Special Analysis 2008

Section 1. Institutional Characteristics

Table SA-1. Number of degree-granting institutions, by control and type of institution: Academic years 1974–75 through 2006–07

		2-year					4-year
				Private					Private
Academic year	All	Total	Public	Total	Not-for-profit	For-profit	Total	Public	Total	Not-for-profit	For-profit

1974–75	3,004	1,138	896	242	†	†	1,866	537	1,329	†	†
1975–76	3,026	1,128	897	231	†	†	1,898	545	1,353	†	†
1976–77	3,046	1,133	905	228	188	40	1,913	550	1,363	1,348	15
1977–78	3,095	1,157	921	236	†	†	1,938	552	1,386	†	†
1978–79	3,134	1,193	924	269	188	81	1,941	550	1,391	1,376	15
1979–80	3,152	1,195	926	269	†	†	1,957	549	1,408	†	†
1980–81	3,231	1,274	945	329¹	182	147	1,957	552	1,405	1,387	18
1981–82	3,253	1,274	940	334¹	†	†	1,979	558	1,421	†	†
1982–83	3,280	1,296	933	363¹	†	†	1,984	560	1,424	†	†
1983–84	3,284	1,271	916	355	†	†	2,013	565	1,448	†	†
1984–85	3,331	1,306	935	371	186	185	2,025	566	1,459	1,430	29
1985–86	3,340	1,311	932	379	†	†	2,029	566	1,463	†	†
1986–87	3,406	1,336	960	376	173	203	2,070	573	1,497	1,462	35
1987–88	3,587	1,452	992	460	186	274	2,135	599	1,536	1,487	49
1988–89	3,565	1,436	984	452	180	272	2,129	598	1,531	1,478	53
1989–90	3,535	1,408	968	440	177	263	2,127	595	1,532	1,479	53
1990–91	3,559	1,418	972	446	167	279	2,141	595	1,546	1,482	64
1991–92	3,601	1,444	999	445	176	269	2,157	599	1,558	1,486	72
1992–93	3,638	1,469	1,024	445	179	266	2,169	600	1,569	1,493	76
1993–94	3,632	1,442	1,021	421	181	240	2,190	604	1,586	1,506	80
1994–95	3,688	1,473	1,036	437	192	245	2,215	605	1,610	1,510	100
1995–96	3,706	1,462	1,047	415	187	228	2,244	608	1,636	1,519	117
1996–97	4,009	1,742	1,088	654	184	470	2,267	614	1,653	1,509	144
1997–98	4,064	1,755	1,092	663	179	484	2,309	615	1,694	1,528	166
1998–99	4,048	1,713	1,069	644	164	480	2,335	612	1,723	1,531	192
1999–2000	4,084	1,721	1,068	653	150	503	2,363	614	1,749	1,531	218
2000–01	4,182	1,732	1,076	656	144	512	2,450	622	1,828	1,551	277
2001–02	4,197	1,710	1,085	625	135	490	2,487	628	1,859	1,541	318
2002–03	4,168	1,702	1,081	621	127	494	2,466	631	1,835	1,538	297
2003–04	4,236	1,706	1,086	620	118	502	2,530	634	1,896	1,546	350
2004–05	4,216	1,683	1,061	622	112	510	2,533	639	1,894	1,525	369
2005–06	4,276	1,694	1,053	641	113	528	2,582	640	1,942	1,534	408
2006–07	4,314	1,685	1,045	640	107	533	2,629	643	1,986	1,533	453
Percent change from 1974–75 to 2006–07	44	48	17	164	†	†	41	20	49	†	†
Percent change from 1976–77 to 2006–07	42	49	15	181	-43	1,233	37	17	46	14	2,920

† Not available.
¹ Large increases are due to the addition of schools accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology.
NOTE: Data through 1995–96 are for institutions of higher education, while later data are for degree-granting institutions. Institutions of higher education were institutions, accredited by an agency or association recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or recognized directly by the Secretary of Education, that had courses leading to an associate’s degree or higher or that had courses accepted for credit toward those degrees. Degree-granting institutions grant associate’s degrees or higher and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. The degree-granting classification is similar to the earlier higher education classification, but it includes more 2-year colleges and excludes a few higher education institutions that did not grant degrees. Changes in counts of institutions over time are partly affected by increasing or decreasing numbers of institutions submitting separate data for branch campuses.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), “Institutional Characteristics of Colleges and Universities” surveys, 1974–75 through 1985–86; and 1986–87 through 2006–07 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, “Institutional Characteristics Survey” (IPEDS-IC:86–99), and Fall 2000 through Fall 2006.

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