Educational attainment among immigrants in the United States varies substantially by region of birth. In 2022, 34.7% of foreign-born adults age 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 24.9% had less than a high school diploma. These estimates come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey 1-year estimates for the 50 states and District of Columbia.
Table of contents
- How to read these immigrant education statistics
- Foreign-born and native-born adults
- African- and Asian-born immigrants
- European, North American, and Oceanian immigrants
- Latin American immigrants
- South American and Caribbean immigrants
How to read these immigrant education statistics
The Census Bureau defines foreign-born people as those who were not U.S. citizens at birth. This group includes naturalized citizens and noncitizens. The figures below describe people age 25 and older, not all immigrants or all students. They measure the highest educational attainment reported for the population, rather than enrollment, school quality, field of study, or whether credentials earned abroad were recognized in the United States.
The source is The Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2022, a U.S. Census Bureau report based on 2022 American Community Survey 1-year estimates. The geographic coverage is the 50 states and District of Columbia. The report presents a percent distribution, so percentages may not sum to exactly 100% because of rounding. The statistics are descriptive and should not be treated as a complete measure of every immigrant’s educational history.
Foreign-born and native-born adults
The overall comparison shows a different distribution of educational attainment for foreign-born and native-born adults. The foreign-born population had a larger share at the lowest education level, while the native-born population had a larger share in the middle categories. The share with a bachelor’s degree or higher was similar between the two groups.
| Educational attainment, age 25+ | Total population | Native-born | Foreign-born |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 10.4% | 7.2% | 24.9% |
| High school graduate or equivalency | 26.1% | 26.9% | 22.1% |
| Some college or associate’s degree | 27.9% | 30.0% | 18.3% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 35.7% | 35.9% | 34.7% |
Among all people age 25 and older in 2022, 10.4% had less than a high school diploma. The corresponding share was 7.2% among native-born people and 24.9% among foreign-born people. At the high school graduate or equivalency level, the shares were 26.1% for the total population, 26.9% for native-born people, and 22.1% for foreign-born people. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022
Some college or an associate’s degree was the highest level for 27.9% of the total population, 30.0% of native-born adults, and 18.3% of foreign-born adults. At the bachelor’s degree or higher level, the shares were 35.7% for the total population, 35.9% for native-born people, and 34.7% for foreign-born people. These comparisons describe distributions within each population group; they do not explain why the distributions differ.
African- and Asian-born immigrants
The 2022 estimates show relatively high bachelor’s-degree attainment among adults born in Africa and Asia. For people age 25 and older born in Africa, 11.0% had less than a high school diploma, 19.4% had a high school diploma or equivalency, and 24.1% had some college or an associate’s degree. The largest category was bachelor’s degree or higher, at 45.6%. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022
Among Asia-born adults age 25 and older, 13.5% had less than a high school diploma. Another 14.9% had a high school diploma or equivalency, and 16.2% had some college or an associate’s degree. More than half, 55.4%, had a bachelor’s degree or higher. This was the highest bachelor’s-degree-or-higher share among the broad regional groups listed in these estimates.
The categories are useful for describing broad patterns, but they do not mean that every person from a region has the same educational experience. They also do not identify when or where an individual completed a degree.
European, North American, and Oceanian immigrants
Educational attainment also differed among adults born in Europe, Northern America, and Oceania. Among Europe-born people age 25 and older, 9.3% had less than a high school diploma, 21.3% had a high school diploma or equivalency, and 22.0% had some college or an associate’s degree. The bachelor’s degree or higher share was 47.3%. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022
The Northern America category had 5.7% with less than a high school diploma, 16.1% with a high school diploma or equivalency, and 26.1% with some college or an associate’s degree. A total of 52.0% had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Among Oceania-born adults, 11.8% had less than a high school diploma. The high school graduate or equivalency share was 26.3%, and the some-college-or-associate’s-degree share was 27.5%. The bachelor’s degree or higher share was 34.4%.
| Region of birth | Less than high school | High school or equivalency | Some college or associate’s | Bachelor’s or higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 9.3% | 21.3% | 22.0% | 47.3% |
| Northern America | 5.7% | 16.1% | 26.1% | 52.0% |
| Oceania | 11.8% | 26.3% | 27.5% | 34.4% |
Latin American immigrants
The Latin America estimates show a larger concentration in the lower and middle attainment categories than the estimates for several other regions. Among Latin America-born adults age 25 and older, 37.8% had less than a high school diploma. The high school graduate or equivalency share was 27.3%, and 17.7% had some college or an associate’s degree. The share with a bachelor’s degree or higher was 17.3%. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022
Within the Mexico-born population, 50.7% had less than a high school diploma in 2022. Another 26.6% had a high school diploma or equivalency, 13.6% had some college or an associate’s degree, and 9.1% had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Among people born in other Central America, 45.8% had less than a high school diploma. The high school graduate or equivalency share was 26.4%, while 16.2% had some college or an associate’s degree. The bachelor’s degree or higher share was 11.6%.
These figures distinguish Latin America overall from selected subgroups. The Mexico and other-Central-America estimates should not be used as substitutes for the full Latin America estimate, because the broader category includes additional places of birth.
South American and Caribbean immigrants
Adults born in South America had a more evenly distributed pattern across the four attainment categories than adults born in Mexico or other Central America. In 2022, 14.0% of South America-born people age 25 and older had less than a high school diploma, 23.1% had a high school diploma or equivalency, and 24.8% had some college or an associate’s degree. The bachelor’s degree or higher share was 27.8%. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022
Among Caribbean-born adults age 25 and older, 20.9% had less than a high school diploma. A further 25.6% had a high school diploma or equivalency, and 30.9% had some college or an associate’s degree. The share with a bachelor’s degree or higher was 18.5%.
| Region of birth | Less than high school | High school or equivalency | Some college or associate’s | Bachelor’s or higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South America | 14.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 27.8% |
| Caribbean | 20.9% | 25.6% | 30.9% | 18.5% |
Taken together, the 2022 estimates show why “immigrant education” is not a single uniform profile. The percentage with a bachelor’s degree or higher ranged from 9.1% among Mexico-born adults to 55.4% among Asia-born adults in the specified age group and geography. The percentage with less than a high school diploma ranged from 5.7% among Northern America-born adults to 50.7% among Mexico-born adults. Those are population distributions for 2022, not forecasts or measures of future educational outcomes.