Table 326.40.

Percentage distribution of first-time postsecondary students starting at 2- and 4-year institutions during the 2003-04 academic year, by highest degree attained, enrollment status, and selected characteristics: Spring 2009

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Selected characteristic	Students starting at 2-year institutions																Students starting at 4-year institutions
	Highest degree attained											No degree, still enrolled			No degree, not enrolled		Highest degree attained												No degree, still enrolled			No degree, not enrolled
	Total, any degree1		Certificate			Associate's			Bachelor's2								Total, any degree1			Certificate			Associate's			Bachelor's2
1	2		3			4			5			6			7		8			9			10			11			12			13
Total	35.1	(0.86)	9.5		(0.68)	15.0		(0.63)	10.6		(0.63)	18.5		(0.98)	46.4	(1.01)	64.2		(1.18)	1.7		(0.24)	4.6		(0.49)	58.0		(1.34)	12.2		(0.60)	23.6		(0.97)
Sex
Male	33.3	(1.54)	9.4		(1.19)	13.7		(1.00)	10.3		(0.79)	19.1		(1.64)	47.6	(1.54)	61.4		(1.40)	1.2		(0.29)	5.1		(0.72)	55.1		(1.54)	13.9		(0.86)	24.8		(1.18)
Female	36.5	(1.18)	9.6		(0.90)	16.0		(0.92)	10.9		(0.83)	18.1		(0.93)	45.4	(1.37)	66.5		(1.45)	2.1		(0.34)	4.2		(0.51)	60.2		(1.58)	10.9		(0.71)	22.6		(1.24)
Age when first enrolled
18 years old or younger	39.4	(1.63)	6.1		(0.78)	15.5		(1.24)	17.9		(1.36)	20.6		(1.70)	40.0	(1.58)	69.1		(1.27)	1.6		(0.29)	3.7		(0.45)	63.8		(1.41)	11.2		(0.76)	19.8		(1.07)
19 years old	37.7	(2.04)	8.9		(2.01)	16.2		(1.46)	12.6		(1.21)	17.7		(1.57)	44.6	(1.75)	65.1		(1.43)	1.0		(0.24)	4.2		(0.63)	59.9		(1.51)	12.3		(0.92)	22.6		(1.16)
20 to 23 years old	29.1	(1.94)	10.3		(1.38)	14.6		(1.68)	4.1		(0.69)	21.9		(1.92)	49.0	(2.10)	41.9		(3.78)	4.1	!	(1.62)	8.4		(1.74)	29.4		(3.71)	17.8		(2.91)	40.3		(3.49)
24 to 29 years old	28.8	(4.04)	15.6		(3.98)	10.8		(1.98)	2.5		(0.74)	17.2		(2.62)	53.9	(4.05)	32.7		(5.77)	‡		(†)	9.4	!	(4.28)	20.4		(5.06)	18.8		(4.87)	48.6		(5.81)
30 years old or over	31.7	(2.43)	14.4		(2.08)	15.0		(1.89)	‡		(†)	10.4		(1.97)	57.9	(2.65)	33.7		(7.09)	3.9	!	(1.84)	13.4	!	(5.05)	16.4	!	(6.14)	14.8		(3.97)	51.4		(7.32)
Race/ethnicity
White	38.9	(1.16)	9.8		(1.0)	16.6		(0.82)	12.5		(0.85)	16.2		(1.21)	44.9	(1.31)	68.9		(1.04)	1.5		(0.31)	4.8		(0.54)	62.6		(1.31)	9.8		(0.58)	21.4		(0.94)
Black	28.1	(2.60)	11.3		(1.66)	11.4		(2.12)	5.3		(1.10)	22.0		(2.04)	50.0	(2.79)	46.9		(3.16)	2.2	!	(0.91)	4.2	!	(1.48)	40.5		(3.03)	19.6		(2.21)	33.6		(3.08)
Hispanic	28.3	(2.18)	8.2		(1.67)	12.7		(1.51)	7.4		(1.10)	18.8		(2.03)	52.9	(2.58)	48.8		(3.24)	2.2	!	(0.83)	5.1		(1.39)	41.5		(2.96)	18.6		(2.36)	32.5		(3.34)
Asian/Pacific Islander	38.3	(4.50)	6.5	!	(2.29)	14.6		(2.91)	17.2		(3.50)	29.0		(4.58)	32.7	(3.51)	72.8		(3.21)	1.4	!	(0.67)	2.1	!	(0.94)	69.3		(3.22)	11.9		(2.23)	15.2		(2.59)
American Indian/Alaska Native	32.1	(9.62)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	28.4	!	(10.89)	39.6	(10.68)	51.5		(9.53)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	39.3		(9.11)	19.3	!	(8.63)	29.3	!	(10.85)
Two or more races	33.9	(5.51)	9.0	!	(3.65)	14.6	!	(4.39)	10.3		(2.87)	21.4		(4.98)	44.7	(5.50)	57.1		(5.42)	‡		(†)	4.0	!	(1.83)	50.4		(5.57)	19.2		(4.71)	23.6		(4.32)
Highest education level of parents
High school diploma or less	32.0	(1.42)	11.0		(1.30)	14.3		(1.05)	6.7		(0.72)	17.1		(1.18)	50.9	(1.51)	49.9		(2.12)	2.9		(0.83)	6.6		(0.97)	40.4		(2.01)	15.4		(1.33)	34.7		(1.98)
Some college/vocational	38.3	(2.24)	9.6		(1.48)	17.6		(1.17)	11.1		(1.07)	18.0		(1.70)	43.8	(2.06)	59.1		(1.90)	2.3	!	(0.76)	7.0		(1.08)	49.8		(2.11)	13.4		(1.24)	27.5		(1.84)
Bachelor's degree	39.4	(1.91)	8.2		(1.60)	14.1		(1.87)	17.2		(1.74)	20.6		(2.09)	40.0	(2.53)	70.1		(1.60)	1.2		(0.28)	3.4		(0.58)	65.6		(1.62)	11.0		(0.87)	18.9		(1.41)
Advanced (higher than    bachelor's) degree	37.2	(3.03)	6.2		(1.70)	13.7		(1.81)	17.2		(2.09)	22.4		(2.56)	40.4	(3.74)	75.8		(1.44)	0.6	!	(0.24)	2.1		(0.39)	73.1		(1.51)	9.2		(0.78)	15.0		(1.35)
Dependency status when first      enrolled
Dependent	39.4	(1.26)	7.5		(0.76)	16.7		(0.85)	15.2		(0.88)	19.6		(1.19)	41.0	(1.15)	68.3		(1.06)	1.4		(0.22)	4.2		(0.45)	62.7		(1.22)	11.6		(0.63)	20.1		(0.90)
Independent	28.3	(1.44)	12.8		(1.26)	12.3		(1.13)	3.3		(0.60)	16.8		(1.42)	54.9	(1.75)	31.4		(3.08)	3.7		(1.10)	7.5		(1.92)	20.2		(2.84)	17.3		(2.61)	51.3		(3.25)
Dependent student family      income in 2002
Less than $25,000	34.6	(2.35)	8.4		(1.48)	14.5		(1.54)	11.7		(1.73)	18.0		(1.91)	47.4	(2.43)	52.7		(2.28)	2.8	!	(1.09)	5.0		(1.00)	44.9		(2.40)	15.9		(1.63)	31.4		(2.38)
$25,000 to $44,999	36.0	(2.12)	7.3		(1.36)	16.4		(1.75)	12.3		(1.60)	19.0		(2.24)	45.0	(2.67)	62.7		(2.31)	1.9		(0.53)	5.4		(1.03)	55.3		(2.50)	13.1		(1.69)	24.2		(1.97)
$45,000 to $69,999	41.3	(2.13)	7.1		(1.29)	17.6		(1.59)	16.6		(1.58)	22.0		(1.92)	36.7	(1.86)	67.1		(1.94)	1.5		(0.34)	5.1		(0.77)	60.6		(2.00)	12.8		(1.27)	20.1		(1.86)
$70,000 to $99,999	43.1	(3.50)	7.6	!	(3.67)	16.3		(2.58)	19.1		(2.14)	18.4		(2.75)	38.5	(2.76)	71.9		(1.64)	0.9	!	(0.30)	4.4		(0.88)	66.7		(1.85)	9.4		(0.83)	18.7		(1.37)
$100,000 or more	45.0	(3.56)	6.6		(1.77)	19.6		(3.74)	18.8		(2.40)	20.5		(3.25)	34.4	(3.61)	80.0		(1.30)	0.7	!	(0.29)	1.9		(0.37)	77.5		(1.38)	8.5		(0.94)	11.4		(0.99)
Timing of postsecondary enrollment
Delayed entry	29.1	(1.25)	11.0		(1.11)	13.2		(1.02)	4.9		(0.63)	17.2		(1.26)	53.7	(1.44)	36.6		(2.80)	3.8		(1.01)	7.9		(1.54)	24.9		(2.53)	17.8		(2.06)	45.6		(2.75)
Did not delay entry3	41.0	(1.36)	7.8		(0.86)	17.0		(0.99)	16.2		(1.00)	20.1		(1.44)	38.8	(1.16)	69.2		(1.05)	1.3		(0.21)	4.0		(0.40)	64.0		(1.17)	11.1		(0.61)	19.6		(0.91)
Intensity of enrollment      through 2009
Always full-time	44.9	(1.66)	11.4		(1.50)	18.0		(1.42)	15.5		(1.11)	10.1		(0.87)	44.9	(1.65)	73.7		(1.15)	1.2		(0.26)	3.8		(0.55)	68.7		(1.41)	6.7		(0.46)	19.6		(1.03)
Always part-time	13.9	(2.80)	8.4	!	(2.79)	5.5		(1.12)	‡		(†)	13.3		(1.79)	72.8	(2.68)	12.5	!	(4.93)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	13.8	!	(4.23)	73.6		(6.59)
Mixed	36.6	(1.32)	8.7		(0.83)	16.6		(1.10)	11.4		(0.99)	26.1		(1.34)	37.2	(1.69)	48.3		(1.59)	2.7		(0.47)	6.1		(0.72)	39.5		(1.60)	23.3		(1.39)	28.4		(1.42)
Remedial course taken in 2003-04
No	35.4	(0.95)	10.0		(0.84)	14.5		(0.81)	10.9		(0.78)	17.6		(0.99)	47.0	(1.21)	65.2		(1.23)	1.8		(0.28)	4.4		(0.53)	59.0		(1.43)	11.5		(0.62)	23.4		(1.05)
Yes	34.3	(2.10)	8.3		(1.62)	16.2		(1.37)	9.8		(0.98)	21.0		(1.70)	44.7	(1.92)	59.6		(1.98)	1.2		(0.32)	5.4		(0.92)	53.0		(2.13)	15.7		(1.44)	24.6		(1.81)
Highest degree expected in 2003-04
No degree or certificate	‡	(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	#		(†)	‡		(†)	87.3	(4.75)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Certificate	44.8	(5.47)	42.8		(5.28)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	6.9		(2.02)	48.3	(5.60)	41.2	!	(18.43)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Associate's degree	34.6	(2.38)	13.9		(2.05)	19.3		(1.86)	1.4	!	(0.49)	12.3		(1.69)	53.1	(2.80)	43.7		(8.43)	16.2	!	(5.50)	21.3	!	(7.06)	6.1	!	(2.93)	12.8	!	(5.09)	43.5		(7.70)
Bachelor's degree4	32.7	(1.81)	8.0		(1.49)	15.4		(1.02)	9.3		(1.03)	18.1		(1.50)	49.3	(1.60)	55.2		(2.02)	2.2		(0.52)	6.8		(1.02)	46.2		(2.07)	15.1		(1.37)	29.7		(1.59)
Master's degree4	38.2	(1.72)	7.0		(1.32)	14.8		(1.21)	16.4		(1.19)	22.7		(1.63)	39.1	(1.66)	66.7		(1.42)	1.0		(0.25)	4.1		(0.62)	61.7		(1.42)	11.2		(0.77)	22.1		(1.32)
Doctoral/first-professional    degree4	34.7	(2.30)	4.8		(0.93)	13.8		(2.02)	16.0		(1.65)	22.4		(2.54)	42.9	(3.25)	70.6		(1.57)	1.3		(0.36)	1.9		(0.36)	67.4		(1.69)	11.0		(0.95)	18.3		(1.35)
Work intensity (including work-      study) in 2003-04
Did not work	34.7	(1.79)	11.2		(1.57)	15.8		(1.20)	7.7		(0.85)	19.9		(1.80)	45.3	(2.16)	69.9		(1.35)	0.8		(0.18)	3.4		(0.55)	65.8		(1.47)	10.9		(0.92)	19.1		(1.08)
Worked part time	39.9	(2.08)	7.9		(1.20)	17.4		(1.00)	14.6		(1.04)	17.2		(1.28)	42.8	(1.70)	66.2		(1.42)	1.7		(0.31)	5.2		(0.69)	59.3		(1.44)	12.1		(0.85)	21.7		(1.21)
Worked full time	28.6	(1.96)	10.6		(1.63)	10.9		(1.08)	7.2		(0.94)	19.3		(1.53)	52.1	(2.10)	40.1		(2.93)	4.1		(1.22)	5.9		(1.20)	30.1		(2.60)	16.5		(1.77)	43.4		(2.86)
Control of first institution
Public	34.4	(0.95)	8.5		(0.68)	14.4		(0.61)	11.6		(0.68)	19.6		(1.03)	46.0	(1.00)	64.8		(1.22)	1.6		(0.23)	3.8		(0.45)	59.5		(1.32)	12.9		(0.73)	22.2		(0.98)
Private, nonprofit	46.2	(8.52)	13.3	!	(6.56)	21.5	!	(6.76)	11.3	!	(4.99)	10.4	!	(3.32)	43.4	(8.28)	69.9		(1.45)	1.5		(0.37)	3.8		(0.95)	64.6		(1.89)	11.1		(1.02)	19.0		(1.18)
Private, for-profit	39.5	(3.70)	19.6		(4.78)	19.5		(3.51)	‡		(†)	9.6		(2.61)	50.9	(4.64)	33.9		(4.37)	‡		(†)	14.6		(3.45)	15.7		(3.78)	11.3		(2.44)	54.8		(3.82)
Income quartile in 2003-045
Lowest quartile	30.6	(1.45)	9.4		(1.27)	13.0		(1.14)	8.3		(0.84)	18.4		(1.46)	51.0	(1.78)	49.5		(1.91)	2.7		(0.73)	4.6		(0.74)	42.2		(2.15)	16.2		(1.37)	34.3		(1.75)
Second quartile	37.1	(1.58)	10.5		(1.56)	15.8		(1.26)	10.8		(0.97)	19.7		(1.58)	43.2	(1.86)	60.5		(2.04)	2.4		(0.51)	6.5		(1.10)	51.6		(2.20)	13.5		(1.16)	26.0		(1.82)
Third quartile	36.3	(2.51)	9.6		(1.71)	15.0		(1.35)	11.6		(1.53)	18.7		(1.64)	45.0	(2.18)	67.2		(1.58)	1.3		(0.31)	4.9		(0.80)	61.0		(1.85)	11.2		(0.88)	21.6		(1.55)
Highest quartile	38.6	(2.51)	8.1		(1.49)	17.3		(1.96)	13.2		(1.65)	16.5		(2.30)	45.0	(3.20)	76.8		(1.37)	0.6	!	(0.25)	2.4		(0.46)	73.8		(1.42)	8.7		(0.80)	14.4		(1.18)

†Not applicable.

#Rounds to zero.

!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.

1 Includes a small percentage of students who had attained a degree and were still enrolled. Includes recipients of degrees not shown separately.

2 Includes a small percentage of students who had attained an advanced degree.

3 Includes students with a standard high school diploma who enrolled in postsecondary education in the same year as their graduation.

4 Students starting at 2-year institutions include students whose goal was to transfer to a 4-year institution.

5 Indicates the income quartile of the student, based on the student's total income in 2002 for independent students or the parents' total income in 2002 for dependent students. Income quartiles were determined separately for dependent and independent students based on percentile rankings and then combined into one variable.

NOTE: Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2004/09 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09). (This table was prepared November 2011.)