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Tables: Postsecondary/College

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Table B01. Number and percentage distribution of 2003–04 beginning postsecondary students, by persistence and attainment status, initial degree or certificate program, and initial field of study: 2009
Initial degree or certificate program and field of study Number (in thousands)   Total attained or persisted     Highest credential attained   No credential, still enrolled (persisted)   No credential, not enrolled  
      Total, any credential   Certificate   Associate's degree   Bachelor's degree        
                                     
Total, all beginning students 3,746   64.5     49.5   9.4   9.3   30.7     15.0   35.5  
                                     
Subbaccalaureate students 1,966   55.9     39.4   15.9   14.5   9.0     16.5   44.1  
Occupational field of study1 1,258   55.8     40.7   16.4   15.4   8.9     15.1   44.2  
Certificate 302   60.5     52.7   50.3   1.8   0.7 !   7.8   39.5  
Associate's degree 956   54.3     36.9   5.7   19.7   11.5     17.4   45.7  
                                     
Academic field of study2 201   57.8     38.4   8.3 ! 16.1   14.1     19.4   42.2  
Certificate 16   75.5     54.4   44.8         21.1 ! 24.5 !
Associate's degree 184   56.3     37.0     17.1   14.9     19.2   43.7  
                                     
Undeclared field of study 507   55.3     36.6   17.4   11.8   7.4     18.7   44.7  
                                     
Baccalaureate students 1,462   79.0     67.3   1.1   2.9   63.2     11.8   21.0  
Occupational field of study 804   77.5     64.4   1.3   3.4   59.7     13.1   22.5  
Academic field of study 271   83.6     73.5   1.1 ! 2.0   70.4     10.1   16.4  
Undeclared field of study 387   79.0     68.8   0.9 ! 2.4   65.5     10.3   21.0  
                                     
Not in degree or certificate program 318   51.3     30.7   7.9   7.1   15.7     20.6   48.7  
! Interpret data with caution. Standard error is more than one-third the estimate.
‡ Reporting standards not met; too few cases for a reliable estimate.
1 Occupational fields of study include agriculture and natural resources; business management and support; communications and communications technologies; computer and information sciences; construction; consumer services; education; engineering and architecture; health sciences; manufacturing; marketing; protective services; public, legal, and social services; repair and transportation; and visual and performing arts.
2 Academic fields of study include natural sciences and science technologies; English/letters; foreign languages; general studies and liberal arts; interdisciplinary studies; mathematics; philosophy, theology, and religious studies; and social sciences and history.
NOTE: Estimates include students enrolled in Title IV eligible postsecondary institutions in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. These estimates were previously published in NCES reports #2012-256, "Occupational and Academic Majors in Postsecondary Education: 6-Year Education and Employment Outcomes, 2001 and 2009", and #2011-152, "Web Tables—Six-Year Attainment, Persistence, Transfer, Retention, and Withdrawal Rates of Students Who Began Postsecondary Education in 2003–04."
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003–04 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study, Second Follow-up (BPS:04/09).

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