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

4,726 institutions

currently offer postsecondary

degrees

21 million

people are attending

college

up

up

13% 24%

4.7 million

degrees and certificates are awarded annually

up

53%

31%Remediation Rate Students taking at least one remedial course after enrolling

31%First-Year Dropout Rate College freshmen not returning for their second year at any institution 24%Highly Mobile Learners Students graduating from an institution different than their starting institution

Students obtaining an undergraduate degree or certificate, or are still enrolled after 6 years at any institution

Still enrolled

10% 15%

Completion at Different Institution

Completion at Same Institution

14%

15%

13%

59%

13%

19%

13%

51%

43% 13%

9%

33%

26%

Private nonprofit 4-year

Public 4-year

National average

Public 2-year

Private for-profit 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 more likely to more likely to less likely to

work participate in have healthy rely on public

civic activities habits

assistance

VOTE

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

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?12. National Center for Education Statistics. 2014. Digest of Education Statistics. National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. 2014. Persistence and Retention?Snapshot 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.

* 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.

Analysis by Mikyung Ryu

American Council on Education ? 2015

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