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Digest of Education Statistics
2008 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 227. Total fall enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by race/ethnicity of student and type and control of institution: Selected years, 1976 through 2007
Race/ethnicity of student and
type and control of institution
Fall enrollment (in thousands) Percentage distribution of students
1976 1980 1990 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 1976 1980 1990 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
All students, total 10,985.6 12,086.8 13,818.6 15,312.3 16,611.7 16,911.5 17,272.0 17,487.5 17,758.9 18,248.1 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 9,076.1 9,833.0 10,722.5 10,462.1 11,140.2 11,280.9 11,422.8 11,495.4 11,572.4 11,756.2 82.6 81.4 77.6 68.3 67.1 66.7 66.1 65.7 65.2 64.4
Total minority 1,690.8 1,948.8 2,704.7 4,321.5 4,880.5 5,032.9 5,259.1 5,407.2 5,590.6 5,867.4 15.4 16.1 19.6 28.2 29.4 29.8 30.4 30.9 31.5 32.2
Black 1,033.0 1,106.8 1,247.0 1,730.3 1,978.7 2,068.4 2,164.7 2,214.6 2,279.6 2,383.4 9.4 9.2 9.0 11.3 11.9 12.2 12.5 12.7 12.8 13.1
Hispanic 383.8 471.7 782.4 1,461.8 1,661.7 1,716.3 1,809.6 1,882.0 1,964.3 2,076.2 3.5 3.9 5.7 9.5 10.0 10.1 10.5 10.8 11.1 11.4
Asian/Pacific Islander 197.9 286.4 572.4 978.2 1,074.2 1,075.6 1,108.7 1,134.4 1,165.5 1,217.9 1.8 2.4 4.1 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7
American Indian/Alaska Native 76.1 83.9 102.8 151.2 165.9 172.6 176.1 176.3 181.1 190.0 0.7 0.7 0.7 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Nonresident alien 218.7 305.0 391.5 528.7 590.9 597.7 590.2 584.8 595.9 624.5 2.0 2.5 2.8 3.5 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.4
                                         
Public 8,641.0 9,456.4 10,844.7 11,752.8 12,752.0 12,858.7 12,980.1 13,021.8 13,180.1 13,490.8 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 7,094.5 7,656.1 8,385.4 7,963.4 8,490.5 8,534.0 8,546.3 8,518.2 8,540.5 8,640.3 82.1 81.0 77.3 67.8 66.6 66.4 65.8 65.4 64.8 64.0
Total minority 1,401.2 1,596.2 2,199.2 3,446.3 3,867.4 3,936.7 4,062.4 4,130.8 4,256.6 4,448.8 16.2 16.9 20.3 29.3 30.3 30.6 31.3 31.7 32.3 33.0
Black 831.2 876.1 976.4 1,319.2 1,487.2 1,532.7 1,574.6 1,580.4 1,612.6 1,667.6 9.6 9.3 9.0 11.2 11.7 11.9 12.1 12.1 12.2 12.4
Hispanic 336.8 406.2 671.4 1,229.3 1,388.7 1,414.8 1,477.4 1,525.6 1,594.3 1,685.4 3.9 4.3 6.2 10.5 10.9 11.0 11.4 11.7 12.1 12.5
Asian/Pacific Islander 165.7 239.7 461.0 770.5 851.6 845.0 866.1 881.9 903.8 942.5 1.9 2.5 4.3 6.6 6.7 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 7.0
American Indian/Alaska Native 67.5 74.2 90.4 127.3 140.0 144.3 144.4 143.0 145.9 153.3 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1
Nonresident alien 145.3 204.2 260.0 343.1 394.1 387.9 371.4 372.8 383.1 401.7 1.7 2.2 2.4 2.9 3.1 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 3.0
                                         
Private 2,344.6 2,630.4 2,973.9 3,559.5 3,859.7 4,052.8 4,291.9 4,465.6 4,578.7 4,757.3 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 1,981.6 2,176.9 2,337.0 2,498.7 2,649.8 2,746.9 2,876.5 2,977.3 3,032.0 3,116.0 84.5 82.8 78.6 70.2 68.7 67.8 67.0 66.7 66.2 65.5
Total minority 289.6 352.7 505.5 875.2 1,013.2 1,096.2 1,196.7 1,276.4 1,333.9 1,418.6 12.4 13.4 17.0 24.6 26.3 27.0 27.9 28.6 29.1 29.8
Black 201.8 230.7 270.6 411.1 491.6 535.7 590.1 634.2 667.0 715.7 8.6 8.8 9.1 11.5 12.7 13.2 13.7 14.2 14.6 15.0
Hispanic 47.0 65.6 111.0 232.5 273.1 301.5 332.2 356.4 370.1 390.7 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.5 7.1 7.4 7.7 8.0 8.1 8.2
Asian/Pacific Islander 32.2 46.7 111.5 207.7 222.6 230.6 242.6 252.4 261.7 275.4 1.4 1.8 3.7 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.8
American Indian/Alaska Native 8.6 9.7 12.4 23.9 25.9 28.4 31.8 33.3 35.2 36.7 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8
Nonresident alien 73.4 100.8 131.4 185.6 196.8 209.7 218.8 212.0 212.8 222.8 3.1 3.8 4.4 5.2 5.1 5.2 5.1 4.7 4.6 4.7
4-year, total 7,106.5 7,565.4 8,578.6 9,363.9 10,082.3 10,417.2 10,726.2 10,999.4 11,240.3 11,630.2 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 5,999.0 6,274.5 6,768.1 6,658.0 7,053.8 7,202.8 7,359.0 7,496.9 7,603.4 7,781.0 84.4 82.9 78.9 71.1 70.0 69.1 68.6 68.2 67.6 66.9
Total minority 931.0 1,049.9 1,486.1 2,266.1 2,540.3 2,713.0 2,868.0 3,009.5 3,134.4 3,320.5 13.1 13.9 17.3 24.2 25.2 26.0 26.7 27.4 27.9 28.6
Black 603.7 634.3 722.8 995.4 1,119.7 1,188.5 1,258.9 1,313.4 1,361.7 1,441.7 8.5 8.4 8.4 10.6 11.1 11.4 11.7 11.9 12.1 12.4
Hispanic 173.6 216.6 358.2 617.9 702.9 783.7 837.2 900.5 950.0 1,008.7 2.4 2.9 4.2 6.6 7.0 7.5 7.8 8.2 8.5 8.7
Asian/Pacific Islander 118.7 162.1 357.2 576.3 633.1 650.3 678.0 700.0 722.7 761.5 1.7 2.1 4.2 6.2 6.3 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.4 6.5
American Indian/Alaska Native 35.0 36.9 47.9 76.5 84.6 90.4 93.9 95.6 100.0 108.6 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9
Nonresident alien 176.5 240.9 324.3 439.7 488.3 501.5 499.2 493.1 502.5 528.7 2.5 3.2 3.8 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.7 4.5 4.5 4.5
                                         
Public 4,892.9 5,127.6 5,848.2 6,055.4 6,481.6 6,649.4 6,736.5 6,837.6 6,955.0 7,166.7 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 4,120.2 4,243.0 4,605.6 4,311.2 4,551.7 4,611.0 4,642.9 4,678.1 4,720.8 4,813.6 84.2 82.7 78.8 71.2 70.2 69.3 68.9 68.4 67.9 67.2
Total minority 666.7 740.8 1,046.2 1,486.4 1,636.2 1,744.7 1,811.5 1,876.9 1,942.8 2,045.3 13.6 14.4 17.9 24.5 25.2 26.2 26.9 27.5 27.9 28.5
Black 421.8 438.2 495.1 627.8 682.5 717.9 741.2 754.0 770.1 801.7 8.6 8.5 8.5 10.4 10.5 10.8 11.0 11.0 11.1 11.2
Hispanic 129.3 156.4 262.5 420.0 468.1 528.4 555.8 595.6 629.8 668.6 2.6 3.1 4.5 6.9 7.2 7.9 8.3 8.7 9.1 9.3
Asian/Pacific Islander 87.5 117.2 250.6 381.3 422.8 432.0 447.4 460.1 473.2 498.5 1.8 2.3 4.3 6.3 6.5 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 7.0
American Indian/Alaska Native 28.2 29.0 38.0 57.2 62.7 66.4 67.0 67.2 69.7 76.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1
Nonresident alien 106.0 143.8 196.4 257.8 293.7 293.8 282.2 282.6 291.4 307.8 2.2 2.8 3.4 4.3 4.5 4.4 4.2 4.1 4.2 4.3
                                         
Private 2,213.6 2,437.8 2,730.3 3,308.5 3,600.7 3,767.8 3,989.6 4,161.8 4,285.3 4,463.5 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 1,878.8 2,031.5 2,162.5 2,346.9 2,502.1 2,591.8 2,716.1 2,818.8 2,882.6 2,967.5 84.9 83.3 79.2 70.9 69.5 68.8 68.1 67.7 67.3 66.5
Total minority 264.3 309.2 439.8 779.7 904.1 968.3 1,056.5 1,132.5 1,191.6 1,275.3 11.9 12.7 16.1 23.6 25.1 25.7 26.5 27.2 27.8 28.6
Black 182.0 196.1 227.7 367.6 437.2 470.7 517.7 559.4 591.6 640.0 8.2 8.0 8.3 11.1 12.1 12.5 13.0 13.4 13.8 14.3
Hispanic 44.3 60.2 95.7 197.9 234.7 255.3 281.3 304.9 320.2 340.1 2.0 2.5 3.5 6.0 6.5 6.8 7.1 7.3 7.5 7.6
Asian/Pacific Islander 31.2 44.9 106.6 195.0 210.3 218.3 230.6 239.8 249.5 263.1 1.4 1.8 3.9 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9
American Indian/Alaska Native 6.8 7.9 9.9 19.3 21.9 23.9 26.9 28.4 30.3 32.1 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7
Nonresident alien 70.5 97.1 127.9 181.9 194.5 207.7 217.0 210.4 211.1 220.8 3.2 4.0 4.7 5.5 5.4 5.5 5.4 5.1 4.9 4.9
2-year, total 3,879.1 4,521.4 5,240.1 5,948.4 6,529.4 6,494.2 6,545.9 6,488.1 6,518.5 6,617.9 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 3,077.1 3,558.5 3,954.3 3,804.1 4,086.5 4,078.1 4,063.8 3,998.6 3,969.1 3,975.2 79.3 78.7 75.5 64.0 62.6 62.8 62.1 61.6 60.9 60.1
Total minority 759.8 898.9 1,218.6 2,055.4 2,340.3 2,319.9 2,391.2 2,397.7 2,456.1 2,546.9 19.6 19.9 23.3 34.6 35.8 35.7 36.5 37.0 37.7 38.5
Black 429.3 472.5 524.3 734.9 859.1 879.8 905.8 901.1 917.9 941.7 11.1 10.4 10.0 12.4 13.2 13.5 13.8 13.9 14.1 14.2
Hispanic 210.2 255.1 424.2 843.9 958.9 932.5 972.4 981.5 1,014.3 1,067.4 5.4 5.6 8.1 14.2 14.7 14.4 14.9 15.1 15.6 16.1
Asian/Pacific Islander 79.2 124.3 215.2 401.9 441.0 425.3 430.7 434.4 442.8 456.4 2.0 2.8 4.1 6.8 6.8 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9
American Indian/Alaska Native 41.2 47.0 54.9 74.7 81.3 82.3 82.2 80.7 81.1 81.4 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2
Nonresident alien 42.2 64.1 67.1 89.0 102.6 96.2 90.9 91.8 93.4 95.8 1.1 1.4 1.3 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4
                                         
Public 3,748.1 4,328.8 4,996.5 5,697.4 6,270.4 6,209.3 6,243.6 6,184.2 6,225.1 6,324.1 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 2,974.3 3,413.1 3,779.8 3,652.2 3,938.8 3,923.1 3,903.4 3,840.1 3,819.7 3,826.7 79.4 78.8 75.7 64.1 62.8 63.2 62.5 62.1 61.4 60.5
Total minority 734.5 855.4 1,153.0 1,959.9 2,231.2 2,192.0 2,251.0 2,253.9 2,313.8 2,403.6 19.6 19.8 23.1 34.4 35.6 35.3 36.1 36.4 37.2 38.0
Black 409.5 437.9 481.4 691.4 804.7 814.8 833.4 826.3 842.5 865.9 10.9 10.1 9.6 12.1 12.8 13.1 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.7
Hispanic 207.5 249.8 408.9 809.2 920.5 886.4 921.6 930.0 964.4 1,016.8 5.5 5.8 8.2 14.2 14.7 14.3 14.8 15.0 15.5 16.1
Asian/Pacific Islander 78.2 122.5 210.3 389.2 428.7 413.0 418.6 421.8 430.6 444.1 2.1 2.8 4.2 6.8 6.8 6.7 6.7 6.8 6.9 7.0
American Indian/Alaska Native 39.3 45.2 52.4 70.1 77.2 77.8 77.4 75.7 76.2 76.8 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2
Nonresident alien 39.2 60.3 63.6 85.2 100.4 94.1 89.2 90.2 91.6 93.9 1.0 1.4 1.3 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.5
                                         
Private 131.0 192.6 243.6 251.0 259.0 285.0 302.3 303.8 293.4 293.8 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
White 102.8 145.4 174.5 151.8 147.7 155.1 160.4 158.4 149.4 148.5 78.5 75.5 71.6 60.5 57.0 54.4 53.1 52.1 50.9 50.6
Total minority 25.3 43.5 65.6 95.5 109.1 127.9 140.2 143.8 142.3 143.3 19.3 22.6 26.9 38.0 42.1 44.9 46.4 47.3 48.5 48.8
Black 19.8 34.6 42.9 43.5 54.4 65.0 72.5 74.8 75.4 75.7 15.1 17.9 17.6 17.3 21.0 22.8 24.0 24.6 25.7 25.8
Hispanic 2.6 5.3 15.3 34.7 38.3 46.2 50.8 51.4 49.8 50.6 2.0 2.8 6.3 13.8 14.8 16.2 16.8 16.9 17.0 17.2
Asian/Pacific Islander 0.9 1.8 4.9 12.7 12.3 12.3 12.1 12.6 12.2 12.3 0.7 0.9 2.0 5.1 4.7 4.3 4.0 4.2 4.2 4.2
American Indian/Alaska Native 1.8 1.8 2.5 4.5 4.1 4.4 4.9 5.0 4.9 4.6 1.4 0.9 1.0 1.8 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.6
Nonresident alien 3.0 3.7 3.5 3.8 2.2 2.0 1.7 1.6 1.7 2.0 2.3 1.9 1.4 1.5 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.7
NOTE: Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Because of underreporting and nonreporting of racial/ethnic data, some figures are slightly lower than corresponding data in other tables. Data through 1990 are for institutions of higher education, while later data are for degree-granting institutions. Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. The degree-granting classification is very 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. (See Guide to Sources for details.) Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), "Fall Enrollment in Colleges and Universities" surveys, 1976 and 1980; and 1990 through 2007 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:90), and Spring 2001 through Spring 2008. (This table was prepared October 2008.)

2008 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest