UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls
Historically, the high level of the productivity of the American workforce has been a key driver of the country's prosperity. Productivity has been tightly linked to educational attainment and is likely to become more so in the emerging knowledge economy.
Through programs like the GI Bill, Pell Grants, and the subsidized student loan program, the U.S. greatly expanded access to a college education. At the close of World War II, the Census indicates that only about 5 percent of the adult population in the United States had attained a bachelor's degree. By 2019, the Census tells us that 33.1% of all adults had attained an undergraduate degree.
However, the rest of the world has been making massive investments in education. A recent study by the World Population Review rated the educational systems of 66 middle- and high-income countries and the U.S. was only slightly above average overall and with respect to reading, math and science. The following table, drawn from the World Population Review data, paints a dismal picture of the U.S. relative to our primary economic competitor, China.
Ranking of U.S. and Chinese Educational Systems |
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Total Score |
Reading Score |
Math Score |
Science Score |
|
U.S. |
26 |
17 |
31 |
23 |
China |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
In terms of education in the St. Croix River Valley counties: