The great educational success of Nigerian Americans

Researchers are noting the specially high educational attainment among Nigerian Americans. 

First gen Nigerian Americans are super educated. 63% of first-generation Nigerian immigrants to the United States are college educated. In comparison,  40.1% of non-Hispanic whites age 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher (26% of. Blacks, 52% of Asians an 19% of Hispanics.) in Nigeria only 7% of the population are college graduates.

Second gen Nigerian Americans excel. They are more highly concentrated at the upper levels than for any other group. For example, among second-generation Asian men, 7.3% obtained PhD or professional degrees, compared to 14% for second-generation Nigerian American.

The group with the highest level of educational attainment is second-generation Nigerian American women. 71.1% have bachelor’s or higher degrees (vs. 68.2% for second-generation Nigerian American men.).

Our Black population is increasingly immigrant in origin. In 1060, only about 0.7% of the African American/black population was foreign born. (In that year 5.4% of the U.S. population was foreign born). The number of immigrants from Africa doubled from about 800,000 in 2000 to more than 1.6 million in 2010. By 2016, the first generation had grown to about 10%, while the second generation had grown to 8% of the African American/black population. (In that year, about 13% of the total population was foreign born).

One thought on “The great educational success of Nigerian Americans”

  1. Very interesting, as always. I wonder what structural base sends so many educationally – eager Nigerians our way. This reminds me of thee famous author I DJ show me manga. Her description of life here was revealing. And I always remember famous author Adiche Chimimanda. Her description of interracial life here was revealing. And I always remember her saying that she stopped being Black the moment she exited her plane back in Nigeria.

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