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 2023, 53% of high school graduates in Lancaster County planned to attend a 2- or 4-year college or university, a decrease of 10 percentage points from 2008. The Lancaster rate in 2023 was 6 points lower than the state rate of 59%, which also saw a decrease of 10 percentage points (69% to 59% in that same time period).
Lancaster County's 2- or 4-year college going rate was below Chester (72%) Cumberland (65%), Berks (61%) and York (56%), and slightly higher than Lebanon (50%) and Dauphin (44%).
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 | 59% | 2% | 37% | 2% |
| Lancaster County | 53% | 2% | 42% | 2% |
| York County | 56% | 3% | 40% | 2% |
| Berks County | 61% | 2% | 35% | 2% |
| Lebanon County | 50% | 1% | 47% | 3% |
| Dauphin County | 44% | 3% | 50% | 2% |
| Chester County | 72% | 3% | 23% | 2% |
| Cumberland County | 65% | 1% | 33% | 1% |
| 2 or 4 Year College | Non-Degree Granting School | Other | Specialized Associate Degree Program | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 74,152 | 3,026 | 46,162 | 2,318 |
| Lancaster County | 2,575 | 96 | 2,052 | 107 |
| York County | 2,773 | 148 | 1,977 | 98 |
| Berks County | 3,091 | 94 | 1,769 | 85 |
| Lebanon County | 706 | 14 | 660 | 38 |
| Dauphin County | 1,996 | 146 | 2,268 | 87 |
| Chester County | 5,309 | 184 | 1,719 | 118 |
| Cumberland County | 1,481 | 23 | 749 | 20 |
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten Participation | Increasing |
| Student Performance on Grade 3 English | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 8 Math | Not Applicable |
| High School Cohort Graduation Rate | Increasing |
| Per-Student Spending | Maintaining |
| Students Receiving Special Education Services | Increasing |
| Rate of Foster Care Admissions | Maintaining |
| Disengaged Youth | Maintaining |
| Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| 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 |
