Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle On-The-Road
    • Professional Development
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
  • More
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle On-The-Road
    • Professional Development
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
    Upcoming Events:
    College Advising
    Serving Higher Ed
    Chronicle Festival 2025
Sign In
News

United States: By the Numbers

Almanac 2017 August 13, 2017

More than 40 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in the country are enrolled in college. Described below are the racial and ethnic background and gender of those students as well as older ones, along with a broader portrait in numbers of the condition of higher education today. For data broken down by state, see the “Compare the States” sortable tables.

To continue reading for FREE, please sign in.

Sign In

Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.

Don’t have an account? Sign up now.

A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.

Sign Up

More than 40 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in the country are enrolled in college. Described below are the racial and ethnic background and gender of those students as well as older ones, along with a broader portrait in numbers of the condition of higher education today. For data broken down by state, see the “Compare the States” sortable tables.


Return to the Almanac home page, or go to the Profession, Students, Finance, or States section. To purchase a copy of the Almanac in print or as a downloadable interactive PDF, visit the Chronicle Store.


Demographics

Background in 2015

CharacteristicsNumber or percentage
Population 321,418,821
Proportion who speak a language other than English at home 21.5%
Per capita income $29,979
Poverty rate 14.7%
New high-school graduates for 2017-18 (estimate) 3,459,579
Projected change in new high-school graduates from 2017-18 to 2027-28 -4.4%
High-school dropout rate 4.0%
18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college 42.5%

Age distribution in 2015

Age rangePercentage
Up to 4 6.2%
5 to 14 12.8%
15 to 19 6.7%
20 to 24 7.0%
25 to 44 26.4%
45 to 64 26.1%
65 and older 14.9%

Racial and ethnic distribution in 2015

IdentityPercentage
American Indian 0.8%
Asian 5.4%
Black 12.7%
Pacific Islander 0.2%
White 73.1%
2 or more races 3.1%
Hispanic (may be any race) 17.6%
Other 4.8%

Educational attainment of adults

Highest level in 2015Percentage
8th grade or less 5.5%
Some high school, no diploma 7.3%
High-school diploma 27.6%
Some college, no degree 20.7%
Associate degree 8.2%
Bachelor’s degree 19.0%
Master’s degree 8.2%
Doctoral degree 1.4%
Professional degree 2.0%

Faculty pay

Average pay of full-time professors in 2015-16

Institution type and faculty rank9-month adjusted salary
Public doctoral institutions: professor $125,694
Public doctoral institutions: associate professor $87,216
Public doctoral institutions: assistant professor $75,471
Public doctoral institutions: all $90,106
Public master’s institutions: professor $90,773
Public master’s institutions: associate professor $73,432
Public master’s institutions: assistant professor $63,300
Public master’s institutions: all $70,969
Private nonprofit doctoral institutions: professor $161,104
Private nonprofit doctoral institutions: associate professor $99,281
Private nonprofit doctoral institutions: assistant professor $82,806
Private nonprofit doctoral institutions: all $110,518
Private nonprofit master’s institutions: professor $89,439
Private nonprofit master’s institutions: associate professor $71,688
Private nonprofit master’s institutions: assistant professor $60,971
Private nonprofit master’s institutions: all $68,440
Other 4-year public institutions institutions: all $72,723
Other 4-year private nonprofit institutions: all $69,736
2-year public colleges institutions: all $61,220
2-year private nonprofit institutions: all $39,624

Students

Test scores in 2016

College entrance examinationAverage score
ACT 20.8
SAT (critical-reading and math sections only) 1002

Residency

New students for fall 2014Percentage
Freshmen who graduated from high school in the previous year and attended college in their home state 83%

Enrollment by level in fall 2015

LevelNumber enrolled
Undergraduate 17,056,087
Graduate and professional 2,953,995

Enrollment by sector in fall 2015

Institution typeNumber enrolled
4-year public 8,355,114
4-year private nonprofit 4,040,671
4-year for-profit 1,123,605
2-year public 6,215,666
2-year private nonprofit 50,049
2-year for-profit 224,977
Total 20,010,082

Share of enrollment in fall 2015

CategoryPercentage enrolled
Public institutions 72.8%
4-year institutions 67.6%
2-year institutions 32.4%
Full-time 61.5%

Degrees awarded in 2014-15

LevelNumber
Associate 1,012,068
Bachelor’s 1,894,359
Master’s 762,591
Doctorate 178,818

Diversity

Enrollment in fall 2015

Race, ethnicity, gender, or citizenship statusNumber
American Indian 139,877
Asian 1,172,572
Black 2,521,762
Pacific Islander 52,475
Hispanic (may be any race) 3,147,295
White 10,348,098
2 or more races 625,615
Race unknown 1,020,278
Nonresident aliens 982,110
Total 20,010,082

Share of enrollment in fall 2015

Race, ethnicity, genderPercentage
Women 56.3%
American Indian 0.7%
Asian 5.9%
Black 12.6%
Pacific Islander 0.3%
Hispanic (may be any race) 15.7%
White 51.7%
2 or more races 3.1%
Race unknown 5.1%
Nonresident aliens 4.9%
Minority 38.3%
Underrepresented minority 29.0%

6-year graduation rates at 4-year institutions in 2015

Race, ethnicity, genderPercentage
All 59.8%
Men 56.5%
Women 62.6%
American Indian 41.8%
Asian 73.2%
Black 39.9%
Hispanic (may be any race) 54.1%
White 63.7%
2 or more races 59.6%
Race unknown 51.2%

Finance

Tuition and fees in 2015-16

SectorAverage
4-year public institutions $8,726
4-year private nonprofit $31,137
2-year public $3,029

State funds for higher-education operating expenses in 2016-17

AppropriationsAmount
Total state funds (excludes the District of Columbia and Illinois) $82,144,309,804
One-year change from 2015-16 to 2016-17 2.7%

Total state spending on student aid in 2014-15

CategoryAmount
Need-based grants $8,011,911,358
Non-need-based grants $2,496,018,506
Nongrant aid $1,886,819,563
Total $12,394,749,427

Research-and development spending by colleges in 2014-15

SpendingAmount
Total $68,514,317,000
One-year change 2.2%

Sources of R&D money in 2014-15

SectorPercentage
Federal government 55.1%
State and local governments 5.6%
Industry 5.8%
Nonprofit 6.2%
Institution itself 24.3%
Other 3.0%

Shares of R&D support for specific research fields in 2014-15

Field Percentage
Engineering 16.1%
Environmental sciences 4.7%
Life sciences 56.5%
Math and computer sciences 3.8%
Physical sciences 6.9%
Psychology 1.7%
Social sciences 3.4%
Other sciences 1.6%
Fields other than science and engineering 5.3%

Institutions

Distribution by sector in 2015-16

SectorNumber
4-year public 710
4-year private nonprofit 1,594
4-year for-profit 700
2-year public 910
2-year private nonprofit 106
2-year for-profit 562
Total 4,582

3 largest in fall 2015

InstitutionEnrollment
U of Phoenix-Arizona 165,743
Ivy Tech Community College-Central Indiana 81,668
Liberty U. 80,494

About the data

Data cover all degree-granting institutions eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid, unless otherwise specified. Data on state population, age distribution, racial and ethnic distribution, educational attainment, the proportion of state residents who speak a language other than English at home, per capita income, the poverty rate, and the high-school dropout rate are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey. The Census Bureau considers ethnicity separately from race. Hispanics may be of any race, and they are counted within their racial group as well as by their ethnicity. Poverty rates vary by family size and composition. In 2015, the average threshold for a family of four was $24,257.

The percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college in 2015 is based on a U.S. Department of Education table. The estimated number of new high-school graduates and projected 10-year change are based on data from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Residence of new students is derived from U.S. Department of Education numbers from 2014, the latest year for which data are available.

Overall enrollment and enrollment by race and ethnicity are from the U.S. Department of Education for the fall of 2015. Minority enrollment represents American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, blacks, Hispanics, Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and students of two or more races. “Underrepresented minorities” are American Indian, black, and Hispanic students. Racial categories exclude people of Hispanic ethnicity, who are shown separately and may be of any race. “Nonresident aliens” are natives of foreign countries who are studying in the United States on a temporary basis.

Average pay of full-time professors is from the 2015-16 academic year, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education, and are adjusted to a standard nine-month work year. Medical-school faculty members are excluded. The number of degrees awarded are based on U.S. Department of Education data collected for the 2014-15 academic year. Professional degrees like medical and law degrees are included in the number of doctorates. Average tuition and fees cover undergraduate charges for 2015-16 and are weighted by the full-time-equivalent undergraduate enrollment in the previous year. Figures for public institutions represent charges to state residents. Six-year graduation rates are for first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who entered degree-granting four-year institutions in the fall of 2009 and graduated within six years. Those figures are also from the U.S. Department of Education.

SAT scores are for 2016; figures are from the College Board. ACT scores are also for 2016. Total state funds for higher-education operating expenses are from 2016-17, and one-year change reflects the difference between the latest figure and the one for 2015-16; data are from the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University. Illinois data are being reviewed and are not yet available.

Total state spending on student aid is for 2014-15; data are from the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs. Data on research-and-development spending by colleges is based on National Science Foundation data from 2014-15.

The overall number of institutions and the three largest institutions in the country are derived from fall-2015 enrollment data from the U.S. Department of Education. Enrollment figures include full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students.

A version of this article appeared in the August 19, 2016, issue.
Read other items in States.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Tags
Data
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

More News

Protesters attend a demonstration in support of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, March 10, 2025, in New York.
First-Amendment Rights
Noncitizen Professors Testify About Chilling Effect of Others’ Detentions
Photo-based illustration of a rock preciously suspended by a rope over three beakers.
Broken Promise
U.S. Policy Made America’s Research Engine the Envy of the World. One President Could End That.
lab-costs-promo.jpg
Research Expenses
What Does It Cost to Run a Lab?
Research illustration Microscope
Dreams Deferred
How Trump’s Cuts to Science Funding Are Derailing Young Scholars’ Careers

From The Review

University of Virginia President Jim Ryan keeps his emotions in check during a news conference, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022 in Charlottesville. Va. Authorities say three people have been killed and two others were wounded in a shooting at the University of Virginia and a student is in custody. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
The Review | Opinion
Jim Ryan’s Resignation Is a Warning
By Robert Zaretsky
Photo-based illustration depicting a close-up image of a mouth of a young woman with the letter A over the lips and grades in the background
The Review | Opinion
When Students Want You to Change Their Grades
By James K. Beggan
Photo-based illustration of a student and a professor, each occupying a red circle in a landscape of scribbles.
The Review | Opinion
Meet Students Where They Are? Maybe Not.
By Mark Horowitz

Upcoming Events

Chronfest25_Virtual-Events_Page_862x574.png
Chronicle Festival: Innovation Amid Uncertainty
07-16-Advising-InsideTrack - forum assets v1_Plain.png
The Evolving Work of College Advising
Lead With Insight
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Jobs in Higher Education
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • DEI at The Chronicle
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Group and Institutional Access
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe’s most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. Our readers lead, teach, learn, and innovate with insights from The Chronicle.
Follow Us
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin