The Condition of Education 2024 At a Glance

More information is available at nces.ed.gov/programs/coe.

Family Characteristics

Characteristics of Children’s Families

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of children under age 18 living with related female householders (no spouse present)	26%	26%
Percentage of children under age 18 in families living in poverty	17%	16%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Back to Top

Preprimary, Elementary, and Secondary Education

Enrollment Rates of Young Children

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of 3- to 5-year-olds enrolled in school
3- to 4-year-olds	53%	59%
5-year-olds	79%	84%

CLOSE

Public School Enrollment

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of students enrolled in public schools	49.4 million	49.6 million
Prekindergarten through grade 8	34.0 million	34.1 million
Grades 9 through 12	15.4 million	15.5 million

CLOSE

English Learners in Public Schools

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of public school students who were English learners

10.1%

10.6%

CLOSE

Racial/Ethnic Enrollment in Public Schools

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of public school students
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.92%	0.91%
Asian	5.39%	5.47%
Black	14.94%	14.91%
Hispanic	28.43%	28.94%
Pacific Islander1	0.37%	0.37%
White	45.22%	44.46%
Two or more races	4.72%	4.94%

CLOSE

Private School Enrollment

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of K–12 students enrolled in private schools	4.7 million	4.7 million
Percentage of K–12 students enrolled in private schools2	8.6%	9.0%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Students With Disabilities

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of students ages 3–21 receiving special education services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (in thousands)	7,259	7,526
Students ages 3–21 receiving special education services, as a percentage of public school students3	14.7%	15.2%

CLOSE

Violent Deaths at School and Away From School, and Active Shooter Incidents

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of active shooter incidents at elementary and secondary schools 4	2	4
Number of casualties from active shooter incidents at elementary and secondary schools 4, 5	14	52

CLOSE

Safety and Security Practices at Public Schools

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of public schools reporting selected safety and security practices
A written plan for procedures to be performed in the event of a pandemic disease6	52% 2019–207	92%
A written plan for procedures to be performed in the event of an active shooter	96% 2019–207	96%
One or more security staff8 present at least once a week	65% 2019–207	61%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Children’s Internet Access at Home

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of 3- to 18-year-olds who had home internet access	95%	97%
Percentage of 3- to 18-year-olds who had home internet access through a computer	88%	93%

CLOSE

Characteristics of Public School Teachers

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of public school teachers
Who are female	76.5%	76.8%
Who are male	23.5%	23.2%
Who held a postbaccalaureate degree	58.0%	61.0%
Who held a regular teaching certificate	90.4%	89.8%
Annual base salary of public school teachers9	$65,900	$66,000

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Reading Performance

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of students who scored at or above NAEP Proficient10
4th-grade students	35%	33%
8th-grade students	34%	31%
12th-grade students	37% 2015	37% 2019

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Mathematics Performance

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of students who scored at or above NAEP Proficient10
4th-grade students	41%	36%
8th-grade students	34%	26%
12th-grade students	25%2015	24%2019

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Science Performance

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of students who scored at or above NAEP Proficient10
4th-grade students	38%	36%
8th-grade students	34%	35%
12th-grade students	22%	22%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

High School Mathematics and Science Course Completion

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of high school graduates who had completed a course
Algebra II11	80%	85%
Males	77%	83%
Females	82%	87%
Calculus	18%	16%
Males	19%	16%
Females	18%	16%
Biology, Chemistry, and Physics12	30%	35%
Males	31%	36%
Females	28%	33%

CLOSE

Status Dropout Rates

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds not enrolled in school who have not completed high school	5.2%	5.3%
Male	6.1%	6.3%
Female	4.2%	4.3%
American Indian/ Alaska Native	10.2%	9.9%
Asian	2.1%	1.9%
Black	5.9%	5.7%
Hispanic	7.8%	7.9%
Pacific Islander	7.6%	9.1%
White	4.1%	4.3%
Some other race	7.1%	5.8%
Two or more races	4.9%	4.5%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Public High School Graduation Rates

Explore these findings

Change between years

Adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR)13

86%

87%

CLOSE

Public School Revenue Sources¹⁴

Explore these findings

Change between years

Total	$925.59 billion	$953.59 billion
Federal	$70.33 billion	$100.69 billion
State	$439.51 billion	$437.09 billion
Local	$415.75 billion	$415.81 billion

CLOSE

Public School Expenditures¹⁴

Explore these findings

Change between years

Total expenditures	$925 billion	$927 billion
Total expenditures per pupil (in fall enrollment)	$18,086	$18,614

CLOSE

Back to Top

Postsecondary Education

Immediate College Enrollment Rate

Explore these findings

Change between years

Immediate college enrollment rate of high school completers	62%	62%
2-year institutions	19%	17%
4-year institutions	43%	45%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Criminal Incidents at Postsecondary Institutions

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of on-campus crimes per 10,000 full-time-equivalent (FTE) students at degree-granting postsecondary institutions15	15.0	16.9
Burglary16	4.8	4.7
Motor vehicle theft17	1.8	2.5
Forcible sex offense18	6.6	7.5

CLOSE

Characteristics of Postsecondary Faculty

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of full-time instructional faculty	837,000	842,400
Number of part-time instructional faculty	662,200	665,200

CLOSE

Postsecondary Certificates and Degrees Conferred

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of degrees/certificates conferred by postsecondary institutions
Certificates19	991,800	1,042,400
Associate’s degrees	1,037,300	1,008,300
Bachelor’s degrees	2,066,500	2,015,000
Master’s degrees	866,900	880,200
Doctor’s degrees20	194,100	203,900

CLOSE

Undergraduate Degree Fields

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of bachelor’s degrees conferred (top three bachelor’s programs)
Business21	391,400	375,400
Health professions and related programs	268,000	263,800
Social sciences and history	160,900	151,100

CLOSE

Graduate Degree Fields

Explore these findings

Change between years

Number of master’s degrees conferred (top three master’s programs)
Business22	202,400	205,800
Education	153,700	151,700
Health professions and related programs	142,000	147,000

CLOSE

Postsecondary Outcomes for Nontraditional and Traditional Undergraduate Students

Explore these findings

Change between years

8-year completion rate23 for 4-year institutions by entry cohort Entering and attendance status
First-time, full-time students	60%	61%
First-time, part-time students	20%	22%
Non-first-time, full-time students	60%	61%
Non-first-time, part-time students	35%	38%
8-year completion rate23 for 2-year institutions by entry cohort Entering and attendance status
First-time, full-time students	37%	39%
First-time, part-time students	19%	20%
Non-first-time, full-time students	45%	43%
Non-first-time, part-time students	24%	23%

CLOSE

Price of Attending an Undergraduate Institution¹⁴

Explore these findings

Change between years

Average net price at 4-year institutions for first-time, full-time undergraduate students
Public, in-state or in-district24	$15,500	$15,200
Private nonprofit	$30,200	$29,700
Private for-profit	$25,700	$24,400

CLOSE

Back to Top

Population Characteristics and Economic Outcomes

Educational Attainment of Young Adults

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds with selected levels of educational attainment
At least high school completion25	94%	95%
Associate's or higher degree	49%	49%
Bachelor's or higher degree	39%	40%
Master's or higher degree	9%	10%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Employment and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment²⁶

Explore these findings

Change between years

Employment rates of 25- to 34-year-olds
Total	80%	80%
Who had not completed high school	61%	60%
Who completed high school25	73%	74%
Some college, no bachelor's degree	79%	80%
Who attained a bachelor's or higher degree	87%	88%
Unemployment rates of 25- to 34-year-olds
Total	4%	4%
Who had not completed high school	10%	9%
Who completed high school25	7%	7%
Some college, no bachelor's degree	5%	4%
Who attained a bachelor’s or higher degree	2%	3%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Annual Earnings by Educational Attainment²⁶

Explore these findings

Change between years

Median annual earnings for 25- to 34-year-olds27
Total	$55,400	$54,200
Who completed less than high school	$35,300	$35,500
Who completed high school25	$44,000	$41,800
Who completed some college, but did not attain a degree	$45,000	$45,200
Who attained an associate’s degree	$49,400	$49,500
Who attained a bachelor’s or higher degree	$71,700	$71,100
Who attained a bachelor’s degree	$67,300	$66,600
Who attained a master’s or higher degree	$81,500	$80,200

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Back to Top

International Comparisons

International Educational Attainment

Explore these findings

Change between years

Percentage of the population 25 to 34 years old who had completed high school as of the reporting year
United States	93.7%	94.0%
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries	85.8%	86.1%
Percentage of the population 25 to 34 years old who had attained a postsecondary degree as of the reporting year
United States	51.2%	51.3%
OECD countries	47.1%	47.4%

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

International Comparisons: Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy of 15-Year-Old Students

Explore these findings

U.S. average score in comparison with OECD average

Program for International Student Assessment (2022)
Reading literacy of 15-year-olds	476	504
Mathematics literacy of 15-year-olds	472	465
Science literacy of 15-year-olds	485	499

Blank = not measurably different

CLOSE

Back to Top

• Blank = Not measurably different
• ¹ Although the percentages for Pacific Islander students rounded to 0.37 percent for both years, the percentage was lower for fall 2022 than for fall 2021 (0.3669 vs. 0.3672 percent).
• ² Total excludes homeschooled children.
• ³ The number of students served as a percentage of total enrollment is based on total public school enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12. However, not all students served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) receive education services in public school environments.
• ⁴ The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines an active shooter as "one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area."
• ⁵ Number of casualties excludes active shooters and may include casualties that occurred as part of the same incident but at different locations. Casualties include both the number killed and the number wounded.
• ⁶ In 2019–20, respondents were asked if they had a written plan that describes procedures to be performed in the event of a "pandemic disease." In 2021–22, respondents were asked if they had a "formal plan in place to prepare for and respond to multi-country or worldwide pandemic diseases (such as the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19)."
• ⁷ The coronavirus pandemic affected the 2019–20 data collection activities. The change to virtual schooling and the adjusted school year may have impacted the data collected by the School Survey on Crime and Safety. Readers should use caution when comparing 2019–20 estimates with those from other years. For more information, see Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools in 2019–20: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety (NCES 2022-029).
• ⁸ Security staff include security officers, security personnel, School Resource Officers (SROs), and sworn law enforcement officers who are not SROs. "Security officers" and "security personnel" do not include law enforcement. SROs include all career law enforcement officers with arrest authority who have specialized training and are assigned to work in collaboration with school organizations.
• ⁹ Data are reported in constant 2021–22 dollars, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and adjusted to a school-year basis.
• ¹⁰ NAEP Proficient demonstrates solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter.
• ¹¹ Includes courses that taught both algebra II and trigonometry.
• ¹² Indicates graduate earned credits in all three subjects of biology, chemistry, and physics.
• ¹³ The adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) is the percentage of public school 9th-graders who graduate with a regular diploma or a state-defined alternate high school diploma for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities within 4 years of starting 9th grade. Students who are entering 9th grade for the first time form a cohort for the graduating class. This cohort is "adjusted" by adding any students who subsequently transfer into the cohort and subtracting any students who subsequently transfer out, emigrate to another country, or die.
• ¹⁴ Data are reported in constant 2022–23 dollars, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and adjusted to a school-year basis.
• ¹⁵ Includes other reported crimes not separately shown.
• ¹⁶ Unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.
• ¹⁷ Theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
• ¹⁸ Any sexual act directed against another person forcibly and/or against that person's will.
• ¹⁹ Data are for certificates below the baccalaureate level. Includes certificates of less than 2 years as well as those of at least 2 years but less than 4 years.
• ²⁰ Includes Ph.D., Ed.D., and comparable degrees at the doctoral level. Includes most degrees formerly classified as first-professional, such as M.D., D.D.S., and law degrees.
• ²¹ "Business" is defined as business, management, marketing, and related support services, as well as culinary, entertainment, and personal services.
• ²² In order to be consistent with the definition of "business" for bachelor's degree data, "business" is defined as business, management, marketing, and related support services, as well as culinary, entertainment, and personal services.
• ²³ Student completion status is determined as of August 31 of the year indicated; for example, within 8 years after the student's 2014–15 entry into the reporting institution means by August 31, 2022. Includes only those awards that were conferred by the reporting institution (i.e., the institution that the student entered the year of their entry cohort); excludes awards conferred by institutions to which the student later transferred. Awards include certificates, associate's degrees, and bachelor's degrees.
• ²⁴ The average net price at public 4-year institutions uses the lower of in-district or in-state average net price.
• ²⁵ High school completion includes those who graduated from high school with a diploma as well as those who completed high school through equivalency programs, such as a GED program.
• ²⁶ Reported levels of educational attainment for 25- to 34-year-olds in this indicator refer to a person’s highest degree earned or level of school completed.
• ²⁷ Data are reported in constant 2022 dollars, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
• NOTE: Includes selected indicators only. All calculations within the At a Glance are based on unrounded numbers. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
• SOURCE: The Condition of Education 2024.

Back to Top