Basic Facts About U.S. Higher Education Today

Higher Ed Spotlight

Basic Facts About U.S. Higher Education Today

In today¡¯s society, a postsecondary education is critical to good citizenship, individual opportunity,

and national competitiveness. Higher education in the United States comprises thousands of institutions that serve a wide diversity of students and an equally wide variety of academic preparation

levels. As the demand for higher education grows, unpacking this diversity has become important

to inform public dialogue about how students access higher education and whether or not they are successful.

Institutions, Students, and Degree Production

Student Outcomes

Increases from 2002 to 2012

Students obtaining an undergraduate degree or

certificate, or are still enrolled after 6 years at any

institution

4,726 institutions

currently offer

postsecondary

degrees

21 million

people

are attending

college

up

degrees and

certificates are

awarded annually

up

up

13%

31%

31%

24%

4.7 million

53%

24%

Still enrolled

10%

Completion at

Different Institution

Completion at

Same Institution

15%

14%

59%

15%

13%

Remediation Rate

19%

13%

51%

Students taking at least one remedial

course after enrolling

43%

13%

9%

13%

33%

26%

First-Year Dropout Rate

College freshmen not returning for

their second year at any institution

Highly Mobile Learners

Students graduating from an institution

different than their starting institution

Private

nonprofit

4-year

Public

4-year

Widespread Payoffs of College Education

Compared with those with a high school credential only, college-educated adults are:

earning

more

more likely to

work

more likely to more likely to

participate in have healthy

civic activities

habits

less likely to

rely on public

assistance

VOTE

SOURCES:

Baum, Sandy, and Jennifer Ma. 2014. Trends in College Pricing 2014. New York: The College Board.

Baum, Sandy, Diane Cardenas Elliott, and Jennifer Ma. 2014. Trends in Student Aid 2014. New York: The College Board.

Baum, Sandy, Jennifer Ma, and Kathleen Payea. 2013. Education Pays 2013: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and

Society. New York: The College Board.

National Center for Education Statistics. National Postsecondary Student Aid Study 2011¨C12.

National Center for Education Statistics. 2014. Digest of Education Statistics.

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. 2014. Persistence and Retention¨CSnapshot Report, Spring 2014. .

Shapiro, Doug, Afet Dundar, Mary Ziskin, Xin Yuan, and Autumn Harrell. 2013. Completing College: A National View of Student

Attainment Rates. Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Analysis by Mikyung Ryu

National

average

Public

2-year

Private

for-profit

4-year

Profile of College Students

Typical undergraduates are no

longer 18-year-olds straight out of

high school.

74%

Post-traditional learners*

on U.S. campuses today

* Post-traditional learners are diverse, and include

those who delayed entry to college after high

school, obtained an alternative high school credential such as the GED? credential, studied part

time at the start, were financially independent, had

children, were single parents, or worked full time

while enrolled. These characteristics are known to

adversely affect college persistence and completion.

American Council on Education ? 2015

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