Dive Brief:
- While high school graduation rates in Maine increased to 86% in 2013 from 80% in 2009, the college-going rate in the state has remained stable at just above 60%, according to a report by the Mitchell Institute.
- Among the Maine demographic groups tracked by the report, economically disadvantaged high school graduates had the lowest college enrollment rate at 48%.
- Female high school graduates in Maine enrolled in college at a 69% clip, compared to only 56% for male high school grads.
Dive Insight:
The Mitchell Institute was founded by Ireland peace negotiator and former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell to increase the likelihood that young people in Maine go to college, which explains the report’s focus. Among racial groups, the report found that Asians and whites enrolled at the highest rates — 69% and 62%, respectively — followed by American Indians at 60%, blacks at 59%, and Latinos at 55%. Of the college students who enrolled right after high school, 83% returned for a second year of college. College graduation rates — within six years for a four-year degree and within three years for a two-year degree — increased to 56% in 2013, up from 52% in 2012.
