What does this measure?
The self-reported post-graduation plans of high school graduates as reported to the state.
Why is this important?
Higher education is associated with greater earnings and standard of living. Post-graduate plans are also an indirect measure of the educational strength of the region's schools.
How does our county compare?
In 2025, 55% of high school graduates in Lancaster County planned to attend a 2- or 4-year college or university, a decrease of 8 percentage points from 2008. The Lancaster rate in 2025 was 3 percentage points lower than the state rate of 58%, which saw a decrease of 11 percentage points (69% to 58%) in that same time period.
Lancaster County's 2- or 4-year college going rate was below Chester (73%) Cumberland (65%), and Berks (57%), and slightly higher than York, Lebanon (both 54%), and Dauphin (43%).
Notes about the data
The plans of a high school graduate may not come to fruition for many reasons, including finances, lack of admission opportunities, or a change of plans between the time of reporting and enrollment. For purposes of the listed reports, a high school graduate is a student who has received a diploma. Students earning high school credentials by obtaining a General Educational Development (GED) diploma are not considered graduates for the purpose of the data as reported by the state of Pennsylvania.
| 2 or 4 Year College | Non-Degree Granting School | Other | Specialized Associate Degree Program | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 58% | 3% | 37% | 2% |
| Lancaster County | 55% | 3% | 39% | 3% |
| York County | 54% | 3% | 41% | 2% |
| Berks County | 57% | 2% | 38% | 3% |
| Lebanon County | 54% | 1% | 44% | 1% |
| Dauphin County | 43% | 5% | 50% | 2% |
| Chester County | 73% | 3% | 23% | 2% |
| Cumberland County | 65% | 2% | 32% | 1% |
| 2 or 4 Year College | Non-Degree Granting School | Other | Specialized Associate Degree Program | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 76,635 | 3,750 | 48,926 | 2,872 |
| Lancaster County | 2,787 | 137 | 1,993 | 177 |
| York County | 2,860 | 167 | 2,164 | 94 |
| Berks County | 2,873 | 121 | 1,946 | 129 |
| Lebanon County | 785 | 19 | 634 | 15 |
| Dauphin County | 2,906 | 342 | 3,405 | 134 |
| Chester County | 5,427 | 211 | 1,680 | 130 |
| Cumberland County | 1,569 | 37 | 768 | 23 |
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten Participation | Increasing |
| Student Performance on Grade 3 English | Not Applicable |
| Student Performance on Grade 8 Math | Not Applicable |
| High School Cohort Graduation Rate | Increasing |
| Per-Student Spending | Maintaining |
| Students Receiving Special Education Services | Increasing |
| Rate of Foster Care Admissions | Maintaining |
| Disengaged Youth | Decreasing |
| Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Plans of High School Graduates | Not Applicable |
| Enrollment in Local Colleges | Decreasing |
| College Graduation Rates | Decreasing |
| Brain Drain/Gain | Increasing |
| Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
