From the News You Can Use Archives 07/30/07
Understanding the Lands of the Rising Sun
By Ian Crawford, Web Communications EditorA glance at statistics over recent years would suggest that Asian American and Pacific Islanders attain high levels of education and income. However, according to a new report, Information Sharing Could Help Institutions Identify and Address Challenges Some Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Students Face by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), this view is over-simplified and many students in smaller subgroups need help to succeed in higher education.
Generally, Asians and Pacific Islanders achieve higher education standards and so earn higher incomes than other racial and ethnic groups.
Educational Attainment and Average Income by Racial and Ethnic Group in 2005
Group
% of Adults With at Least 4-Year Degree
Average Income
Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
48%
$52,000
White
30%
$52,000
Black or African American
17%
$36,000
American Indian/Alaska Native
14%
$36,000
Hispanic
12%
$32,000
However, the GAO warns against this simple view. There are many Asian-American subgroups with widely differing education standards and average income. Those from the Indian subcontinent, Korea, China, the Philippines and Japan — communities that have been in the U.S. for at least a generation — are doing well. However, those from communities who have arrived more recently — from Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands — are not faring as well.
Educational Attainment and Average Income of Asian-American Groups, 2005
Group
% of Adults With at Least 4-Year Degree
Average Income
Asian Indian
68%
$66,000
Korean
54%
$52,000
Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan
54%
$48,000
Chinese
53%
$56,000
Filipino
48%
$46,000
Japanese
44%
$59,000
Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai
44%
$40,000
Vietnamese
25%
$41,000
Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander
17%
$38,000
Cambodian, Laotian, Hmong
13%
$32,000
The report also looked at how the subgroups prepare for higher education by saving for college. Again, the communities from Southeast Asia fare poorly in comparison to other subgroups.
Amount Set Aside for Higher Education by Asian-American Families, by Group
Group
None
Up to $10,000
$10,001-$20,000
>$20,000
Southeast Asian
12%
73%
4%
8%
Filipino
3%
51%
10%
32%
South Asian
6%
34%
17%
22%
Korean
3%
40%
17%
42%
Chinese
9%
31%
22%
37%
Japanese
6%
41%
23%
27%
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Story posted July 30, 2007.
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