South Carolina Profile of Adult Learning

1. 2010 South Carolina Profile of Adult Learning Adults (Age 18 to 64) In Need of Adult Education and Training, 2010 No College Education, Earning Less than a Living Wage • South Carolina By the Numbers • 625,756 adults have no college education, are working but living in families with a combined income less than a living wage (twice the level of poverty). • 397,879 working-age adults have not completed high school (or equivalent). • 52,101 adults have no college education and speak English poorly or not at all. • 26,860 adults have not completed high school, speak English poorly or not at all, and are struggling to earn a living wage. • Therefore, 770,745 have at least once of the basic challenges a state must address – 26.4% of all working-age adults in South Carolina. No High School Diploma 625,756 397,879 231,622 131,435 355,587 26,860 7,962 Total: 770,745(26.4% of adults) 11,687 52,101 5,592 ESL – No College Education, Speaks Little or No English South Carolina Adult Population Compared to the U.S. and Top States Gaps Between Whites and Minorities* (25 to 44 Year Olds) Adults with No High School Diploma (%) Age 18-24 High School Attainment (Percent) 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 United States United States United States United States United States United States Top 5 States Top 5 States Top 5 States Top 5 States Top 5 States Top 5 States Age 25-64 College Attainment (Percent) Speak English Poorly or Not at All – Age 18 to 64 (%) * Minorities include Hispanic, African-American, and Native American • South Carolina lags behind the nation and many states in the percentage of adults with no high school diploma though there has been improvement since 2000. • Compared to the U.S. average and top states, a significant percentage of South Carolina’s adult population are earning less than a living wage with a high school diploma or less. • The educational gaps between whites and minorities for high school and college attainment are below the national average; however, the gaps have widened since 2000. High School Diploma or Less in Families not Earning a Living Wage – Age 18 to 64 (%)

2. Prepared by the National Center forHigher Education Management Systems With Support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2010 South Carolina Profile of Adult Learning Reaching the Target Population Enrollment per 1,000 Adults Age 18-64: College Participation of Adults Age 25-49 as a Percent of Population Age 25-49 with Only a High School Diploma In State-Administered ABE Programs with Less than a High School Diploma In English as a Second Language (ESL) with Little or No English Proficiency • Adult enrollment in state-administered ABE programs is above the U.S. average though enrollment has declined greatly since 2000. • GEDs awarded in South Carolina per 1,000 adults is slightly lower than the national average but has grown since 2000. • The overall college participation rate of adults ages 25-49 is substantially below the U.S. average and has remained stable since 2000. GEDs Awarded per 1,000 Adults with Less than a High School Diploma (Age 18 to 24) 2000 2001 2000 2000 2010 2010 2009 2010 United States United States United States United States Top 5 States Top 5 States Top 5 States Top 5 States The Benefits of More Education Workforce Participation (%) Education Median Annual Earnings (Age 18 to 64) Less than High School • Adults with higher levels of education are more likely to participate in the workforce than adults with less than a college degree. • Additionally, those with a college degree earn substantially more money annually compared to those with less than a college degree. High School Some College Associates Degree Bachelor’s Degree Graduate/Prof. Degree Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey – Public Use Microdata Files, 2000, 2010 Office of Vocational and Adult Education NCES, IPEDS Fall 2000 and 2010 Enrollment Files General Education Development (GED) Testing Service, 2001, 2010