Differences in Workers’ Education by Ethnicity

The Minnesota Population Center maintains public use microdata for the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). The customizable crosstabs of information include survey respondents’ age, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and their industry of employment.

According to the 2012-2016 five-year ACS estimates (the most current available), Oregon had roughly 2.1 million people between the ages of 25 and 64. Of them, 227,000 were of Hispanic or Latino origin, while the state’s non-Hispanic population in the same prime working age range totaled almost 1.9 million. The non-Hispanic population includes Oregonians of any race (African-American, Asian, Native American, White, or any other race(s)) that did not self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.

Educational attainment differed widely between Hispanic and non-Hispanic prime working age populations. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the non-Hispanic population had some education beyond high school. Meanwhile, two-thirds (68%) of the Hispanic population had a high school diploma or less.

To learn more about workers' employment, education, and industry by ethnicity, read the article written by Senior Economic Analyst Gail Krumenauer.