About U.S. Higher Education

By the numbers
Costs: Up, Up & Away
Finances: the rich get richer
Success: getting our money's worth
Management & Governance

Higher Ed: By the Numbers

  • There are 4,276 degree-granting institutions of higher education in the United States, 2,582 four-year colleges and universities and 1,694 two-year schools.

Source:  Digest of Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education

  • The three four-year universities with the largest enrollments – Arizona State University (Tempe), University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Minneapolis) and Ohio State University (Columbus)  – all have more than 50,000 students.

Source:  2007-2008 Almanac of Higher Education, Chronicle of Higher Education

  • Total college enrollment was an estimated 17.6 million in 2006 and is expected to increase another 13 percent by 2015

Source:  Digest of Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education

  • Women’s undergraduate enrollment has increased more than three times as fast as men’s since 1970 and surpassed men’s enrollment in 1978. Women accounted for 42 percent of undergraduate enrollment in 1970, approximately 50 percent in 1977, and 57 percent in 2005.

Source:  National Center for Education Statistics

  • Most college and university students no longer graduate in four years. Of those seeking bachelor’s degrees, just 39.7 percent will graduate in four years, only 55.5 percent will graduate in five years and only 59.8 percent will graduate in six years.

Source:  Digest of Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education

  • An estimated 694,000 Associates degrees, 1,523,000 Bachelors degrees, 50,900 Masters degrees, and 51,200 Doctorates will be awarded by U.S. colleges and universities – including junior and community colleges – during the current 2007-2008 school year. 

Source:  Digest of Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education