Section 5. Enrollment in Postsecondary Degree-Granting Institutions: Enrollment by Selected Characteristics and Control of Institution
Figure 17. Actual and projected numbers for enrollment in all postsecondary degree- granting institutions, by age group: Fall 1996, fall 2010, and fall 2021
NOTE: Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Data by age are based on the distribution by age from the Census Bureau. Mean absolute percentage errors of selected education statistics can be found in table A-2, appendix A. Calculations are based on unrounded numbers.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:96); IPEDS Spring
2011, Enrollment component; Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions Model, 1980-2010; and U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, "Social and Economic Characteristics of Students," various years. (This figure was prepared February 2012.)
Enrollment by age of student
Enrollment in postsecondary degree- granting institutions of students who are 18 to 24 years old
- increased 52 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 10 percent between 2010 and 2021.
Enrollment in postsecondary degree- granting institutions of students who are 25 to 34 years old
- increased 45 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 20 percent between 2010 and 2021.
Enrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of students who are 35 years old and over
- increased 32 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 25 percent between 2010 and 2021.
For more information: Table 21
Figure 18. Actual and projected numbers for enrollment in all postsecondary degree-granting institutions, by sex: Fall 1996 through fall 2021
NOTE: Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Mean absolute percentage errors of selected education statistics can be found in table A-2, appendix A. Some data have been revised from previously published figures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:96-99); IPEDS Spring 2001 through Spring 2011, Enrollment component; and Enrollment in Degree- Granting Institutions Model, 1980-2010. (This figure was prepared February 2012.)
Enrollment by sex of student
Enrollment of men in postsecondary degree-granting institutions
- increased 42 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 10 percent between 2010 and 2021.
Enrollment of women in postsecondary degree-granting institutions
- increased 49 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 18 percent between 2010 and 2021.
For more information: Tables 20-22
Figure 19. Actual and projected numbers for enrollment in all postsecondary degree- granting institutions, by attendance status: Fall 1996 through fall 2021
NOTE: Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Mean absolute percentage errors of selected education statistics can be found in table A-2, appendix A.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:96-99); IPEDS
2001 through Spring 2011, Enrollment component; and Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions Model, 1980-2010. (This figure was prepared February 2012.)
Enrollment by attendance status
Enrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of full-time students
- increased 58 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 12 percent between 2010 and 2021.
Enrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of part-time students
- increased 31 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 18 percent between 2010 and 2021.
For more information: Tables 20-22
Figure 20. Actual and projected numbers for undergraduate and postbaccalaureate enrollment in all postsecondary degree-granting institutions: Fall 1996 through fall 2021
NOTE: Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Mean absolute percentage errors of selected education statistics can be found in table A-2, appendix A.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:96-99); IPEDS Spring 2001 through Spring 2011, Enrollment component; and Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions Model, 1980-2010. (This figure was prepared February 2012.)
Enrollment by level of student
Enrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of undergraduate students
- increased 47 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 14 percent between 2010 and 2021.
Enrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of postbaccalaureate students
- increased 44 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 19 percent between 2010 and 2021.
For more information: Tables 27-28
Figure 21. Actual and projected numbers for enrollment of U.S. residents in all postsecondary degree-granting institutions, by race/ethnicity: Fall 1996 through fall 2021

NOTE: Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Because of underreporting and nonreporting of racial/ethnic data and nonresident aliens, some estimates are slightly lower than corresponding data in other published tables. Enrollment data in the "race/ethnicity unknown" (all years) and "two or more races" (2008, 2009, and 2010 only) categories of the IPEDS "Enrollment component" have been prorated to the other racial/ethnic categories at the institutional level. Mean absolute percentage errors of selected education statistics can be found in table A-2, appendix A.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:96-99); IPEDS Spring 2001 through Spring 2011, Enrollment component; and Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions by Race/Ethnicity Model, 1980-2010. (This figure was prepared February 2012.)
Enrollment by race/ethnicity
Enrollment of U.S. residents is projected to
- increase 4 percent for students who are White between 2010 and 2021;
- increase 25 percent for students who are Black between 2010 and 2021;
- increase 42 percent for students who are Hispanic between 2010 and 2021;
- increase 20 percent for students who are Asian/Pacific Islander between 2010 and 2021; and
- be 1 percent higher in 2021 than in 2010 for students who are American Indian/Alaska Native
For more information: Table 29
Figure 22. Actual and projected numbers for enrollment in all postsecondary degree-granting institutions, by control of institution: Fall 1996 through fall 2021
NOTE: Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Mean absolute percentage errors of selected education statistics can be found in table A-2, appendix A. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:96-99); IPEDS Spring 2001 through Spring 2011, Enrollment component; Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions Model, 1980-2010. (This figure was prepared February 2012.)
Enrollment in public and private institutions
Enrollment in public postsecondary degree-granting institutions
- increased 36 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 15 percent between 2010 and 2021.
Enrollment in private postsecondary degree-granting institutions
- increased 81 percent between 1996 and 2010; and
- is projected to increase 15 percent between 2010 and 2021.
For more information: Table 20