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 2021 55% of high school graduates in Lancaster County planned to attend a 2- or 4-year college or university, a decrease of 8 percentage points from 2008. The Lancaster rate in 2021 was lower than the state rate of 59%, which 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%) and Cumberland (64%), the same as York (55%), and slightly higher than Berks and Dauphin (both 53%) and Lebanon (52%).
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 | 55% | 2% | 40% | 3% |
| York County | 55% | 2% | 41% | 2% |
| Berks County | 53% | 2% | 44% | 1% |
| Lebanon County | 52% | 2% | 45% | 1% |
| Dauphin County | 53% | 4% | 42% | 1% |
| Chester County | 72% | 3% | 24% | 1% |
| Cumberland County | 64% | 1% | 34% | 1% |
| 2 or 4 Year College | Non-Degree Granting School | Other | Specialized Associate Degree Program | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 73,261 | 2,766 | 45,456 | 1,924 |
| Lancaster County | 2,620 | 95 | 1,922 | 162 |
| York County | 2,676 | 98 | 2,012 | 103 |
| Berks County | 2,563 | 86 | 2,102 | 54 |
| Lebanon County | 683 | 32 | 595 | 8 |
| Dauphin County | 1,892 | 149 | 1,525 | 29 |
| Chester County | 5,209 | 187 | 1,779 | 108 |
| Cumberland County | 1,382 | 15 | 736 | 17 |
| 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 |
