In 2024, U.S. adult literacy stands around 79% literate, with 21% (about 43 million adults) having low literacy, meaning over half read below a 6th-grade level, costing the U.S. trillions annually and impacting employment, poverty, and healthcare. Key issues include significant drops in youth reading scores (like 4th graders below basic level), with pandemic impacts lingering, and low functional literacy among incarcerated individuals and the unemployed, highlighting a national challenge with wide state variations and a global ranking of around 36th.

U.S. Adult Literacy (2024-2025):
Overall Rate: Approximately 79% of U.S. adults are considered literate.
Low Literacy: About 21% of adults are illiterate, with 54% reading below a 6th-grade level.
Functional Illiteracy: Around 1 in 5 adults struggle with basic reading tasks, impacting daily life.

In 2024, US arts saw mixed trends: nearly a quarter of adults engaged in arts (attending or creating), while arts non-profits faced revenue drops, cutting spending and personnel. The sector contributed $1.2 trillion to the US GDP in 2023 (latest data), growing faster than the economy, though individual organizations dealt with increased costs and shifting attendance. Statistics highlight strong lower-end art sales but challenges in subscriptions, with New York leading in arts vibrancy.
Audience & Engagement
Attendance: 25% of US adults attended live arts or exhibits (April-July 2024).
Creation: 16.3% of adults created or performed art monthly.
Movies: 17% of adults went to the movies.

Financial & Economic Health
Non-Profits: Faced revenue declines, leading to reduced spending (median expenses down 8%), especially in personnel.
Revenue: While ticket volume was flat, per-ticket revenue rose, and the overall sector added $1.2 trillion to the economy in 2023.

National tech rankings for 2024 highlight the U.S. as a leader in innovation (3rd globally overall, #1 in university quality, software, IP), alongside strong showings from China, Singapore, and South Korea, particularly in tech clusters and emerging tech. Rankings vary by focus: Deloitte's Fast 500 showed high-growth US tech firms like TG Therapeutics, CBRE ranked Bay Area, Seattle, NYC as top talent markets, and Brandirectory named Apple, Microsoft, Google as top brands.
Global Innovation & Clusters (WIPO)
US Rank: 3rd overall in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024, strong in universities, software, and IP.
Top Clusters: Tokyo-Yokohama (Japan) #1; Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou (China) #2; Beijing (China) #3; Seoul (S. Korea) #4.
Key Economies: US, China, Singapore lead in specific innovation indicators.
National Tech Expertise & Talent (U.S. News, CBRE)
Tech Expertise (2024): Japan, South Korea, China, US, Germany.

National healthcare rankings for 2024 vary by focus, but generally show the U.S. lagging in overall system performance (ranked last by Commonwealth Fund) compared to other high-income nations, despite being strong in innovation, while top U.S. hospitals include Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Johns Hopkins, and Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia often lead global system rankings, according to reports from Commonwealth Fund, Newsweek Rankings, and World Population Review. U.S. Healthcare System Rankings (International Comparison) Commonwealth Fund (Mirror, Mirror 2024): Ranks the U.S. last overall among 10 high-income nations, citing issues with access and equity, despite strong performance in care processes. FREOPP (World Index of Healthcare Innovation): Places the U.S. 7th globally, highlighting innovation but noting fiscal unsustainability.

In 2024, the engineering field showed strong demand, with faster-than-average job growth projected through 2034, around 186,500 annual openings, and median wages significantly above the national average (around $97,310+ for all A&E occupations). High demand for technical solutions, AI, and infrastructure projects fueled growth, particularly for Mechanical (9% growth), Industrial (11%), and Civil engineers (5% growth), with significant shortages reported in roles like Mechanical Engineers.
Job Outlook & Growth (2024-2034)
Overall: Faster than average growth for Architecture & Engineering occupations.
Mechanical Engineers: 9% growth (much faster than average).
Industrial Engineers: 11% growth (fastest in engineering).
Civil Engineers: 5% growth (faster than average), adding ~18,500 jobs.
Aerospace Engineers: 6% growth.
Electrical Engineers: 7% growth.
Wages (May 2024 Data)
All Architecture & Engineering Occupations: Median $97,310 (Mean $103,980).

n 2024, science & engineering (S&E) fields show strong labor demand, with high growth projections for tech/research sectors, high median wages (e.g., $103k for STEM, over $100k for mathematicians/statisticians), and strong post-doc placement for doctorate recipients. Education data indicates STEM jobs often need higher degrees, with challenges filling physical science/special ed teaching roles, though STEM degree attainment is strong at doctoral levels, with ongoing underrepresentation for some groups. Labor Market Trends (2024/2025) STEM Job Growth: STEM occupations are projected to grow significantly faster (8.1% through 2034) than overall employment. High Wages: Median STEM wages in 2024 were around $103,580, more than double the non-STEM average. Specific roles like mathematicians ($121k+) and statisticians ($103k+) earn high median wages.