Daniel Prince
Feb 17, 2022
Study doesn't take into account high school graduates and those with two-year degrees
A study published by Stacker, whose mission is to transform data into stories, lists what they call the least educated counties in South Carolina. They note that the value of traditional education can vary widely across the country. A college degree has long been viewed as a critical step toward the American dream; however, rising costs have led many students to reconsider the return-on-investment they get from higher education. Local economies and individual circumstances can push others toward learning a trade or entering the workforce early.
National statistics continue to show a clear difference in earnings among varying levels of education, with college graduates earning approximately 65% more than those with just a high school diploma. Using data from the US Census Bureau, Stacker compared counties in South Carolina, ranking them by the lowest percent of population ages 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
In their list, Union County ranks as the #5 least educated county in the state, with just 11.3% of the over-25 population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. According to the data, 7.2% hold a bachelor’s degree, with median earnings of $41,186. 4.1% hold a graduate or professional degree, with median earnings of $56,071. That compares to those with just a high school diploma, listed as 40% of the population, with median earnings of $25,000, and 18.7% of the population with less than a high school diploma, with median earnings of $22,773.
The ranking does not tell the whole story of Union County education, however. 30% of the over-25 population is listed as having some college or an associate’s degree, with median earnings of $31,645. The county’s two colleges, USC Union and SCC-Union campus, offer associate’s degrees, and when comparing counties based solely on the percentage of those with some college or an associate’s degree, Union County is tied for #28 on the least educated list.
Statewide, Charleston County is considered the most educated, coming in at #46 on the list, with 43.6% holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. Greenville County holds the distinction of being the most educated county in the Upstate, coming in at #43 on the list with 35.1% of the population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. Marlboro County is considered the least educated, with 8.9% of the population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. After Union County, Cherokee County would be the second-least educated county in the Upstate, coming in at #11 on the list with 14.2% of the population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. They also have a high percentage of population with some college or associate’s degree, at 31.4%.