Higher Education in the Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area

From the year 2000, the Raleigh-Cary metro area has increased in the total percent of the over 25 population having a Bachelors Degree or Higher. This population group has grown by 24.0 percent to a total of 41.6 percent in 2005, according to the American Community Survey. The 2005 proportion of highly educated population is greater than the State of North Carolina percent of 25.2 and greater than the United States percent of 27.2.

In the Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area as reported in the American Community Survey of the year 2005, 45.2 percent of the White Alone, 26.8 percent of Black or African American, 65 percent of the Asian alone and 17.6 percent of the Hispanic or Latino population, over the age 25, has achieved at least a Bachelors Degree.

Between 2000 and 2005, the percent of the male population that can be understood as highly educated has increased by 23.0 percent. As reported in 2005, 43 percent of area's male population (+25) achieved a BA or Higher. During the same period, the percent of women (+25) that have earned a BA or higher has increased by a total of 25.0 percent. By 2005, a total of 40.4 percent of the women in the population had received a Bachelors Degree or Higher.

Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area can be considered to have a very highly-educated 2005 population, with 41.6 percent of the population (+25) having received at least a Bachelors Degree, as reported in the 2005 American Community Survey. The Raleigh-Cary MSA has a higher percent of individuals with higher educations than the State of North Carolina's proportion of 25.2 percent and a higher percent than United States proportion of 27.2 percent.

Reported by the 2005 American Community Survey in the Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area, many men in the area have reached the Bachelors Degree or Higher category, with 43 percent achieving this level. The female population in the Raleigh-Cary metro area have achieved a lower level of higher education (Bachelors or Higher) than men -- 43 percent (Men) versus 40.4 percent (Women). A high proportion of the female population in the area has reached the Bachelors Degree or Higher category, with 40.4 percent of the areas female population attaining this level of education.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2005 American Community Survey.

Demographic Profile for Raleigh-Cary, NC

The Raleigh-Cary metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has a population that is made of 67.3 percent White, 20 percent African American, 3.5 percent Asian, and 7.8 percent Hispanic. This area can be considered to have a high level of diversity, with 31.3 percent minorities. This is greater than the State of North Carolina percent of 29.6. Since 2000, Raleigh-Cary has increased in diversity when 28.3 percent of the total population were minorities.

The Raleigh-Cary metro area had a population of 949,681 for the year 2005. The total population has increased very sharply, since the population in 2000 of 804,139. This growth shows an increase of 18.1 percent. Raleigh-Cary ranks 2 of 14 MSAs when calculating total change in population for North Carolina and the metro area ranks 22 of 361 metro areas when analyzing total MSA population change across the nation.

Estimated since the year 2000, a very high number of individuals have migrated into the Raleigh-Cary metro area, with 27,150 people migrating in from outside the country. The immigration into Raleigh-Cary totals 17.2 percent of the total migration into the State of North Carolina. This level of international migration can be considered very high when analyzed against immigration per population in 2005.

When calculating the total land area, the Raleigh-Cary metro area extends a total area of 2116 square miles. The MSA has a medium-high density of 449 persons per square mile. Similar metro areas in the US, in terms of density, include: -- more densely populated -- Holland-Grand Haven (452 per sq. mile ), Pittsburgh (452 per sq. mile ), York-Hanover (452 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach (444 per sq. mile ), McAllen-Edinburg-Pharr (432 per sq. mile ), Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura (431 per sq. mile ).



Datasource: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Bureau of the Census.