Educational Attainment of Women on the Rise
In 2006, over thirty percent of women held a bachelor’s degree or higher. Female graduates in 2006 outnumbered men in Missouri by 4.4 percent in their attainment of higher education. The number of Missouri women ages 24 to 44 obtaining bachelor’s degrees or higher rose by 2.8 percent from 2000 to 2006.
| US, Missouri & Border States | ||||||
| Percentage of Age 25 to 44 with Bachelor Degree or Higher | ||||||
| Female | Male | |||||
| 2000 | 2006 | % Change | 2000 | 2006 | % Change | |
| United States | 27.9% | 31.5% | 3.5% | 28.5% | 27.1% | -1.4% |
| Missouri | 27.3% | 30.1% | 2.8% | 25.2% | 25.4% | 0.2% |
| Arkansas | 17.6% | 23.0% | 5.4% | 19.2% | 18.2% | -1.0% |
| Illinois | 31.4% | 35.3% | 4.0% | 30.2% | 30.9% | 0.7% |
| Iowa | 27.2% | 32.1% | 4.9% | 24.5% | 26.3% | 1.8% |
| Kansas | 31.3% | 33.0% | 1.7% | 30.5% | 29.6% | -0.9% |
| Kentucky | 19.8% | 24.3% | 4.5% | 18.4% | 20.5% | 2.0% |
| Nebraska | 28.5% | 33.3% | 4.8% | 29.1% | 29.6% | 0.6% |
| Oklahoma | 22.0% | 25.5% | 3.5% | 24.9% | 20.5% | -4.4% |
| Tennessee | 24.7% | 26.0% | 1.3% | 23.6% | 21.5% | -2.1% |
Nationally, Missouri and every border state showed an increase in women graduates from 2000 to 2006. Leading the border states for educational attainment of women are Illinois (35.3), Nebraska (33.3), Kansas (33.0), and Missouri (30.1). Arkansas made the largest gain with 5.4 percent increase in 25 to 44 year old women’s attainment of a bachelor’s degree or higher.
| 2000 to 2006 County | ||||||
| Percentage of Age 25 to 44 with Bachelor Degree or Higher | ||||||
| Female | Male | |||||
| County | 2000 | 2006 | % Change | 2000 | 2006 | % Change |
| St. Charles County, Missouri | 31.4% | 38.9% | 7.4% | 27.1% | 38.2% | 11.1% |
| Jackson County, Missouri | 29.6% | 28.1% | -1.5% | 28.0% | 28.6% | 0.6% |
| St. Louis County, Missouri | 41.7% | 45.9% | 4.1% | 42.9% | 42.6% | -0.3% |
| St. Louis City, Missouri | 23.5% | 26.0% | 2.5% | 24.4% | 29.5% | 5.1% |
Counties leading Missouri with the highest number of woman with bachelor’s degrees or higher are Boone (46.4), St. Louis County (45.9) and Clay (38.9). St. Charles County held the largest increase from 2000 to 2006 with a 7.4 percent gain for women while men in the county had the largest increase at 11.1 percent.
| Missouri Counties | ||
| Percentage of Age 25 to 44 with Bachelor Degree or Higher | ||
| Female | Male | |
| County | 2006 | 2006 |
| Boone County | 46.4% | 45.4% |
| Buchanan County | 23.0% | 13.9% |
| Cape Girardeau County | 29.9% | 28.5% |
| Cass County | 24.9% | 18.7% |
| Christian County | 17.5% | 30.3% |
| Clay County | 35.9% | 32.7% |
| Cole County | 19.4% | 24.9% |
| Franklin County | 22.5% | 12.9% |
| Greene County | 33.2% | 27.2% |
| Jackson County | 28.1% | 28.6% |
| Jasper County | 15.4% | 20.3% |
| Jefferson County | 12.9% | 15.4% |
| Platte County | 39.1% | 42.0% |
| St. Charles County | 38.9% | 38.2% |
| St. Louis County | 45.9% | 42.6% |
| St. Louis city | 26.0% | 29.5% |
