Band 9: The graph below shows the number of men and women in further education in Britain in three periods and whether they were studying full-time or part-time.

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of people who owned a computer in 2002 and 2010 according to their level of education.

Overall, computer ownership increased substantially across all educational groups between 2002 and 2010. In both years, ownership rates were positively correlated with educational attainment, with the highest figures recorded among postgraduate degree holders.

In 2002, only about 15% of people without a high school diploma owned a computer. This figure rose steadily with education level, reaching approximately 35% for high school graduates, 55% for those with some college education, 70% for bachelor’s degree holders, and 75% for postgraduates. By 2010, ownership rates had increased markedly in every category. Around 40% of people without a high school diploma owned a computer, while the proportions for high school graduates and those with incomplete college education climbed to about 65% and 85%, respectively.

The highest levels of ownership in 2010 were among bachelor’s and postgraduate degree holders, at roughly 90% and 95%. These figures indicate that computer access became increasingly common during the period, particularly among less-educated groups.