College graduation rates are abysmal

[VMA131Marine]

College graduation rates are abysmal. By state, the best is Massachusetts at 44.5%. The graduation rate for Washington DC is a lot higher at 59.8%, but I think there are obvious unique circumstances there.

The top 9 states for graduation rate after Massachusetts are: CO, MD, NJ, CT, VT, VA, NH, NY, and MN (36.8%).

The bottom ten states from best to worst are:
NM 28.1%
IN
AL
OK
NV
KY
LA
AR
MS
WV 21.3%

https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/college-graduation-rates-by-state

[senseandsensibility]

2. I come from a very blue collar background

and I have seen what has happened in my own family over the generations. In the 50's or early 60's many of my extended family attempted to attain a college degree, and, while some dropped out, more than half succeeded. Since then, their offspring not so much. I have many cousins and at least 80% never even enrolled in college. I and two of my cousins attained post graduate degrees but the rest didn't even try. Don't know why, but the ones that didn't are all trumpers.

[exboyfil]

5. I was first person in my family to graduate from college (BS Mechanical Engineering from Purdue)

Both my daughters graduated (the older has her MS in Data Analytics now after a BS in Mechanical Engineering like me). The younger has a BS in Nursing. To my knowledge none of my cousins graduated form college. My half brother went to technical school and the Navy and has a good job repairing hospital equipment for 30 years. He married a nurse.

All three of my brother's sons will have degrees after the youngest graduates in December. I married into a very educated family (FIL Doctorate in Mathematics, BIL Doctorate in Biochemistry, all the other siblings with at least a BS, and my niece and nephew both have Masters in Fine Arts - Music).

In general my cousins are doing pretty well (one retired after 20 years in the Navy and is now doing a variety of different things, another runs her own farm, one is a dental hygienist, and two are police officers).

[GregariousGroundhog]

3. College graduations rates are higher than ever

37.7% of people age 25 and above in the United States held a four year degree or better as of 2022. That number was 30.9% in 2012 (10 years ago), 26.7% in 2002 (20 years ago), and 21.4% in 1992 (30 years ago).

[Ocelot II]

4. The highest rates are in the blue states; lowest in the red states.

How very odd...

[DiverDave]

6. My oldest

Has a BS in accounting. He was always good with numbers.
My youngest is on track to graduate this semester. In sports physiotherapy.
Only 2 in my extended family that ever went to college.
I'm pretty damned proud of them.

[msongs]

7. not surprised based on the community college classes Im taking now.

one of them has music projects. we are allowed 3 weeks to do a project using computers and music software available at the school (I use my tech at home cuz Im familiar with it). I did my project in 3 days. nobody else is yet finished and the 3 weeks are up. yet they are all whining about not getting it done lol

[Xolodno]

8. First one in my family to graduate.

And when I say family, I'm talking both sides for generations.