HMONG POPULATION RESEARCH PROJECT
Educational Attainment
Population
Distribution | Average Year of Entry | Educational
Attainment | Income Distribution
Housing Variables | Employment Status | Linguistic Isolation | Occupational Distribution
Data on educational attainment of Hmong in California, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Minnesota were based on adults age 25 and over. The Census divided the educational level into eight different categories:
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In 1990 about 50% of the total Hmong population in California, Minnesota and Wisconsin reported that they had no schooling. Wisconsin had the highest educational attainment level among the three states.
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This figure compares educational attainment among the Hmong with that of the general population. The figure indicates that virtually the entire general population over 25 had some education while more than 50 % of the Hmong adult population had not received any education. In all categories the general population's educational attainment exceeded the level of education for the Hmong population.
An explanation for the low percentage of educational attainment among the Hmong is that many adults had just arrived in the United States and were working to support their large families. Language problems could also be a barrier at first. A non-economic reason for the low educational enrollment of Hmong Americans in 1990 may be attributed to their traditional values. People often tend to follow the patterns of their family and closest community or follow an existing tradition. Since Hmong Americans originally came from an agrarian society, an education often was not their highest priority. Traditions might change over time as a result of interactions among different groups of people and members of the society, but less than a decade from early 1980s, when the majority of Hmong came to the US, there may have been little change from traditional patterns in many families.
Hmong Education in 1990 in California, Minnesota, Wisconsin,
and Selected Counties
|
Adults 25 and over |
No school |
Less than 9th grade |
9th - 12th grade, no diploma |
High School Graduates |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelors Degree |
Graduate or Professional Degree |
|
|
California |
13901 |
55% |
10% |
8% |
9% |
9% |
4% |
3% |
1% |
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Minnesota |
5019 |
54% |
8% |
7% |
13% |
10% |
5% |
3% |
1% |
|
Wisconsin |
4809 |
42% |
10% |
7% |
12% |
16% |
6% |
6% |
2% |
|
Fresno County, CA |
5477 |
55% |
12% |
7% |
8% |
8% |
5% |
3% |
2% |
|
Ramsey County, MN |
3560 |
54% |
6% |
7% |
14% |
10% |
5% |
3% |
1% |
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Merced County, CA |
1790 |
51% |
7% |
11% |
12% |
10% |
5% |
4% |
0% |
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San Joaquin County, CA |
1378 |
64% |
7% |
7% |
7% |
10% |
4% |
1% |
1% |
|
Hennepin County, MN |
1217 |
57% |
12% |
8% |
8% |
7% |
6% |
1% |
2% |
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Milwaukee County, WI |
1086 |
41% |
13% |
9% |
10% |
15% |
3% |
6% |
3% |
|
Yuba County, CA |
652 |
51% |
13% |
3% |
5% |
20% |
5% |
2% |
0% |
|
San Diego County, CA |
625 |
62% |
7% |
10% |
11% |
5% |
3% |
2% |
0% |
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La Crosse County, WI |
562 |
33% |
6% |
12% |
11% |
20% |
7% |
6% |
5% |
|
Marathon County, WI |
525 |
50% |
17% |
2% |
16% |
8% |
6% |
2% |
0% |
|
Tulare County, CA |
542 |
52% |
16% |
6% |
4% |
6% |
5% |
6% |
4% |
|
Brown County, WI |
455 |
32% |
8% |
11% |
12% |
24% |
8% |
5% |
0% |
|
Eau Claire County, WI |
422 |
41% |
10% |
3% |
9% |
19% |
7% |
7% |
4% |
|
Butte County, CA |
357 |
57% |
0% |
8% |
19% |
7% |
4% |
3% |
1% |
|
Outagamie County, WI |
381 |
49% |
5% |
13% |
10% |
15% |
2% |
5% |
1% |
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Stanislaus County, CA |
236 |
52% |
12% |
10% |
2% |
19% |
4% |
0% |
0% |
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Sheboygan County, WI |
333 |
46% |
10% |
6% |
8% |
13% |
13% |
3% |
2% |
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Dane County, WI |
258 |
37% |
2% |
5% |
5% |
38% |
4% |
5% |
4% |
|
Winnebago County, WI |
249 |
41% |
13% |
2% |
19% |
6% |
10% |
9% |
0% |
|
Orange County, CA |
351 |
21% |
17% |
14% |
14% |
12% |
3% |
11% |
8% |
|
Santa Barbara County, CA |
201 |
49% |
7% |
8% |
2% |
20% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
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Manitowoc County, WI |
218 |
53% |
13% |
0% |
7% |
12% |
3% |
12% |
0% |
Population
Distribution | Average Year of Entry | Educational
Attainment | Income Distribution
Housing Variables | Employment Status | Linguistic Isolation | Occupational Distribution
The Data
[Economics Department Homepage]
Maintained by: Dr.
Wayne Carroll, Tua Lor, Elina
Camane
Contact: The Economics Hmong Research Team
Last Updated: November 2000