Interesting statistics from “The Condition of Education 2019”

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.