Education, Economic Status and Race/Ethnicity in the United States
Legal Education
| | Lawyers | Law Students | U.S. pop. 25+ |
| High School Diploma | 100%* | 100%* | 80.4% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 100%* | 100%* | 24.4% |
| High School Diploma | 1,027,000 | 131,000 | 146,500,000 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 1,027,000 | 131,000 | 44,460,000 | | Current U.S. Population |
| Total | 1,027,000 | 131,000 | 182,212,000 | | 308,632,000 |
The above table shows the number of U.S. lawyers and law students according to
the ABA. About 1/267 Americans are either lawyers or
law students in the United States, which is close to 0.375% of the total population, or roughly 1,158,000 people. This is compared to figures from the
2000 U.S. Census, which shows 80.4% of Americans over the age of 25 have received a high school degree, while 24.4% have attained a bachelors degree. Also shown are current (as of Feb 7 2010)
U.S. Census Bureau Population Clock projections. Of all those in the U.S. currently holding bachelor degrees, 2.6% are either a lawyer or J.D. candidate.
Education and Economic Status by Race/Ethnicity
Below are the percentages of Asians, whites, blacks, American Indians, and Hispanics over 25 who hold diplomas and bachelor's degrees. Between 78-89% of the population of these groups have high school diplomas, with the exception of Hispanics, of whom 60% hold diplomas nationwide.
| | Asian | White | Black | Hispanic | American Indian | U.S. Population |
| Percentages based on 2005-2007 data |
| High School Diploma | 85.6% | 88.9% | 79.4% | 60.0% | 78.1% | 84.1% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 49.2% | 30.0% | 16.8% | 12.3% | 13.4% | 27.0% |
| Percentages based on 2000 Census data |
| In Labor Force (over 16) | 49.57% | 51.11% | 43.01% | 42.02% | 44.50% | 49.33% |
| Individuals Below Poverty Line | 12.27% | 8.91% | 23.50% | 22.09% | 25.47% | 12.05% |
| Single-Family Owner Occupied Homes | 13.66% | 22.23% | 13.12% | 9.45% | 13.03% | 19.62% |
| Median Value | $199,300 | $122,800 | $80,600 | $105,600 | $243,091 | $119,600 |
| Total Population | 10,242,998 | 211,460,626 | 34,658,190 | 35,305,818 | 1,865,118 | 281,421,906 |
87.7% of Americans made
less than $100,000 in 2000. 57.9% made less than $50,000. Over ⅕ of non-Asian minorities are living below the poverty level, which does not include families living below that level, of which there were
6.6 million in 2000. In 2008-2009 the
poverty line was at $10,830 for individuals and $22,050 for a family of four.
*Assuming lawyers and law students have a bachelors and high school diploma