Greater Philadelphia ranks as one of the nation’s leading centers for higher education with over 100 degree-granting institutions enrolling just under 400,000 full and part-time students in the fall of 2010. An extensive higher education system provides Greater Philadelphia with a highly educated workforce, far outstripping the national average in percentage of population with bachelor’s and advanced degrees.

• In 2010, 32.9% of the residents 25 years and older had a Bachelor’s degree or higher, fully 5 percentage points above the U.S. figure. 
• 13.1% had Advanced degrees compared to the U.S. share of 10.3%.
• The pipeline of educated workers is large – during the 2009/10 academic year, colleges and universities the region awarded 85,700 certificates and degrees, 79% of which were Bachelor’s or higher.

Workforce Educational Attainment within the Greater Philadelphia Region (percentage of over-25 population)

• Baccalaureate and above - 32.9%
• Advance Degrees - 13.1%

View the Educational Attainment by each county within Greater Philadelphia.

Visit our Education section for more information.

Source: Bureau of the Census.