Each May, the National Center for Education Statistics releases an annual report called The Condition of Education. The report also includes information about K-12 education, but here I will list interesting statistics about postsecondary from the 2019 report, grouped by category.
Enrollment
- In 2017, 67% of recent high school graduates enrolled in college. Since 2000, this percentage has fluctuated between 62% and 70%.
- 61% of male high school completers enrolled immediately in college, whereas 72% of female high school completers enrolled immediately.
- In 2017, 40% of young adults (ages 18-24) were enrolled in college, an increase from 35% in 2000. 44% of females were enrolled, and 37% of males were enrolled.
- In 2017-18, 19.77 million Americans were enrolled in postsecondary education, a decrease of 70,00 from the year before.
- In 2017, 16.8 million students were enrolled as undergraduates, and by 2028 this will increase by 400,000 (3%).
- In fall 2017, female students made up 56% of undergraduate enrollment, and male students made up 44%. This means there are 2.1 million more women than men enrolled as undergraduates.
- From 2000 to 2017, Hispanic undergraduate enrollment increased by 142% (1.4 million to 3.3 million).
- From 2010 to 2017, both White and Black undergraduate enrollment has decreased by 19%.
- In 2017, 3.0 million students were enrolled in postbaccalaureate programs, and by 2028 this will increase by 100,000.
- In fall 2017, female students made up 59% of postbaccalaureate enrollment, and male students made up 41%. This means there were 600,000 more women than men enrolled in postbaccalaureate programs.
- Of the 2009 ninth-graders who enrolled in postsecondary education in 2016, 78% percent of the highest-SES students were enrolled, while only 28% of the lowest-SES students were enrolled.
Degrees Conferred
- The number of associate degrees awarded peaked in 2011-12 at 1.02 million, and it has remained flat since then with 1.01 million awarded in 2016-17.
- From 2011-12 to 2016-17, the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred increased from about 1.6 million to 2.0 million.
- In 2016-17, 264,000 more women than men earned bachelor’s degrees.
- From 2011-12 to 2016-17, the number of master’s degrees awarded increased from 756,000 to 805,00 (6%).
- In 2016-17, 151,000 more women than men earned master’s degrees.
- In 2016-17, of the 2.0 million bachelor’s degrees conferred, half of them were in the following five areas: (1) business (381,000 degrees); (2) health professions and related programs (238,00 degrees); (3) social sciences and history (159,000 degrees); (4) psychology (117,000 degrees); and (5) biological and biomedical sciences (117,000 degrees).
Distance Education
- In fall 2017, 1/3 of undergraduates were enrolled in any distance education course, and 1/8 of undergraduates were enrolled exclusively in distance education.
- In fall 2017, 38% of postbaccalaureate students were enrolled in any distance education course, and 29% were enrolled exclusively in distance education. At private nonprofit institutions, 25.5% of postbaccalaureate students were enrolled exclusively in distance education.
- Of the 2.2 million undergraduate students who exclusively too distance education courses in fall 2017, almost 2/3 were enrolled in institutions located in the same state in which they resided.
Retention and Graduation Rates
- In 2016-17, the retention rate of first-time, full-time undergraduates at 4-year institutions was 81%.
- Of the full-time, first-time students who started seeking a bachelor’s degree in fall 2011, about 60% completed the degree at the same institution within 6 years.
- This 6-year graduation rate was higher for females (63%) than for males (57%).
Finances
- In 2016-17, the average total cost of attendance for first-time, full-time undergraduate students living on campus at 4-year public institutions was $24,300, and the cost at private nonprofit institutions was $50,300.
- In 2016-17, the average net price of attending a 4-year public institution was $13,760, whereas the average net price at 4-year private nonprofit institutions was $26,840.
- From 2010-11 to 2017-18, average tuition and fees at 4-year private nonprofit institutions increased by 16%.
- In 2016-17, 85% of students received any financial aid at 4-year institutions.
- In 2016-17, students at 4-year private nonprofit institutions received an average of $22,300 in grant and scholarship aid.
- In 2016-17, 46% of first-time, full-time undergraduates were awarded loan aid, which is a decrease from 50% in 2010-11. The average loan amount was $7,200.
- In 2016-17, 59% of undergraduates at 4-year private nonprofit institutions were awarded loans, a decrease from 64% in 2010-11. The average loan amount was $8,500, an 11% decrease from $9,600 in 2010-11.
Leave a Reply