Postsecondary education participation among American adults aged 55 and over

Education

Center for Education Statistics: Adult Education

Participation rates in 2005 of adults 55 and over in a part time degree or diploma program was just under 2% (Adult Learning, 2007). This seems low when taking into account the number of people in this country who are aged 55 and over. In 2004, there were 54.2 million people in the United States that were between the ages of 55 and 79. This made up almost 19% of the total American population. Because this country is quickly getting older, the idea of Post Secondary Education should no longer be aimed strictly at the younger crowd (Framing New Terrain: Older Adults & Higher Education, 2007).

It is thought by the year 2030, 20% of the U.S. population or more than 70 million people will be aged 65 and older. These numbers call for major reframe of policies across many sectors, including workforce development, community service, and postsecondary education itself. Many older adults are saying that they are planning on continuing to work through the traditional years of retirement. This necessitates a need to make sure that post secondary education is available to this group (Framing New Terrain: Older Adults & Higher Education, 2007).