Boston has the fifth-lowest percentage in the region of high school graduates attending college, according to the latest figures available from the state.
Come fall, many recent high school graduates will be heading off for their freshmen year of college. So how does Boston compare to other communities in terms of graduates attending institutions of higher education?
According to the latest figures available on the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website, which are from the 2009-2010 school year, Boston has the fifth-lowest percentage in the region of high school graduates attending college, at 67.1 percent. The city follows Chelsea at 57.6 percent, Everett at 58.2 percent, Somerville at 64.8 percent and Revere at 66.8 percent.
However, a relatively high 42.1 percent attend private four-year colleges, according to the DESE.
Looking at some other communities in the region, Lynnfield has one of the higher percentages of high school graduates attending college, at 86.8 percent. Of those, most (50.3 percent) attended private four-year colleges. Reading comes in just behind Lynnfield at 86.7 percent, with 53.6 percent of those graduates attending private four-year colleges.
See the chart below for percentages by city or town. English High School, which is in JP, is also included. It should be noted that English draws students from all over the city, as does every Boston Public high school.
Figures are the most recent numbers available, from the 2009-10 school year, from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, showing high school graduates attending institutions of higher education.
| Community or School | % Attending Coll./Univ. | % Private Two-Year | % Private Four-Year | % Public Two-Year | % Public Four-Year |
| Arlington |
81.3 | 0 | 47.9 | 14.7 | 37.3 |
| Boston | 67.1 | 0.6 | 42.1 | 32.6 | 24.8 |
| English High | 63.6 | 0 | 26.2 | 57.3 | 16.5 |
| Cambridge | 76.8 | 0 | 54.7 | 18.5 | 26.8 |
| Chelsea | 57.6 | 1.5 | 27.9 | 51.5 | 19.1 |
| Everett | 58.2 | 1.6 | 25.4 | 47.3 | 25.8 |
| Lynnfield | 86.8 | 0 | 50.3 | 15.9 | 33.8 |
| Malden | 72.8 | 1.5 | 36.3 | 36.3 | 26.0 |
| Medford | 68.0 | 0 | 35.5 | 30.3 | 34.2 |
| Melrose | 84.7 | 0 | 39.9 | 19.1 | 41.0 |
| Reading | 86.7 | 0 | 53.6 | 11.9 | 34.5 |
| Revere | 66.8 | 0.4 | 41.6 | 33.5 | 24.5 |
| Saugus | 71.8 | 0.8 | 33.8 | 26.9 | 38.5 |
| Somerville | 64.8 | 1.1 | 32.1 | 36.4 | 30.4 |
| Stoneham | 82.5 | 0 | 39.7 | 26.5 | 33.8 |
| Wakefield | 82.3 | 0 | 41.0 | 19.0 | 40.0 |
| Winchester | 83.7 | 0 | 65.7 | 4.2 | 30.1 |
| Winthrop | 77.8 | 1.1 | 41.8 | 16.5 | 40.7 |
| Woburn | 73.8 | 0 | 35.5 | 27.8 | 36.8 |
