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| 2017 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 205.20. | Enrollment and percentage distribution of students enrolled in private elementary and secondary schools, by school orientation and grade level: Selected years, fall 1995 through fall 2015 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade level and year | Total private enrollment | Catholic | Other religious | Nonsectarian | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | Parochial | Diocesan | Private | Total | Conservative Christian | Affiliated1 | Unaffiliated1 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||
| Enrollment | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, all grades | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 5,918,040 | (31,815) | 2,660,450 | (6,878) | 1,458,990 | (2,079) | 850,560 | (5,674) | 350,900 | (1,176) | 2,094,690 | (16,956) | 786,660 | (8,815) | 697,280 | (4,886) | 610,750 | (11,831) | 1,162,900 | (18,443) |
| 1997 | 5,944,320 | (18,543) | 2,665,630 | (5,472) | 1,438,860 | (5,331) | 873,780 | (761) | 352,990 | (1,405) | 2,097,190 | (13,733) | 823,610 | (7,342) | 646,500 | (3,104) | 627,080 | (11,133) | 1,181,510 | (12,013) |
| 1999 | 6,018,280 | (30,179) | 2,660,420 | (4,831) | 1,397,570 | (4,421) | 880,650 | (†) | 382,190 | (1,945) | 2,193,370 | (27,176) | 871,060 | (4,827) | 646,280 | (4,894) | 676,030 | (24,593) | 1,164,500 | (8,156) |
| 2001 | 6,319,650 | (40,272) | 2,672,650 | (12,460) | 1,309,890 | (5,626) | 979,050 | (6,976) | 383,710 | (3,152) | 2,328,160 | (17,281) | 937,420 | (6,070) | 663,190 | (8,636) | 727,550 | (13,303) | 1,318,840 | (27,300) |
| 2003 | 6,099,220 | (41,219) | 2,520,120 | (10,580) | 1,183,250 | (9,937) | 963,140 | (4,754) | 373,740 | (3,996) | 2,228,230 | (19,674) | 889,710 | (8,852) | 650,530 | (5,860) | 688,000 | (14,805) | 1,350,870 | (29,197) |
| 2005 | 6,073,240 | (42,446) | 2,402,800 | (9,293) | 1,062,950 | (6,355) | 956,610 | (6,325) | 383,230 | (3,996) | 2,303,330 | (22,368) | 957,360 | (9,561) | 696,910 | (6,677) | 649,050 | (14,200) | 1,367,120 | (27,558) |
| 2007 | 5,910,210 | (28,363) | 2,308,150 | (6,083) | 945,860 | (5,361) | 969,940 | (1,788) | 392,340 | (3,432) | 2,283,210 | (20,628) | 883,180 | (6,616) | 527,040 | (3,512) | 872,990 | (18,217) | 1,318,850 | (18,235) |
| 2009 | 5,488,490 | (35,857) | 2,160,220 | (3,494) | 856,440 | (3,088) | 909,010 | (4,393) | 394,770 | (1,087) | 2,076,220 | (32,751) | 737,020 | (1,891) | 516,310 | (4,366) | 822,890 | (31,180) | 1,252,050 | (8,849) |
| 2011 | 5,268,090 | (24,908) | 2,087,870 | (14,426) | 804,410 | (3,686) | 899,810 | (14,320) | 383,650 | (459) | 1,991,950 | (21,814) | 730,570 | (4,721) | 565,340 | (2,990) | 696,040 | (20,419) | 1,188,270 | (5,376) |
| 2013 | 5,395,740 | (50,342) | 2,055,140 | (37,142) | 739,850 | (18,829) | 936,320 | (32,000) | 378,970 | (980) | 2,030,930 | (30,090) | 707,100 | (7,544) | 565,490 | (5,884) | 758,350 | (28,152) | 1,309,670 | (14,800) |
| 2015 | 5,750,520 | (85,729) | 2,082,660 | (42,791) | 716,120 | (24,336) | 960,590 | (22,533) | 405,950 | (14,453) | 2,268,820 | (68,162) | 760,790 | (53,772) | 587,490 | (23,414) | 920,550 | (45,692) | 1,399,030 | (29,132) |
| Prekindergarten through grade 8 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 4,755,540 | (28,435) | 2,041,990 | (5,249) | 1,368,340 | (2,079) | 575,190 | (3,528) | 98,460 | (1,176) | 1,752,510 | (14,834) | 651,050 | (7,219) | 574,820 | (4,581) | 526,630 | (11,121) | 961,040 | (17,471) |
| 1997 | 4,759,060 | (17,323) | 2,046,620 | (5,469) | 1,352,620 | (5,331) | 598,380 | (761) | 95,620 | (1,393) | 1,744,500 | (12,194) | 678,660 | (5,957) | 529,050 | (2,504) | 536,790 | (10,120) | 967,940 | (11,050) |
| 1999 | 4,788,990 | (23,055) | 2,033,900 | (4,830) | 1,317,300 | (4,421) | 607,860 | (†) | 108,740 | (1,943) | 1,818,260 | (19,897) | 713,020 | (3,748) | 529,280 | (3,866) | 575,970 | (17,632) | 936,820 | (7,302) |
| 2001 | 5,023,160 | (36,096) | 2,032,080 | (10,751) | 1,226,960 | (4,494) | 687,540 | (6,976) | 117,580 | (2,978) | 1,926,870 | (15,459) | 765,080 | (5,110) | 535,850 | (7,370) | 625,940 | (12,240) | 1,064,210 | (24,703) |
| 2003 | 4,788,070 | (30,338) | 1,886,530 | (11,055) | 1,108,320 | (9,937) | 670,910 | (4,754) | 107,300 | (337) | 1,835,930 | (16,931) | 722,460 | (6,517) | 519,310 | (4,134) | 594,160 | (13,504) | 1,065,620 | (15,379) |
| 2005 | 4,724,310 | (33,034) | 1,779,830 | (9,318) | 993,390 | (6,355) | 673,110 | (6,286) | 113,330 | (2,896) | 1,865,430 | (19,380) | 764,920 | (8,028) | 561,320 | (5,730) | 539,190 | (12,633) | 1,079,050 | (15,497) |
| 2007 | 4,545,910 | (21,853) | 1,685,220 | (5,288) | 878,830 | (4,562) | 688,260 | (1,640) | 118,130 | (3,104) | 1,833,540 | (18,364) | 698,930 | (5,885) | 417,610 | (3,218) | 717,000 | (16,573) | 1,027,150 | (11,379) |
| 2009 | 4,179,060 | (33,168) | 1,541,830 | (3,250) | 782,050 | (3,085) | 642,720 | (846) | 117,050 | (578) | 1,665,680 | (30,216) | 579,190 | (1,685) | 401,430 | (3,952) | 685,050 | (28,928) | 971,550 | (8,113) |
| 2011 | 3,976,960 | (18,241) | 1,481,620 | (3,867) | 737,090 | (3,675) | 630,970 | (321) | 113,560 | (459) | 1,583,610 | (16,558) | 568,150 | (3,607) | 443,780 | (2,604) | 571,690 | (15,197) | 911,730 | (3,469) |
| 2013 | 4,083,860 | (42,441) | 1,466,550 | (27,646) | 680,370 | (18,826) | 666,260 | (20,228) | 119,930 | (843) | 1,615,120 | (29,311) | 544,610 | (5,638) | 446,050 | (5,316) | 624,470 | (27,948) | 1,002,180 | (11,849) |
| 2015 | 4,304,470 | (69,171) | 1,487,620 | (42,646) | 662,670 | (24,233) | 677,540 | (22,542) | 147,410 | (14,387) | 1,771,440 | (47,422) | 576,570 | (38,496) | 445,620 | (15,105) | 749,250 | (33,313) | 1,045,410 | (27,611) |
| Grades 9 through 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 1,162,500 | (4,625) | 618,460 | (2,786) | 90,650 | (†) | 275,370 | (2,786) | 252,440 | (†) | 342,180 | (3,174) | 135,610 | (2,338) | 122,460 | (645) | 84,120 | (1,720) | 201,860 | (1,495) |
| 1997 | 1,185,260 | (2,374) | 619,010 | (96) | 86,240 | (†) | 275,400 | (†) | 257,370 | (96) | 352,690 | (2,261) | 144,950 | (1,660) | 117,450 | (848) | 90,290 | (1,221) | 213,560 | (1,860) |
| 1999 | 1,229,290 | (8,260) | 626,520 | (70) | 80,270 | (†) | 272,790 | (†) | 273,460 | (70) | 375,100 | (7,920) | 158,040 | (1,640) | 117,000 | (1,237) | 100,060 | (7,461) | 227,670 | (2,208) |
| 2001 | 1,296,480 | (6,669) | 640,570 | (2,317) | 82,930 | (2,293) | 291,520 | (†) | 266,130 | (338) | 401,290 | (3,527) | 172,340 | (2,633) | 127,340 | (1,625) | 101,600 | (1,852) | 254,620 | (4,465) |
| 2003 | 1,311,150 | (24,733) | 633,590 | (3,888) | 74,930 | (†) | 292,230 | (†) | 266,430 | (3,888) | 392,310 | (4,195) | 167,250 | (3,144) | 131,220 | (1,924) | 93,840 | (2,031) | 285,250 | (23,952) |
| 2005 | 1,348,930 | (18,073) | 622,970 | (1,538) | 69,560 | (†) | 283,510 | (700) | 269,900 | (1,341) | 437,900 | (6,541) | 192,440 | (3,404) | 135,590 | (1,493) | 109,860 | (5,190) | 288,070 | (16,551) |
| 2007 | 1,364,300 | (11,958) | 622,930 | (1,377) | 67,030 | (1,201) | 281,680 | (566) | 274,210 | (364) | 449,680 | (3,796) | 184,260 | (1,768) | 109,430 | (374) | 156,000 | (3,052) | 291,700 | (11,156) |
| 2009 | 1,309,430 | (6,480) | 618,390 | (4,409) | 74,380 | (42) | 266,290 | (4,311) | 277,720 | (920) | 410,540 | (4,285) | 157,830 | (362) | 114,880 | (1,074) | 137,840 | (4,111) | 280,500 | (1,880) |
| 2011 | 1,291,130 | (15,396) | 606,250 | (14,313) | 67,320 | (10) | 268,840 | (14,313) | 270,090 | (†) | 408,330 | (5,747) | 162,420 | (1,349) | 121,560 | (513) | 124,350 | (5,792) | 276,550 | (3,485) |
| 2013 | 1,311,880 | (14,936) | 588,580 | (13,452) | 59,480 | (358) | 270,060 | (13,416) | 259,040 | (905) | 415,810 | (2,774) | 162,490 | (1,942) | 119,440 | (1,862) | 133,880 | (1,762) | 307,490 | (6,938) |
| 2015 | 1,446,060 | (23,777) | 595,050 | (2,166) | 53,450 | (1,662) | 283,050 | (38) | 258,550 | (1,388) | 497,390 | (23,622) | 184,220 | (15,411) | 141,870 | (9,045) | 171,300 | (16,438) | 353,620 | (5,530) |
| Percentage distribution | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, all grades | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 100.0 | (†) | 45.0 | (0.19) | 24.7 | (0.13) | 14.4 | (0.08) | 5.9 | (0.03) | 35.4 | (0.19) | 13.3 | (0.12) | 11.8 | (0.08) | 10.3 | (0.18) | 19.7 | (0.23) |
| 1997 | 100.0 | (†) | 44.8 | (0.13) | 24.2 | (0.09) | 14.7 | (0.05) | 5.9 | (0.03) | 35.3 | (0.18) | 13.9 | (0.12) | 10.9 | (0.06) | 10.5 | (0.17) | 19.9 | (0.17) |
| 1999 | 100.0 | (†) | 44.2 | (0.24) | 23.2 | (0.14) | 14.6 | (0.07) | 6.4 | (0.04) | 36.4 | (0.28) | 14.5 | (0.09) | 10.7 | (0.08) | 11.2 | (0.36) | 19.3 | (0.11) |
| 2001 | 100.0 | (†) | 42.3 | (0.25) | 20.7 | (0.14) | 15.5 | (0.12) | 6.1 | (0.04) | 36.8 | (0.22) | 14.8 | (0.13) | 10.5 | (0.13) | 11.5 | (0.18) | 20.9 | (0.33) |
| 2003 | 100.0 | (†) | 41.3 | (0.27) | 19.4 | (0.17) | 15.8 | (0.14) | 6.1 | (0.07) | 36.5 | (0.25) | 14.6 | (0.13) | 10.7 | (0.10) | 11.3 | (0.22) | 22.1 | (0.36) |
| 2005 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.6 | (0.26) | 17.5 | (0.13) | 15.8 | (0.14) | 6.3 | (0.07) | 37.9 | (0.25) | 15.8 | (0.14) | 11.5 | (0.09) | 10.7 | (0.20) | 22.5 | (0.34) |
| 2007 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.1 | (0.20) | 16.0 | (0.11) | 16.4 | (0.09) | 6.6 | (0.06) | 38.6 | (0.25) | 14.9 | (0.12) | 8.9 | (0.06) | 14.8 | (0.26) | 22.3 | (0.25) |
| 2009 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.4 | (0.25) | 15.6 | (0.11) | 16.6 | (0.13) | 7.2 | (0.05) | 37.8 | (0.37) | 13.4 | (0.09) | 9.4 | (0.07) | 15.0 | (0.48) | 22.8 | (0.16) |
| 2011 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.6 | (0.25) | 15.3 | (0.09) | 17.1 | (0.25) | 7.3 | (0.04) | 37.8 | (0.28) | 13.9 | (0.09) | 10.7 | (0.08) | 13.2 | (0.34) | 22.6 | (0.15) |
| 2013 | 100.0 | (†) | 38.1 | (0.50) | 13.7 | (0.33) | 17.4 | (0.51) | 7.0 | (0.07) | 37.6 | (0.44) | 13.1 | (0.16) | 10.5 | (0.13) | 14.1 | (0.47) | 24.3 | (0.28) |
| 2015 | 100.0 | (†) | 36.2 | (0.66) | 12.5 | (0.38) | 16.7 | (0.40) | 7.1 | (0.24) | 39.5 | (0.80) | 13.2 | (0.85) | 10.2 | (0.39) | 16.0 | (0.73) | 24.3 | (0.51) |
| Prekindergarten through grade 8 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 100.0 | (†) | 42.9 | (0.20) | 28.8 | (0.17) | 12.1 | (0.06) | 2.1 | (0.02) | 36.9 | (0.22) | 13.7 | (0.13) | 12.1 | (0.09) | 11.1 | (0.21) | 20.2 | (0.28) |
| 1997 | 100.0 | (†) | 43.0 | (0.15) | 28.4 | (0.12) | 12.6 | (0.05) | 2.0 | (0.03) | 36.7 | (0.20) | 14.3 | (0.13) | 11.1 | (0.06) | 11.3 | (0.19) | 20.3 | (0.19) |
| 1999 | 100.0 | (†) | 42.5 | (0.23) | 27.5 | (0.16) | 12.7 | (0.06) | 2.3 | (0.04) | 38.0 | (0.26) | 14.9 | (0.09) | 11.1 | (0.07) | 12.0 | (0.32) | 19.6 | (0.12) |
| 2001 | 100.0 | (†) | 40.5 | (0.27) | 24.4 | (0.17) | 13.7 | (0.14) | 2.3 | (0.05) | 38.4 | (0.25) | 15.2 | (0.15) | 10.7 | (0.14) | 12.5 | (0.20) | 21.2 | (0.37) |
| 2003 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.4 | (0.25) | 23.1 | (0.18) | 14.0 | (0.13) | 2.2 | (0.01) | 38.3 | (0.23) | 15.1 | (0.12) | 10.8 | (0.09) | 12.4 | (0.24) | 22.3 | (0.22) |
| 2005 | 100.0 | (†) | 37.7 | (0.25) | 21.0 | (0.14) | 14.2 | (0.15) | 2.4 | (0.06) | 39.5 | (0.21) | 16.2 | (0.16) | 11.9 | (0.09) | 11.4 | (0.22) | 22.8 | (0.23) |
| 2007 | 100.0 | (†) | 37.1 | (0.20) | 19.3 | (0.13) | 15.1 | (0.09) | 2.6 | (0.07) | 40.3 | (0.27) | 15.4 | (0.14) | 9.2 | (0.07) | 15.8 | (0.30) | 22.6 | (0.21) |
| 2009 | 100.0 | (†) | 36.9 | (0.29) | 18.7 | (0.15) | 15.4 | (0.12) | 2.8 | (0.03) | 39.9 | (0.43) | 13.9 | (0.11) | 9.6 | (0.10) | 16.4 | (0.57) | 23.2 | (0.20) |
| 2011 | 100.0 | (†) | 37.3 | (0.18) | 18.5 | (0.11) | 15.9 | (0.08) | 2.9 | (0.02) | 39.8 | (0.24) | 14.3 | (0.08) | 11.2 | (0.08) | 14.4 | (0.32) | 22.9 | (0.11) |
| 2013 | 100.0 | (†) | 35.9 | (0.53) | 16.7 | (0.42) | 16.3 | (0.44) | 2.9 | (0.04) | 39.5 | (0.52) | 13.3 | (0.17) | 10.9 | (0.15) | 15.3 | (0.59) | 24.5 | (0.31) |
| 2015 | 100.0 | (†) | 34.6 | (0.78) | 15.4 | (0.48) | 15.7 | (0.50) | 3.4 | (0.31) | 41.2 | (0.81) | 13.4 | (0.82) | 10.4 | (0.35) | 17.4 | (0.73) | 24.3 | (0.61) |
| Grades 9 through 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 100.0 | (†) | 53.2 | (0.20) | 7.8 | (0.03) | 23.7 | (0.20) | 21.7 | (0.09) | 29.4 | (0.20) | 11.7 | (0.18) | 10.5 | (0.06) | 7.2 | (0.14) | 17.4 | (0.12) |
| 1997 | 100.0 | (†) | 52.2 | (0.10) | 7.3 | (0.01) | 23.2 | (0.05) | 21.7 | (0.04) | 29.8 | (0.16) | 12.2 | (0.13) | 9.9 | (0.08) | 7.6 | (0.10) | 18.0 | (0.14) |
| 1999 | 100.0 | (†) | 51.0 | (0.34) | 6.5 | (0.04) | 22.2 | (0.15) | 22.2 | (0.15) | 30.5 | (0.45) | 12.9 | (0.14) | 9.5 | (0.11) | 8.1 | (0.56) | 18.5 | (0.19) |
| 2001 | 100.0 | (†) | 49.4 | (0.26) | 6.4 | (0.17) | 22.5 | (0.12) | 20.5 | (0.10) | 31.0 | (0.19) | 13.3 | (0.17) | 9.8 | (0.12) | 7.8 | (0.13) | 19.6 | (0.28) |
| 2003 | 100.0 | (†) | 48.3 | (0.91) | 5.7 | (0.11) | 22.3 | (0.42) | 20.3 | (0.44) | 29.9 | (0.59) | 12.8 | (0.32) | 10.0 | (0.23) | 7.2 | (0.20) | 21.8 | (1.43) |
| 2005 | 100.0 | (†) | 46.2 | (0.60) | 5.2 | (0.07) | 21.0 | (0.28) | 20.0 | (0.27) | 32.5 | (0.52) | 14.3 | (0.28) | 10.1 | (0.16) | 8.1 | (0.37) | 21.4 | (0.97) |
| 2007 | 100.0 | (†) | 45.7 | (0.40) | 4.9 | (0.09) | 20.6 | (0.18) | 20.1 | (0.17) | 33.0 | (0.33) | 13.5 | (0.16) | 8.0 | (0.07) | 11.4 | (0.22) | 21.4 | (0.65) |
| 2009 | 100.0 | (†) | 47.2 | (0.25) | 5.7 | (0.03) | 20.3 | (0.27) | 21.2 | (0.12) | 31.4 | (0.25) | 12.1 | (0.06) | 8.8 | (0.08) | 10.5 | (0.28) | 21.4 | (0.15) |
| 2011 | 100.0 | (†) | 47.0 | (0.63) | 5.2 | (0.06) | 20.8 | (0.88) | 20.9 | (0.25) | 31.6 | (0.49) | 12.6 | (0.18) | 9.4 | (0.13) | 9.6 | (0.43) | 21.4 | (0.35) |
| 2013 | 100.0 | (†) | 44.9 | (0.64) | 4.5 | (0.06) | 20.6 | (0.83) | 19.7 | (0.24) | 31.7 | (0.42) | 12.4 | (0.19) | 9.1 | (0.17) | 10.2 | (0.19) | 23.4 | (0.47) |
| 2015 | 100.0 | (†) | 41.1 | (0.67) | 3.7 | (0.13) | 19.6 | (0.32) | 17.9 | (0.30) | 34.4 | (1.11) | 12.7 | (0.96) | 9.8 | (0.59) | 11.8 | (1.02) | 24.5 | (0.51) |
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Affiliated schools belong to associations of schools with a specific religious orientation other than Catholic or conservative Christian. Unaffiliated schools have a religious orientation or purpose but are not classified as Catholic, conservative Christian, or affiliated. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12 in schools that offer kindergarten or higher grade. Ungraded students are prorated into prekindergarten through grade 8 and grades 9 through 12. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 1995-96 through 2015-16. (This table was prepared May 2017.) |
