U.S. Census: Idahoans With College Degrees Number Fewer Than Neighboring States
There are new numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau that show Idaho is falling behind many neighboring states and even the nation in one very big way.
The gap between those with college degrees and those without is considerable in the state. According to the Census, just 24-percent of Idahoans 25 and older currently have a degree beyond their high school diploma.
“Education is important,” said University of Idaho’s Safety Programs Director Lee Ostrom.
If anyone knows the importance of education, it’s Ostrom.
“It’s okay sometimes to work in a technical field with your hands until you’re maybe in your 40s,” said Ostrom. “At some point you want to be in a management position and a higher education degree allows you to do that kind of job.”
Dr. Ostrom teaches at the satellite campus in Idaho Falls. To work in eastern Idaho, he said, the college degree is king.
“Most of the employers in this area require some sort of skill,” he said.
When it comes to the numbers, Idaho is behind many neighboring states in the number of people with college degrees.
In Montana, the Census reported 30-percent of people 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Washington, the figure is 31-percent. Utah stands at just over 29-percent.
A study from Georgetown University suggests Census stats that show only about a quarter of Idahoans have their higher ed degrees may start to make a difference in the near future.
“We have many technologically challenging employers that produce global products that are based here in Idaho Falls, and these jobs as well require that higher level of education,” said Ostrom.
According to the Georgetown survey, more and more jobs require a higher ed degree. By 2018, the study projects 60-percent of jobs will be for graduates only.
Ostrom said most of his students are very aware of the importance of earning a degree.
He said it’s often a topic of conversation amongst his students.
Ostrom said eastern Idaho probably bucks the trend a little bit. He said the number of jobs requiring college degrees is higher here, likely because of the Idaho National Lab and its contractors.
