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Educational Attainment (25 years and up)
  United States Oregon Washington MCEDD
Less than 9th grade 7.5% 5.0% 4.3% 7.3%
9th to 12th grade, no diploma 12.1% 9.9% 8.6% 11.1%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 28.6% 26.3% 24.9% 32.1%
Some college, no degree 21.0% 27.1% 26.4% 25.5%
Associate degree 6.3% 6.6% 8.0% 5.9%
Bachelor's degree 15.5% 16.4% 18.4% 12.2%
Graduate or professional degree 8.9% 8.7% 9.3% 5.9%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
  MCEDD Hood River Sherman  Wasco Klickitat Skamania
Less than 9th grade 7.3% 11.5% 3.5% 6.1% 6.7% 4.1%
9th to 12th grade, no diploma 11.1% 10.4% 12.2% 11.8% 11.6% 10.1%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 32.1% 26.6% 32.9% 34.0% 34.3% 33.4%
Some college, no degree 25.5% 23.8% 25.8% 26.0% 24.8% 29.1%
Associate degree 5.9% 4.6% 6.5% 6.5% 6.2% 6.5%
Bachelor's degree 12.2% 15.2% 15.0% 10.5% 11.1% 11.7%
Graduate or professional degree 5.9% 7.8% 4.0% 5.2% 5.3% 5.1%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Source:  EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT FOR THE POPULATION 25 YEARS AND OVER [35] - Universe: Population 25 years and over, for comparison to 1990 Data
Data Set:  Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) - Sample Data  
Text Box: While educational attainment in the Mid-Columbia region for those above 25 doesn’t vary drastically from State and National averages, there are however, a few items worth pointing out. As the highlighted areas above show, while the MCEDD region as a whole has fewer individuals with graduate or professional degrees than State and National averages, it does have a higher percentage of individuals with a High School diploma. This is an indication of a capable blue collar workforce. Educational attainment is not evenly spread throughout the five counties of the MCEDD region. Hood River County, for example, has both the highest rate of individuals with less than a 9th grade education, a result of a large, immigrant workforce, but it also has the highest rate for individuals with graduate or professional degrees. From these findings one can infer that the region has appeal to high-level workers, but is also saddled with the realities of a struggling rural economy.