Every year, the U.S. Department of Education releases their Digest of Education Statistics. The most recent release, Digest of Education Statistics: 2012, came out last month. These statistics reveal much about major trends in college enrollment, achievement, costs, and outcomes. Below are a list of highlights, key figures and a handful of helpful tables.
Highlights
College Enrollment
- College enrollment was 21.0 million in fall 2011, slightly down from the record high in fall 2010.
- “College enrollment is expected to set new records from fall 2012 through fall 2021.”
- “The traditional college-age population rose 11 percent between 2001 and 2011, and total college enrollment increased 32 percent during the same period.”
- “Between 2001 and 2011, the number of full-time students increased by 38 percent, compared with a 23 percent increase in part-time students.”
- “During the same time period, the number of males enrolled increased 30 percent, while the number of females enrolled increased 33 percent.”
Degree Attainment
- “During the 2012–13 academic year, postsecondary degrees are projected to number 993,000 associate’s degrees; 1,812,000 bachelor’s degrees; 756,000 master’s degrees; and 175,000 doctor’s degrees.”
- “Between 2000–01 and 2010–11 (the last year of actual data), the number of degrees conferred increased at all levels. The number of associate’s degrees was 63 percent higher in 2010–11 than in 2000–01, the number of bachelor’s degrees was 38 percent higher, the number of master’s degrees was 54 percent higher, and the number of doctor’s degrees was 37 percent higher.”
- “Between 2000–01 and 2010–11, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to males increased 38 percent, as did the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to females. Females earned 57 percent of all bachelor’s degrees in 2010–11, the same percentage as in 2000–01.”
- “In 2010–11, White students earned 69 percent of all bachelor’s degrees awarded (vs. 75 percent in 2000–01), Black students earned 10 percent (vs. 9 percent in 2000–01), Hispanic students earned 9 percent (vs. 6 percent in 2000–01), and Asian/Pacific Islander students earned 7 percent (vs. 6 percent in 2000–01). American Indian/Alaska Native students earned about 1 percent of the degrees in both years.”
Undergraduate Prices
- “For the 2011–12 academic year, annual prices for undergraduate tuition, room, and board were estimated to be $14,292 at public institutions, $37,768 at private nonprofit institutions, and $23,330 at private for-profit institutions.”
- “Between 2001–02 and 2011–12, prices for undergraduate tuition, room, and board at public institutions rose 40 percent, and prices at private nonprofit institutions rose 28 percent, after adjustment for inflation. Prices for total tuition, room, and board at private for-profit institutions were 2 percent lower in 2011–12 than in 2001–02.”
Educational Attainment
- “The U.S. Census Bureau collects annual statistics on the educational attainment of the population… The percentage of young adults who had completed a bachelor’s degree increased from 29 percent in 2002 to 33 percent in 2012.”
Key Figures (full list here)
Postsecondary
| Figure 12. | Enrollment, degrees conferred, and expenditures in degree-granting institutions: Fall 1960 through fall 2011 and 1960–61 through 2011–12 |
| Figure 13. | Percentage change in total enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by state: Fall 2006 to fall 2011 |
| Figure 14. | Enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by age: Fall 1970 through fall 2021 |
| Figure 15. | Ratio of full-time-equivalent (FTE) students to total FTE staff and to FTE faculty in degree-granting institutions, by control of institution: 1991, 2001, and 2011 |
| Figure 16. | Bachelor’s degrees conferred by degree-granting institutions in selected fields of study: 2000–01, 2005–06, and 2010–11 |
| Figure 17. | Percentage distribution of total revenues of public degree-granting institutions, by source of funds: 2010–11 |
| Figure 18. | Percentage distribution of total revenues of private nonprofit degree-granting institutions, by source of funds: 2010–11 |
Outcomes of Education
| Figure 22. | Labor force participation rate of persons 20 to 64 years old, by age group and highest level of educational attainment: 2011 |
| Figure 23. | Unemployment rates of persons 25 to 64 years old, by highest level of educational attainment: 2011 |
| Figure 24. | Percentage distribution of 2010–11 high school dropouts and high school completers not enrolled in college, by labor force status: October 2011 |
| Figure 25. | Median annual earnings of full-time year-round workers 25 years old and over, by highest level of educational attainment and sex: 2011 |
| Figure 26. | Median annual salaries of bachelor’s degree recipients employed full time 1 year after graduation, by field of study: 1991, 2001, and 2009 |
Selected Tables (full list here)
| Table 1. | Projected number of participants in educational institutions, by level and control of institution: Fall 2012 |
| Table 10. | Number of persons age 18 and over, by highest level of educational attainment, sex, race/ethnicity, and age: 2012 |
| Table 15. | Percentage of persons age 25 and over with high school completion or higher and a bachelor’s or higher degree, by race/ethnicity and state: 2008-10 |
| Table 16. | Percentage of persons age 25 and over with high school completion or higher and a bachelor’s or higher degree, by sex and state: 2008-10 |
| Table 28. | Expenditures of educational institutions related to the gross domestic product, by level of institution: Selected years, 1929-30 through 2011-12 |
| Table 29. | Expenditures of educational institutions, by level and control of institution: Selected years, 1899-1900 through 2011-12 |
| Table 30. | Amount and percentage distribution of direct general expenditures of state and local governments, by function: Selected years, 1970-71 through 2009-10 |
| Table 31. | Direct general expenditures of state and local governments for all functions and for education, by level of education and state: 2008-09 and 2009-10 |
| Table 32. | Direct general expenditures per capita of state and local governments for all functions and for education, by level of education and state: 2008-09 and 2009-10 |
| Table 33. | Gross domestic product, state and local expenditures, national income, personal income, disposable personal income, median family income, and population: Selected years, 1929 through 2011 |
| Table 34. | Gross domestic product price index, Consumer Price Index, education price indexes, and federal budget composite deflator: Selected years, 1919 through 2011 |
