Education
Adults Pursuing Further Education
Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Adults Pursuing Further Education
2019
Arkansas County4.5%
Ashley County3.1%
Baxter County3.7%
Benton County2.3%
Boone County2.8%
Bowie County, Texas0.4%
Bradley County2.9%
Calhoun County2.3%
Carroll County1.6%
Chicot County2.1%
Clark County4.2%
Clay County2.2%
Cleburne County2.5%
Cleveland County2.2%
Columbia County4.4%
Conway County3.1%
Craighead County3.1%
Crawford County2.4%
Crittenden County3.7%
Cross County3.9%
Dallas County2.7%
Desha County4.2%
Drew County3.5%
Faulkner County3.9%
Franklin County3.7%
Fulton County3.0%
Garland County4.1%
Grant County2.7%
Greene County3.0%
Hempstead County3.4%
Hot Spring County2.9%
Howard County3.5%
Independence County3.3%
Izard County3.2%
Jackson County2.8%
Jefferson County4.5%
Johnson County3.0%
Lafayette County2.3%
Lawrence County3.2%
Lee County2.7%
Lincoln County2.0%
Little River County2.8%
Logan County2.9%
Lonoke County3.5%
Madison County1.7%
Marion County2.3%
Miller County2.2%
Mississippi County4.5%
Monroe County3.1%
Montgomery County2.0%
Nevada County3.0%
Newton County2.5%
Ouachita County3.9%
Perry County2.3%
Phillips County4.5%
Pike County2.5%
Poinsett County2.4%
Polk County3.5%
Pope County3.6%
Prairie County2.4%
Pulaski County4.3%
Randolph County3.5%
Saline County3.0%
Scott County2.5%
Searcy County2.3%
Sebastian County2.5%
Sevier County2.9%
Sharp County3.4%
Stone County2.8%
Union County3.7%
Van Buren County2.1%
Washington County2.8%
White County2.9%
Woodruff County2.0%
Yell County2.6%

Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Notes: Working age adults are people 25 to 64.




Number of Adults Pursuing Further Education
2019
Arkansas County391
Ashley County303
Baxter County707
Benton County3,292
Boone County516
Bowie County, Texas195
Bradley County154
Calhoun County63
Carroll County212
Chicot County106
Clark County397
Clay County158
Cleburne County302
Cleveland County87
Columbia County458
Conway County326
Craighead County1,701
Crawford County764
Crittenden County891
Cross County318
Dallas County91
Desha County227
Drew County294
Faulkner County2,410
Franklin County327
Fulton County172
Garland County1,987
Grant County256
Greene County687
Hempstead County353
Hot Spring County507
Howard County222
Independence County610
Izard County216
Jackson County251
Jefferson County1,494
Johnson County389
Lafayette County75
Lawrence County255
Lee County129
Lincoln County148
Little River County172
Logan County320
Lonoke County1,343
Madison County142
Marion County180
Miller County489
Mississippi County917
Monroe County99
Montgomery County87
Nevada County121
Newton County92
Ouachita County445
Perry County119
Phillips County371
Pike County135
Poinsett County287
Polk County323
Pope County1,127
Prairie County96
Pulaski County8,838
Randolph County305
Saline County1,898
Scott County127
Searcy County86
Sebastian County1,601
Sevier County230
Sharp County272
Stone County163
Union County723
Van Buren County166
Washington County3,334
White County1,141
Woodruff County62
Yell County276

Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Notes: Working age adults are people 25 to 64.



STATE TREND

Decreasing


3.2%

2019
1% = 15,147

What does this measure?

The share of working-age adults (25-64) who are pursuing post-secondary education (including certificates of proficiency, technical certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and graduate study) in Arkansas universities.

Why is this important?

Adults engaged in post-secondary training or retraining are acquiring knowledge and skills which can enhance opportunities to employability and productivity for their families and communities. Adults' choices about whether to pursue further education are often shaped by the general availability of job prospects at their current education level.

How is Arkansas doing?

In 2019, 3.2% of Arkansas' working-age adults were enrolled in further education, part of a steady decline from 6.2% in 2011 (a decrease of roughly 46,093 adults in terms of enrollment). This trend was likely due to improving economic and job market conditions in this time period that made pursuing education and training less attractive. Across regional counties, the share was lowest in Bowie County, TX (0.4%), followed by Carroll and Madison counties (1.6% and 1.7%) and highest in Jefferson, Arkansas, Phillips and Mississippi (all at 4.5%).

Rates are uneven across racial and ethnic groups, with 4.7% of working-age Blacks enrolled in further education compared to 3.0% of whites and 2.2% of Hispanics. While the Black rate was the highest in 2019, it has also fallen the most since 2011 (decreasing nearly 4 percentage points).

A higher share of women (4.2%) were enrolled in further education than men (at 2.2%). The female rate decreased by nearly 4 points from 2011, when female enrollment rates were almost double that of males.

The larger changes in educational enrollment for women and Blacks may be a signal that they, in particular, have seen their job prospects in the economy improve, making further education less attractive.

Notes about the data

Working age adults are people age 25 to 64. Counts reflect only those adults enrolled in Arkansas. The data includes students at in-state and some private institutions. Enrollees are assigned to counties based on their listed county of origin at time of enrollment. Counts of 10 or less are suppressed in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).




Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education


Adults Pursuing Further Education
201120122013201420152016201720182019
Arkansas6.2%6.3%5.8%5.4%5.0%4.7%4.6%4.4%3.2%

Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Notes: Working age adults are people 25 to 64.




Number of Adults Pursuing Further Education
201120122013201420152016201720182019
Arkansas94,26495,22687,69380,99476,08370,91969,76866,51648,171

Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Notes: Working age adults are people 25 to 64.






Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education


Adults Pursuing Further Education, by Gender
FemaleMale
Arkansas4.2%2.2%

Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Notes: Working age adults are people 25 to 64.




Number of Adults Pursuing Further Education, by Gender
FemaleMale
Arkansas31,93716,160

Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Notes: Working age adults are people 25 to 64.









INDICATORS TREND | STATE
Access to Quality Seats for Infants and Toddlers Not Applicable
Access to Quality Childcare Seats for Preschoolers Not Applicable
Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
Graduation Rate Not Applicable
Remediation Rate Not Applicable
Adults with a High School Degree Not Applicable
Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Not Applicable
Adults Pursuing Further Education Not Applicable
Infant Mortality Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care Not Applicable
Overweight or Obese Students Not Applicable
Student Drug Usage Not Applicable
Overweight or Obese Adults Not Applicable
Physically Inactive Adults Not Applicable
Smoking Rate Not Applicable
Flouridated Water Not Applicable
Insurance Coverage Rates Not Applicable
Oral Health Not Applicable
Life Expectancy Not Applicable
Routine Check-ups Not Applicable
Births to Teens Not Applicable
Female-headed Households Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Not Applicable
Elderly Living in Poverty Not Applicable
Median Household Income Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate Not Applicable
Child Abuse and Neglect Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services Not Applicable
Food Insecurity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate Not Applicable
Homelessness Not Applicable
Change in Total Jobs Not Applicable
Housing Affordability - Owning Not Applicable
Housing Affordability - Renting Not Applicable
Households Below ALICE Threshold Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Not Applicable
Charitable Giving Not Applicable
Volunteering Not Applicable
Group Participation Not Applicable
Connection to Neighbors Not Applicable
Local Voting Not Applicable
Change in Population Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age Not Applicable
Adults with a High School Degree Not Applicable
Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Not Applicable
Female-headed Households Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Not Applicable
Elderly Living in Poverty Not Applicable
Median Household Income Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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