Black women are the most educated group in the United States, a new report by the National Center for Education Statistics says.
Between 2009 to 2010, among African-American students, black women received 68 percent of associate’s degrees, 66 percent of bachelor’s, 71 percent of master’s degrees, and 65 percent doctorate degrees
The number of black students enrolling in college has also increased--from 10 percent to 15 percent from 1976 to 2012. Meanwhile, the percentage of white students decreased from 84 percent to 60 percent.
When it comes to race and gender, the number of black women enrolled in college is higher than other groups including white women, 7.1 percent; Asian women, 8.7 percent; and white men, 6.1 percent.
In addition, the number of black students awarded bachelor’s degrees increased by 53 percent, while the number of Hispanic students increased by 87 percent. For doctorate’s degrees, the number awarded to Hispanic students increased by 60 percent, and 47 percent for black students.
But the high numbers of black women going to college are not coinciding with jobs.
A recent study by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) found that black women make up only 8 percent of private sector jobs and 1.5 percent of senior-level executives.
