What does this measure?
The self-reported post-graduation plans of high school graduates as reported to the state.
Why is this important?
Higher education is associated with greater earnings and standard of living. Post-graduate plans are also an indirect measure of the educational strength of the region's schools.
How does our county compare?
In 2018, 60% of high school graduates in Lancaster County planned to attend college at either a 2- or 4-year program, a decrease of 3 percentage points from 2008. The Lancaster rate in 2018 was lower than the state rate of 68%, which saw a decrease of 1 percentage point (69% to 68% in that same time period).
Lancaster County's 2- or 4-year college going rate was below all other surrounding counties, but close to Lebanon (61%), Dauphin, and York (both 62%).
Notes about the data
The plans of a high school graduate may not come to fruition for many reasons, including finances, lack of admission opportunities, or a change of plans between the time of reporting and enrollment. For purposes of the listed reports, a high school graduate is a student who has received a diploma. Students earning high school credentials by obtaining a General Educational Development (GED) diploma are not considered graduates for the purpose of the data as reported by the state of Pennsylvania.
| 2 or 4 Year College | Non-Degree Granting School | Other | Specialized Associate Degree Program | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 68% | 2% | 28% | 2% |
| Lancaster County | 60% | 1% | 35% | 4% |
| School District of Lancaster | 61% | 2% | 30% | 8% |
| Manheim Central School District | 3% | 0% | 96% | 0% |
| Warwick School District | 67% | 1% | 32% | 0% |
| Conestoga Valley School District | 60% | 0% | 39% | 1% |
| Lampeter-Strasburg School District | 72% | 1% | 25% | 2% |
| Columbia Borough School District | 47% | 0% | 46% | 8% |
| Hempfield School District | 71% | 2% | 25% | 3% |
| Donegal School District | 55% | 0% | 38% | 7% |
| Cocalico School District | 62% | 0% | 31% | 6% |
| Manheim Township School District | 77% | 1% | 19% | 2% |
| Eastern Lancaster County School District | 40% | 4% | 51% | 6% |
| Penn Manor School District | 67% | 1% | 28% | 4% |
| La Academia Partnership Charter School | 63% | 0% | 37% | 0% |
| Ephrata Area School District | 56% | 2% | 36% | 7% |
| Pequea Valley School District | 44% | 3% | 48% | 6% |
| Elizabethtown Area School District | 68% | 4% | 28% | 0% |
| Solanco School District | 49% | 2% | 47% | 2% |
| York County | 62% | 2% | 33% | 2% |
| Berks County | 65% | 2% | 31% | 2% |
| Lebanon County | 61% | 3% | 35% | 2% |
| Dauphin County | 62% | 3% | 35% | 1% |
| Chester County | 77% | 3% | 19% | 1% |
| Cumberland County | 70% | 1% | 28% | 1% |
| 2 or 4 Year College | Non-Degree Granting School | Other | Specialized Associate Degree Program | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 85,069 | 2,672 | 35,567 | 2,438 |
| Lancaster County | 3,031 | 71 | 1,799 | 192 |
| School District of Lancaster | 423 | 13 | 207 | 54 |
| Manheim Central School District | 8 | 1 | 232 | 0 |
| Warwick School District | 237 | 3 | 111 | 1 |
| Conestoga Valley School District | 193 | 0 | 124 | 3 |
| Lampeter-Strasburg School District | 186 | 2 | 66 | 5 |
| Columbia Borough School District | 42 | 0 | 41 | 7 |
| Hempfield School District | 368 | 8 | 131 | 13 |
| Donegal School District | 119 | 0 | 82 | 16 |
| Cocalico School District | 166 | 1 | 84 | 16 |
| Manheim Township School District | 345 | 5 | 86 | 11 |
| Eastern Lancaster County School District | 101 | 10 | 129 | 15 |
| Penn Manor School District | 254 | 2 | 108 | 17 |
| La Academia Partnership Charter School | 19 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Ephrata Area School District | 164 | 5 | 105 | 20 |
| Pequea Valley School District | 53 | 3 | 57 | 7 |
| Elizabethtown Area School District | 206 | 11 | 83 | 1 |
| Solanco School District | 147 | 7 | 142 | 6 |
| York County | 3,049 | 119 | 1,642 | 102 |
| Berks County | 3,168 | 86 | 1,534 | 107 |
| Lebanon County | 785 | 36 | 450 | 23 |
| Dauphin County | 2,205 | 90 | 1,233 | 39 |
| Chester County | 5,579 | 188 | 1,367 | 96 |
| Cumberland County | 1,551 | 26 | 610 | 18 |
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten Participation | Increasing |
| Student Performance on Grade 3 English | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 3 Math | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 8 English | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 8 Math | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance in Grade 11 English | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance in Grade 11 Math | Decreasing |
| Per-Student Spending | Maintaining |
| Students Receiving Special Education Services | Increasing |
| Rate of Foster Care Admissions | Maintaining |
| Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Disengaged Youth | Maintaining |
| Plans of High School Graduates | Not Applicable |
| Enrollment in Local Colleges | Decreasing |
| College Graduation Rates | Decreasing |
| Brain Drain/Gain | Increasing |
| Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
