Platform · Glossary
College educated.
College educated is the share of adults 25 and older who hold an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, professional or doctoral degree.
A more educated workforce tends to support higher-paying jobs, which in turn supports rent levels and rent growth.
Why PriceDNA counts associate's degrees
Many sources report only “bachelor’s degree or higher.” PriceDNA includes associate’s degrees because many of them lead directly to well-paid, in-demand work, including registered nursing, sonography, dental hygiene and radiation therapy. Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that 28% of workers with an associate’s degree earn more than the typical worker with a bachelor’s degree. Leaving them out would undercount the skilled workforce that supports local rents.
Formula
College educated = adults 25+ with an associate’s degree or higher ÷ all adults 25+
Both counts come from the Census American Community Survey (table B15003), measured for each census tract.
How PriceDNA uses it
College educated is one of the inputs to the PriceDNA Location Score™, along with whether the share is rising or falling.