The U.S. Census Bureau today released a report from Census 2000 on educational attainment that said educational levels of the U.S. population were the highest they have ever been.

    The report, Educational Attainment: 2000 [PDF], examines high school and college attendance and completion levels, with data for the nation, regions and states. The report, part of the series Census 2000 Briefs, contains limited county and city data on high school and college graduates. Information also is included on the differences in educational attainment among various age groups, completion levels for men and women and the race and ethnic characteristics of degree- holders. A separate report will be released on school enrollment.

    The tabulations in the report are based on responses from the sample of households that received the census long form, about 1-in-6 nationally. They are subject to sampling and nonsampling error.