Finally, there has been a recent surge in the share of young adults who have completed at least some college education. In 2012 a record 63% of adults ages 25 to 29 have finished at least some college. As recently as 2008, fewer than 60% of young adults had been to college. In 1971 a little more than a third of young adults had some college education. Since a record 42% share of 18- to 24-year-olds was enrolled in college in 2011 (Fry and Lopez, 2012), one might expect that the attainment of at least some college education will continue to rise over the near term.

Record levels of attainment of at least some college education are being driven by:

  • In 2012 58% of men ages 25 to 29 had completed at least some college, up from the prior record level of 57% in 2011.
  •  In 2012 record shares of black and Hispanic adults ages 25 to 29 had completed at least some college education. Among young blacks 59% had at least completed some college education, up substantially from the prior record level (55%) observed in 2010 and 2011. For the first time in 2012 more than 40% of young Hispanics have completed at least some college education.
  • Completion of some college education among young immigrant adults reached its highest level on record in 2012 (47%).