California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

It appears that some states are running out of smart people, according to the online
publication 24/7 Wall Street.  After examining reading and math scores, graduation
rates and white collar job numbers, there were an identified ten states that have
the lowest educational achievement and job levels.

In other words, these states are running out of smart people.  Many of these states
such as Colorado, Utah and Texas have been ranked high in business climates.  This
ranking could be a precursor to their future ratings. For example, Colorado has seen
one of the largest decreases in white collar workers per capita.  In 2000, Idaho had
84.7 percent of its labor force with high school degrees, but by 2009, it had dropped
to 83.3 percent.  The population in Texas with a bachelor’s degree has gotten worse
than it was 10 years ago.  Utah has the 5th worst state growth in the nation for
adults with bachelor degrees from 2000- 2009

Meanwhile, contrary to the media hype about California not graduating enough engineers,
the Golden State is not on this list.

STATES EMPTY ON SMARTS
1. Colorado 
2. Michigan
3. Oklahoma
4. Idaho
5. Alaska
6. Arizona
7. Wyoming
8. Iowa
9. Texas
10. Utah

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.