In 2000, 86.4% of Vermont residents age 25 and older were high school graduates; 29.4% had obtained a bachelor's degree or higher.
The total enrollment for fall 1999 in Vermont's public schools stood at 104,559. Of these, 72,276 attended schools from kindergarten through grade eight, and 32,283 attended high school. Minority students made up approximately 4% of the total enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools in 2001. Total enrollment was estimated at 104,000 in fall 2000 but was expected to drop to 102,000 by fall 2005. Expenditures for public education in 2000/01 were estimated at $886,771. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2001 was 12,170.
As of fall 2000, there were 40,318 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In the same year Vermont had 25 degree-granting institutions. The state college system includes colleges at Castleton, Johnson, and Lyndonville, a technical college at Randolph Center, and the Community College of Vermont system with 12 branch campuses. The University of Vermont (Burlington) is a state-supported institution combining features of both a private and a state facility. Founded in 1791, it is the oldest higher educational institution in the state.
Notable private institutions include Bennington College, Champlain College (Burlington), Landmark College (Putney) serving students with ADHD and learning disabilities, Marlboro College (Marlboro), and Norwich University (Northfield), the oldest private military college in the US. The School for International Training (Brattleboro) is the academic branch of the Experiment in International Living, a student exchange program. Other notable institutions include St. Michael's College (Winooski) and Trinity College (Burlington). In 1997, minority students comprised 5% of total postsecondary enrollment.
The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. offers scholarships, incentive grants, and guaranteed loans for eligible Vermont students.