroll More Minority Students”
Chronicle of Higher Education, January 17, 2003
While 24% of Texans have not complete high school, 30% of Cameron County
residents have not completed ninth grade. This is over four times the national
rate, and close to three times the state rate for less than ninth grade education.
An additional 15% have completed less than high school, bringing the total to
45% who have less than a high school education 1 . 34% of Cameron County
residents have pursued college, and 17% have received a college degree, Figure
4.1. At the national level, 84% of all adults ages 25 and over have completed
high school and 26 % have completed a bachelor’s degree or more. The high
school completion level of young adults (ages 25 to 29) is 88%, while the college
completion level is 29%.
Figure 4. 1. Comparative Education Attainment of Population 25 & Older
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
7%
9%
33%
18%
11%
13%
25%
22%
30%
15%
21%
34% 36%
16% 15%
20%
25%
8%
5%
17%
15%
17% 16%
4% 3%
15%
8% 8%
8%
5%
8%
4%
2%
5%
2%
U.S. Texas Cameron Co. Hidalgo Co. Willacy Co.
Source: U.S. Census Data 2000
1 National Rankings recently published by the U.S. Census Bureau show that, of counties with
250,000 or more, Hidalgo and Cameron County have the highest percentages nationwide of adults
25 years and older with less than a high school education, see page 17.
Less than 9th grade
Less than 12th grade
HS Diploma
College, no degree
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate or
Professional Degree
One Region -- One Future