High School Graduate Population

High School Graduate Population measures the percentage of adults in the St. Louis region over age 18 who have graduated high school or obtained an equivalent. In 2016, about 92% of adults in the region were high school graduates.

High School Graduates Indicator Scores

City of
St. Louis

78

St. Louis
County

88

St. Charles
County

91

St. Clair
County

84

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

Data Note: PUMS data may differ slightly from estimates on American FactFinder due to differences in sampling. See PUMS technical documentation for more information. Estimates for Hispanic residents are based on a small number of sample cases and should be interpreted with extreme caution. The number of sample cases is too small to report reliable estimates for additional racial groups.

What does this score mean?

A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in the outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

For High School Graduate Population, a score of 100 – a score reflecting racial equity – would mean black and white adults are equally likely to be high school graduates. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.

WHAT DOES THIS ANALYSIS MEAN?

White adults in the region are on average about 10% more likely to be high school graduates. In the City of St. Louis, white adults are 14.5% more likely to be high school graduates than black adults, with 93.2% of white adults having graduated and 81.4% of black adults having graduated from high school. In St. Clair County, white adults are 8.1% more likely to have graduated than black adults (93.7% of white adults are graduates relative to 86.7% of black adults). In St. Louis County, white adults are 6.1% more likely to have graduated than black adults (94.9% of white adults are graduates relative to 89.4% of black adults). In St. Charles County, white adults are 4.7% more likely to have graduated than black adults (96.1% of white adults are graduates relative to 91.7% of black adults).

If educational attainment were equitable, there would be:

12,836 more black high school graduates in the City of St. Louis,
522 more black high school graduates in St. Charles County,
4,012 more black high school graduates in St. Clair County, and
9,137 more black high school graduates in St. Louis County.

Why Does High School Graduate Population Matter?

Earning a high school diploma is a minimum requirement for many jobs and to pursue further education. Residents who drop out of school have lower incomes and have fewer job opportunities than more educated peers. According to a report by St. Louis Community College, “In St. Louis, the highest unemployment rates and lowest wages belong to those workers with less than a high school education. Unemployment rates for a less than high school graduate are nearly 50% higher than those of a worker with a high school diploma or GED.” The racial disparity in dropout rate means black youth are more likely to face high unemployment and low wages, which results in disparities later in life and in subsequent generations. In addition, according to research by the Alliance for Excellent Education, high school dropouts are “less healthy, require more medical care, and die earlier.”

WHICH CALLS TO ACTION FROM THE FERGUSON COMMISSION’s REPORT ARE LINKED WITH THIS INDICATOR?

To increase educational attainment, the Ferguson Commission calls to action include:

Questions for Further Investigation:

Why is there a racial disparity in High School Graduate Population?
What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in High School Graduate Population?
What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in High School Graduate Population?

How can I learn more about this issue?

The National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education released a report in 2017 on the Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Groups.

High School Graduate Population Data

Adults over 18 years old who are high school graduates (or equivalent)

	All	White	Black	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
High School Graduates	217,740	111,071	88,667
Adult Population	250,035	119,159	108,909
Percentage of Adults who are High School Graduates	87.10%	93.20%	81.40%	1.145 to 1	78

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

Adults over 18 years old who are high school graduates (or equivalent)

	All	Black	White	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
High School Graduates	709,738	149,397	502,032
Adult Population	762,745	167,054	529,040
Percentage of Adults who are High School Graduates	93.10%	89.40%	94.90%	1.061 to 1	88

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

Adults over 18 years old who are high school graduates (or equivalent)

	All	Black	White	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
High School Graduates	278,955	10,894	251,074
Adult Population	293,543	11,879	261,236
Percentage of Adults who are High School Graduates	95.00%	91.70%	96.10%	1.047 to 1	91

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

Adults over 18 years old who are high school graduates (or equivalent)

	All	Black	White	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
High School Graduates	180,818	49,468	121,159
Adult Population	198,602	57,076	129,266
Percentage of Adults who are High School Graduates	91.00%	86.70%	93.70%	1.081 to 1	84

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

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