Workers with higher levels of educational attainment fared much better in the labor market. During 2010, the unemployment rate in nonmetro counties was 14.3 percent for adults with less than a high school diploma, 8.8 percent for adults with a high school diploma or equivalent, 6.9 percent for adults with some college or an associate’s degree, and 3.7 percent for adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Educational attainment not only decreases the likelihood of unemployment, but it also increases overall economic well-being. Between 2005 and 2009, poverty rates were significantly lower for nonmetro residents with higher levels of educational attainment.
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