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Leon Has State's Highest Higher Ed Attainment

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Leon County leads the rest of Florida when it comes to the number of people with some form of a college degree or professional training, according to a new study.

The non-profit Lumina Foundation report puts Leon’s so-called “attainment rate” at nearly 56 percent, or 10 points higher than the national average.

Lumina vice president Courtney Brown says Leon’s top ranking is easy to understand.

“So we generally see counties that have a university within that county, which I assume also is correct for Leon, obviously. Urban areas tend to attract more people with higher credentials.”

Leon was two points ahead of Alachua County, the next-highest ranked and home to the University of Florida.

Lumina estimates that 60 percent of the U.S. workforce needs to have a college degree or workforce certification by 2025 to be globally competitive.

A Miami native, former WFSU reporter Jim Ash is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.