As reported in the 2000 census, the education levels in Bend were a few percentage points higher than the county and the statewide averages. For those Bend residents aged 25 or older at the time of the 2000 census, 90.2 percent had a high school degree or higher, and 29.4 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Many of the new jobs created in the urban area since the 1990s have been skilled or professional jobs in the service sector, finance, research, government, and manufacturing. This fact, combined with evidence from state surveys that a number of persons moving into the area have some college education, suggests that the percentage of education levels in the community will continue to increase. Additional information on education services and programs is contained in Chapter 3, Community Connections. The following presents the occupational employment data for Deschutes County from April 2001 through April 2005 to highlight the changes in employment over the last four years.