Oklahoma lags in higher education attainment, report shows

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A new report shows that Oklahoma still lags in higher education attainment compared to the rest of the country.

The latest Vital Signs report by the United Way of Central Oklahoma found that nearly 16 percent of Oklahomans earned a bachelor’s degree between 2007 and 2016, which is below the national rate of 18 percent for Americans age 25 and older.

The Oklahoman reports that the state also ranked below the national rate for adults who earned associate, graduate and professional degrees.

About 77 percent of Oklahoma jobs will require more than a high school diploma in 2025, which highlights the need for improved educational attainment.

State Regents for Higher Education Chancellor Glen Johnson says that several college degree completion initiatives were put on hold after state funding for higher education was cut by 16 percent in 2016.