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Digest of Education Statistics: 2016
Digest of Education Statistics: 2016

NCES 2017-094
February 2018


Table 303.40. Total fall enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by attendance status, sex, and age: Selected years, 1970 through 2026
[In thousands]
Attendance status,
sex, and age
1970 1980 1990 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Projected
2016 2017 2020 2026
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
All students 8,581 12,097 13,819 15,312 17,487 17,759 18,248 19,103 20,314 21,019 21,011 20,644 20,377 20,207 19,977 20,185 20,413 21,346 22,631
14 to 17 years old 263 257 153 131 187 184 200 195 215 202 221 242 256 239 211 216 219 223 234
18 and 19 years old 2,579 2,852 2,777 3,258 3,444 3,561 3,690 3,813 4,009 4,057 3,956 3,782 3,720 3,720 3,691 4,029 4,091 4,237 4,534
20 and 21 years old 1,885 2,395 2,593 3,005 3,563 3,573 3,570 3,649 3,916 4,103 4,269 4,235 4,183 4,162 4,125 4,520 4,547 4,767 4,966
22 to 24 years old 1,469 1,947 2,202 2,600 3,114 3,185 3,280 3,443 3,571 3,759 3,793 3,951 3,964 3,910 3,809 3,639 3,674 3,786 4,093
25 to 29 years old 1,091 1,843 2,083 2,044 2,469 2,506 2,651 2,840 3,082 3,254 3,272 3,155 3,050 3,084 3,110 3,121 3,196 3,354 3,431
30 to 34 years old 527 1,227 1,384 1,333 1,438 1,472 1,519 1,609 1,735 1,805 1,788 1,684 1,606 1,586 1,585 1,589 1,594 1,704 1,780
35 years old and over 767 1,577 2,627 2,942 3,272 3,277 3,339 3,554 3,785 3,840 3,712 3,597 3,597 3,506 3,446 3,072 3,092 3,275 3,594
                                       
Males 5,044 5,874 6,284 6,722 7,456 7,575 7,816 8,189 8,733 9,046 9,034 8,919 8,861 8,797 8,721 8,855 8,869 9,212 9,678
14 to 17 years old 125 106 66 58 68 69 88 93 103 94 104 119 125 117 106 107 107 106 104
18 and 19 years old 1,355 1,368 1,298 1,464 1,523 1,604 1,669 1,704 1,795 1,820 1,782 1,707 1,661 1,673 1,657 1,858 1,859 1,919 2,053
20 and 21 years old 1,064 1,219 1,259 1,411 1,658 1,628 1,634 1,695 1,866 1,948 1,985 1,960 1,955 1,960 1,957 2,108 2,100 2,198 2,289
22 to 24 years old 1,004 1,075 1,129 1,222 1,410 1,445 1,480 1,555 1,599 1,723 1,769 1,864 1,846 1,789 1,747 1,746 1,740 1,771 1,888
25 to 29 years old 796 983 1,024 908 1,057 1,040 1,148 1,222 1,378 1,410 1,404 1,353 1,356 1,378 1,383 1,371 1,397 1,461 1,472
30 to 34 years old 333 564 605 581 591 628 638 691 707 731 700 661 634 643 650 645 645 685 709
35 years old and over 366 559 902 1,077 1,149 1,160 1,159 1,228 1,285 1,320 1,290 1,255 1,283 1,237 1,221 1,021 1,020 1,071 1,163
                                       
Females 3,537 6,223 7,535 8,591 10,032 10,184 10,432 10,914 11,581 11,974 11,976 11,725 11,515 11,410 11,256 11,330 11,544 12,135 12,953
14 to 17 years old 137 151 87 73 119 115 112 102 113 108 116 123 131 121 105 110 112 118 130
18 and 19 years old 1,224 1,484 1,479 1,794 1,920 1,956 2,021 2,109 2,214 2,237 2,173 2,074 2,059 2,047 2,034 2,170 2,231 2,318 2,481
20 and 21 years old 821 1,177 1,334 1,593 1,905 1,945 1,936 1,954 2,050 2,155 2,284 2,276 2,228 2,202 2,167 2,412 2,447 2,568 2,677
22 to 24 years old 464 871 1,073 1,378 1,704 1,740 1,800 1,888 1,972 2,036 2,024 2,087 2,118 2,121 2,063 1,892 1,934 2,015 2,204
25 to 29 years old 296 859 1,059 1,136 1,413 1,466 1,502 1,618 1,704 1,844 1,868 1,802 1,694 1,706 1,726 1,750 1,799 1,893 1,960
30 to 34 years old 194 663 779 752 847 844 881 918 1,028 1,074 1,088 1,022 972 943 935 943 949 1,018 1,071
35 years old and over 401 1,018 1,725 1,865 2,123 2,117 2,180 2,326 2,500 2,520 2,422 2,341 2,314 2,270 2,225 2,052 2,072 2,204 2,431
                                       
Full-time 5,816 7,098 7,821 9,010 10,797 10,957 11,270 11,748 12,605 13,087 13,003 12,734 12,597 12,454 12,291 12,396 12,564 13,114 13,797
14 to 17 years old 246 231 134 121 152 148 169 168 179 170 185 207 210 200 177 183 186 189 197
18 and 19 years old 2,374 2,544 2,471 2,823 3,026 3,120 3,244 3,359 3,481 3,496 3,351 3,226 3,199 3,174 3,151 3,196 3,255 3,372 3,597
20 and 21 years old 1,649 2,007 2,137 2,452 2,976 2,972 2,985 3,043 3,241 3,364 3,427 3,386 3,327 3,326 3,296 3,481 3,518 3,694 3,836
22 to 24 years old 904 1,181 1,405 1,714 2,122 2,127 2,205 2,347 2,511 2,585 2,580 2,603 2,650 2,597 2,571 2,471 2,511 2,598 2,808
25 to 29 years old 426 641 791 886 1,174 1,225 1,299 1,369 1,506 1,605 1,600 1,555 1,528 1,525 1,509 1,490 1,518 1,587 1,590
30 to 34 years old 113 272 383 418 547 571 556 571 657 745 763 711 664 626 607 632 632 677 700
35 years old and over 104 221 500 596 800 794 812 890 1,030 1,122 1,096 1,047 1,018 1,005 980 944 944 997 1,068
                                       
Males 3,504 3,689 3,808 4,111 4,803 4,879 5,029 5,234 5,632 5,838 5,793 5,708 5,682 5,619 5,561 5,679 5,670 5,882 6,163
14 to 17 years old 121 95 55 51 53 52 74 73 77 71 85 102 106 100 90 85 85 83 80
18 and 19 years old 1,261 1,219 1,171 1,252 1,339 1,404 1,465 1,516 1,570 1,574 1,510 1,461 1,423 1,402 1,380 1,466 1,462 1,510 1,616
20 and 21 years old 955 1,046 1,035 1,156 1,398 1,372 1,366 1,407 1,536 1,586 1,586 1,537 1,542 1,549 1,569 1,630 1,625 1,704 1,773
22 to 24 years old 686 717 768 834 982 992 1,043 1,105 1,169 1,215 1,217 1,254 1,270 1,236 1,222 1,196 1,193 1,218 1,299
25 to 29 years old 346 391 433 410 506 533 578 597 661 715 727 728 734 732 711 698 707 735 729
30 to 34 years old 77 142 171 186 225 235 231 249 279 301 299 278 257 242 236 256 254 271 280
35 years old and over 58 80 174 222 300 291 273 287 341 376 369 349 351 360 353 348 344 361 387
                                       
Females 2,312 3,409 4,013 4,899 5,994 6,078 6,240 6,513 6,973 7,249 7,210 7,026 6,914 6,835 6,730 6,717 6,893 7,231 7,634
14 to 17 years old 125 136 78 70 98 95 95 95 102 99 100 105 104 101 86 99 101 106 117
18 and 19 years old 1,113 1,325 1,300 1,571 1,687 1,716 1,779 1,843 1,911 1,922 1,842 1,765 1,776 1,773 1,771 1,730 1,793 1,862 1,981
20 and 21 years old 693 961 1,101 1,296 1,578 1,601 1,619 1,636 1,705 1,778 1,840 1,849 1,785 1,777 1,727 1,852 1,893 1,989 2,062
22 to 24 years old 218 464 638 880 1,140 1,135 1,163 1,242 1,343 1,370 1,364 1,349 1,380 1,362 1,350 1,275 1,318 1,380 1,509
25 to 29 years old 80 250 358 476 668 692 721 772 845 891 873 827 794 793 798 791 811 851 861
30 to 34 years old 37 130 212 232 322 336 324 322 378 444 464 433 408 384 370 375 377 406 421
35 years old and over 46 141 326 374 500 503 539 603 690 746 727 698 667 645 627 596 600 636 681
                                       
Part-time 2,765 4,999 5,998 6,303 6,690 6,802 6,978 7,355 7,708 7,932 8,008 7,910 7,780 7,753 7,686 7,789 7,849 8,232 8,835
14 to 17 years old 16 26 19 10 36 36 31 27 36 32 36 35 47 38 34 33 33 34 37
18 and 19 years old 205 308 306 435 417 440 446 453 528 561 604 556 521 545 540 833 835 864 937
20 and 21 years old 236 388 456 553 586 601 585 606 675 738 842 850 855 836 829 1,039 1,029 1,073 1,130
22 to 24 years old 564 765 796 886 992 1,058 1,074 1,096 1,059 1,174 1,212 1,348 1,314 1,313 1,238 1,168 1,163 1,188 1,284
25 to 29 years old 665 1,202 1,291 1,158 1,296 1,282 1,352 1,471 1,576 1,648 1,672 1,600 1,522 1,559 1,600 1,631 1,679 1,767 1,841
30 to 34 years old 414 954 1,001 915 891 901 963 1,037 1,079 1,060 1,025 973 942 960 979 957 962 1,027 1,079
35 years old and over 663 1,356 2,127 2,345 2,472 2,483 2,527 2,664 2,754 2,718 2,616 2,550 2,579 2,501 2,466 2,129 2,148 2,278 2,526
                                       
Males 1,540 2,185 2,476 2,611 2,653 2,696 2,786 2,955 3,101 3,207 3,241 3,211 3,179 3,178 3,161 3,176 3,199 3,329 3,515
14 to 17 years old 4 12 11 7 15 17 14 20 25 23 20 17 20 18 16 22 22 23 24
18 and 19 years old 94 149 127 212 184 200 204 188 226 245 273 246 239 271 277 392 398 409 437
20 and 21 years old 108 172 224 255 260 257 269 289 330 362 398 423 413 411 389 478 475 494 516
22 to 24 years old 318 359 361 388 428 452 438 450 430 508 552 610 576 553 525 550 547 554 590
25 to 29 years old 450 592 591 498 551 507 570 625 718 695 677 625 622 646 673 673 691 725 743
30 to 34 years old 257 422 435 395 365 393 406 442 428 430 401 383 377 401 414 389 390 414 429
35 years old and over 309 479 728 855 850 869 886 941 944 944 921 906 932 877 868 673 676 710 776
                                       
Females 1,225 2,814 3,521 3,692 4,038 4,106 4,192 4,401 4,607 4,725 4,767 4,699 4,601 4,576 4,526 4,613 4,651 4,903 5,320
14 to 17 years old 12 14 9 3 21 20 17 7 11 9 16 18 27 20 19 11 11 12 13
18 and 19 years old 112 159 179 223 233 240 242 265 303 316 332 310 283 274 263 441 438 456 499
20 and 21 years old 128 216 233 298 327 344 317 318 345 377 444 427 443 425 440 561 554 579 614
22 to 24 years old 246 407 435 497 564 605 637 646 629 666 660 738 738 760 713 618 615 634 695
25 to 29 years old 216 609 700 660 745 774 781 846 859 953 995 975 900 913 928 958 988 1,042 1,098
30 to 34 years old 158 532 567 520 526 508 557 595 651 630 624 589 565 559 565 568 572 613 650
35 years old and over 354 876 1,399 1,491 1,623 1,614 1,640 1,723 1,810 1,774 1,695 1,643 1,647 1,625 1,598 1,456 1,473 1,568 1,750
NOTE: Distributions by age are estimates based on samples of the civilian noninstitutionalized population from the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. Data through 1995 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. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. 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, 1970 and 1980; Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:90-99); IPEDS Spring 2001 through Spring 2016, Fall Enrollment component; and Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions Projection Model, 2000 through 2026. U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, selected years, 1970 through 2015. (This table was prepared April 2017.)