Enrollment in both graduate and first-professional programs increased between 2000 and 2007. For both program types, increases in enrollment are projected to continue through 2018, with enrollment increasing at a faster rate for females than for males.

In 1976, some 1.3 million students were enrolled in graduate programs: 715,000 males and 619,000 females (see table A-11-1). Graduate enrollment fluctuated between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s but increased between 1985 and 2007 to 2.3 million. For females, enrollment increased between the mid-1970s and 2007 to nearly 1.4 million, while for males, enrollment decreased between the mid- and late 1970s and fluctuated in the early 1980s, before increasing through 2007 to 910,000.

An additional 244,000 students were enrolled in first-professional programs in 1976: 190,000 males and 54,000 females. First-professional enrollment fluctuated during the 1980s before increasing between 1990 and 2007 to 351,000. For males, enrollment decreased between the mid-1970s and the late 1980s and fluctuated through 2000; between 2001 and 2007, male enrollment increased to 178,000, the highest point since the mid-1990s. Enrollment for females increased between the mid-1970s and 2007 to 173,000.

Projections indicate that enrollment increases in graduate and first-professional programs will persist, with graduate enrollment exceeding 2.7 million and first-professional enrollment reaching 422,000 in 2018. Increases for males and females are also expected at both levels through 2018; however, female enrollment is expected to increase faster than male enrollment.

From 2000 to 2007, graduate and first-professional enrollment increased for each racial/ethnic group (see table A-11-2). Whites held the greatest share of enrollment at both levels during this period but experienced the least growth. White graduate enrollment increased by 16 percent (from 1.3 to 1.5 million students) from 2000 to 2007, and first-professional enrollment increased by 11 percent (220,000 to 245,000). In comparison, total graduate enrollment for students in all other racial/ethnic groups (Blacks, Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaska Natives) increased by 53 percent (359,000 to 548,000), and first-professional enrollment increased by 25 percent (78,000 to 97,000) during this period. Among these graduate students, growth was greatest for Blacks (67 percent) and least for Asians/Pacific Islanders (33 percent). At the first-professional level, among these students, Asians/Pacific Islanders saw the greatest growth (30 percent) from 2000 to 2007, and American Indians/Alaska Natives saw the least growth (13 percent). In 2007, students in all other racial/ethnic groups represented 24 percent of graduate enrollment, up from 19 percent in 2000, and 28 percent of first-professional enrollment, up from 25 percent in 2000.

Differences in enrollment patterns for males and females were also found by race/ethnicity. At the graduate level, male enrollment increased in each racial/ethnic group from 2000 to 2007. For White males, graduate enrollment increased by 11 percent (from 503,000 to 560,000) during this period. In comparison, graduate enrollment for males in all other racial/ethnic groups increased by 38 percent (from 135,000 to 186,000). Among these males at the graduate level, Blacks experienced the greatest growth (50 percent) from 2000 to 2007, while Asians/Pacific Islanders experienced the least growth (25 percent). For females at the graduate level, enrollment increases also occurred for each racial/ethnic group from 2000 to 2007, with the least growth occurring for White females (20 percent), from 756,000 to 905,000. Among females in all other racial/ethnic groups, Blacks experienced the greatest growth in graduate enrollment (74 percent) from 2000 to 2007, while Asians/Pacific Islanders experienced the least growth (41 percent). In 2007, at the graduate level, males in all other racial/ethnic groups made up 20 percent of male enrollment, up from 17 percent in 2000, and their female counterparts made up 26 percent of female enrollment, up from 21 percent in 2000. At the first-professional level, from 2000 to 2007, enrollment trends for males and females by race/ethnicity were generally similar to those at the graduate level.

Technical Notes

The most recent year of actual data is 2007, and 2018 is the last year for which projected data are available. For more information on projections, see NCES 2009-062. Because of underreporting and nonreporting of racial/ethnic data, some estimates are slightly lower than corresponding data in other published tables. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Nonresident aliens are shown separately since information about their race/ethnicity is not available. For more information on race/ethnicity, see supplemental note 1. For more information on the Classification of Postsecondary Education Institutions, see supplemental note 8.