Higher Education in the Erie, PA Metro Area

Erie, PA Metro Area has a moderately-educated 2005 population, with 24.2 percent of the over 25 years old population having a Bachelors Degree or Higher, according to the 2005 American Community Survey. The Erie MSA is reported having a lower percent of highly educated individuals than the State of Pennsylvania's proportion of 25.6 percent and a lower percent than the national average of 27.2 percent.

In 2005, the American Community Survey reported that in the Erie, PA Metro Area, many men in the area have reached the High School Diploma category, with 41.6 percent reaching this education level. The female population in the Erie metro area on average have achieved a lower level of higher education (Bachelors Degree or Higher) than the male population-- 26.2 percent (Men) versus 22.4 percent (Women). A high proportion of the female population in the area has reached the High School Diploma category, with 45.6 percent of the female population achieving this education level.

In the Erie, PA Metro Area as reported in the 2005 American Community Survey, 25 percent of the White Alone, 8.8 percent of Black or African American, . percent of the Asian alone and . percent of the Hispanic or Latino population, over the age 25, has achieved a Bachelors Degree or Higher.

From the year 2000, the Erie metro area has increased in the population percent with a Bachelors of Higher. This population percent has grown by 3.4 percent to a total of 24.2 percent in 2005, according to the American Community Survey. The 2005 proportion of highly educated population is less than the 2005 State of Pennsylvania percent of 25.6 and less than the national percent of 27.2.

Between 2000 and 2005, the percent of the male population that can be understood as highly educated has increased by 4.2 percent. By the year 2005, 26.2 percent of area's male population, over the age 25, achieved a Bachelors Degree or Higher. At the same time, the percent of women, over the age 25, holding at least a Bachelors Degree has increased by a total of 2.6 percent. By 2005, a total of 22.4 percent of the total female population achieved this high level of education.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.

Demographic Profile for Erie, PA

In terms of total land area, the Erie metro area encompasses a total area of 802 total square miles. The area has a medium-high average population density of 350 persons per square mile. Other metro areas with similar densities in the US include: -- more densely populated -- Knoxville (353 per sq. mile ), Rochester (354 per sq. mile ), Springfield (356 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Youngstown-Warren-Boardman (348 per sq. mile ), Lebanon (347 per sq. mile ), Muskegon-Norton Shores (345 per sq. mile ).

From 2000, a medium-high amount of people migrated into the Erie metro area, with 2,317 people migrating in internationally. The international migration into Erie totals 2.3 percent of the total international migration into the State of Pennsylvania. This percent of international migration is medium-high when analyzed against the base population in the year 2005 and compared to other metro areas across the US.

The Erie metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has a population that is made up of 89.2 percent White, 6.3 percent African American, 0.8 percent Asian, and 2.5 percent Hispanic. This area can be considered to have a modest level of diversity, with 9.6 percent of minorities in the 2005 population base. This is less than the State of Pennsylvania percent of 16.4. Since 2000, Erie has increased the percent of minority makeup when 9.0 percent of the total population were minorities.

The Erie metro area had a population that was estimated at 280,446 in 2005. The total population has decreased, since the population in 2000 of 280,716. The decline denotes a decrease of -0.1 percent. Erie ranks 9 of 14 MSAs when analyzing total population change in Pennsylvania and the metro area ranks 315 of 361 metro areas when analyzing total MSA population change across the nation.

In the year 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the median age in the Erie metro area to be 38.5 years of age. The median in Erie is less than the median age in the State of Pennsylvania of 39.7. Since 2000, the area has experienced an increase in the median age, when it was 36.2 years old. With a total of 33.7 percent of the 2005 population being made up of children and youth younger than 18, Erie can be described as having a medium-high proportion of youths. The working age population group (18-64) has a medium-high representation within the estimated 2005 area population, making up 63.3 percent of the population within the age group. People 65 and older make up 13.6 percent of the population. When compared to other metro areas in the United States, this represents a medium-low percent of the population base.

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