Educational attainment

Educational attainment is the highest level of formal education a person has completed. It is commonly measured in censuses, surveys, and studies of social and economic outcomes.

International Standard Classification of Education: A UNESCO framework for classifying education programmes and qualifications across countries. It provides a common scale for comparing attainment across different national education systems.
Formal education: Structured education provided through institutions and leading to recognized stages or qualifications. Attainment usually counts completed stages of this organized education.
Educational measurement: The systematic collection and interpretation of evidence about educational characteristics or outcomes. Attainment is one educational characteristic converted into a measurable variable.
Returns to education: The economic or non-economic benefits associated with education, often estimated by comparing outcomes across schooling levels. Researchers use attainment categories to estimate benefits associated with additional education.
Census: An official count of a population, often collecting information about residents’ characteristics. Censuses commonly record completed schooling to describe a population’s educational profile.
Educational qualification: A credential awarded after meeting requirements for a course or programme of study. Qualifications often provide the evidence used to assign an attainment level.
Survey methodology: The principles and procedures used to design surveys and collect reliable data. Question wording and response options affect how attainment is reported.
Earnings inequality: The uneven distribution of earnings among workers or households. Differences in attainment are one factor associated with variation in earnings.
Human capital: The knowledge, skills, and other attributes embodied in people that can contribute to economic activity. Attainment is often used as an observable proxy for education-related human capital.
Educational level: A stage in an education system, defined by its learning content and progression. Attainment classifications summarize the highest stage completed.

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