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Digest of Education Statistics
2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 302.60. Percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college, by level of institution and sex and race/ethnicity of student: 1970 through 2020
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Year Total, all students Level of institution Sex Race/ethnicity Race/ethnicity, by sex
2-year college 4-year college or university Male Female White Black Hispanic Asian1 Pacific Islander American Indian/ Alaska Native Two or more races White Black Hispanic
Male Female Male Female Male Female
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
1970 25.7 (0.42) --- (†) --- (†) 32.1 (0.67) 20.3 (0.53) 27.1 2 (0.46) 15.5 2 (1.18) --- (†) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
1971 26.2 (0.42) --- (†) --- (†) 32.5 (0.65) 20.8 (0.53) 27.2 2 (0.45) 18.2 2 (1.22) --- (†) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†) --- (†)
1972 25.5 (0.40) --- (†) --- (†) 30.2 (0.62) 21.2 (0.52) 27.2   (0.46) 18.3   (1.20) 13.4 (2.42) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 32.3 (0.69) 22.5 (0.60) 21.1 (1.87) 15.9 (1.55) 15.1 (3.77) 12.0 (3.13)
1973 24.0 (0.39) 6.9 (0.23) 17.1 (0.34) 27.7 (0.59) 20.5 (0.51) 25.5   (0.44) 15.9   (1.11) 16.1 (2.66) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 29.6 (0.67) 21.8 (0.58) 18.7 (1.75) 13.5 (1.42) 16.7 (3.88) 15.5 (3.66)
1974 24.6 (0.39) 7.6 (0.24) 17.0 (0.34) 27.7 (0.59) 21.7 (0.52) 25.8   (0.44) 17.6   (1.17) 18.0 (2.57) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 28.9 (0.66) 22.9 (0.59) 19.8 (1.82) 15.9 (1.51) 19.7 (3.85) 16.5 (3.44)

1975
26.3 (0.39) 9.0 (0.26) 17.3 (0.34) 29.0 (0.58) 23.7 (0.53) 27.4   (0.44) 20.4   (1.21) 20.4 (2.75) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 30.7 (0.66) 24.3 (0.60) 19.9 (1.78) 20.8 (1.65) 21.4 (4.10) 19.5 (3.71)
1976 26.7 (0.39) 6.4 (0.22) 20.2 (0.36) 28.2 (0.57) 25.2 (0.53) 27.6   (0.44) 22.5   (1.23) 20.0 (2.64) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 29.3 (0.64) 26.1 (0.61) 22.0 (1.82) 22.9 (1.68) 21.3 (4.02) 18.8 (3.48)
1977 26.1 (0.39) 6.8 (0.22) 19.4 (0.35) 28.1 (0.57) 24.3 (0.52) 27.2   (0.44) 21.1   (1.19) 17.2 (2.45) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 29.4 (0.64) 25.1 (0.60) 20.3 (1.74) 21.9 (1.63) 18.3 (3.66) 16.3 (3.28)
1978 25.3 (0.38) 6.6 (0.22) 18.7 (0.34) 27.1 (0.56) 23.6 (0.52) 26.5   (0.43) 20.1   (1.16) 15.2 (2.28) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 28.4 (0.63) 24.6 (0.59) 19.7 (1.72) 20.4 (1.57) 16.1 (3.42) 14.3 (3.05)
1979 25.0 (0.38) 6.3 (0.21) 18.7 (0.34) 25.9 (0.55) 24.2 (0.52) 26.3   (0.43) 19.8   (1.14) 16.7 (2.31) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 27.1 (0.62) 25.5 (0.60) 19.1 (1.69) 20.3 (1.55) 18.3 (3.47) 15.2 (3.08)

1980
25.7 (0.38) 7.1 (0.22) 18.6 (0.34) 26.4 (0.55) 25.0 (0.52) 27.3   (0.44) 19.4   (1.13) 16.1 (2.15) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 28.4 (0.63) 26.3 (0.60) 17.5 (1.62) 20.9 (1.57) 15.9 (3.05) 16.2 (3.04)
1981 26.1 (0.38) 7.5 (0.22) 18.6 (0.33) 27.1 (0.54) 25.2 (0.52) 27.7   (0.43) 19.9   (1.10) 16.6 (2.14) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 28.7 (0.62) 26.6 (0.60) 18.9 (1.60) 20.7 (1.52) 16.6 (3.08) 16.7 (2.97)
1982 26.6 (0.40) 7.7 (0.24) 18.9 (0.35) 27.2 (0.58) 26.0 (0.56) 28.1   (0.46) 19.9   (1.16) 16.8 (2.30) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 28.9 (0.67) 27.4 (0.64) 18.7 (1.66) 21.0 (1.61) 14.9 (3.19) 18.6 (3.29)
1983 26.2 (0.40) 7.4 (0.24) 18.8 (0.36) 27.3 (0.58) 25.1 (0.55) 27.9   (0.47) 19.2   (1.14) 17.3 (2.31) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 29.4 (0.67) 26.5 (0.64) 18.1 (1.63) 20.1 (1.59) 15.6 (3.21) 18.8 (3.31)
1984 27.1 (0.41) 7.3 (0.24) 19.8 (0.37) 28.6 (0.59) 25.6 (0.56) 28.9   (0.48) 20.3   (1.16) 17.9 (2.35) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 30.8 (0.69) 27.1 (0.66) 20.3 (1.70) 20.3 (1.60) 16.1 (3.27) 19.6 (3.35)

1985
27.8 (0.42) 7.4 (0.24) 20.4 (0.38) 28.4 (0.60) 27.2 (0.58) 30.0   (0.49) 19.6   (1.17) 16.9 (1.85) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 30.9 (0.71) 29.2 (0.68) 20.2 (1.74) 19.1 (1.58) 14.9 (2.46) 18.9 (2.75)
1986 27.9 (0.42) 7.6 (0.25) 20.3 (0.38) 28.2 (0.61) 27.6 (0.59) 29.7   (0.50) 21.9   (1.23) 17.6 (1.77) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 30.6 (0.73) 28.8 (0.69) 20.0 (1.75) 23.4 (1.72) 16.7 (2.37) 18.7 (2.65)
1987 29.6 (0.44) 8.1 (0.26) 21.5 (0.39) 30.6 (0.63) 28.7 (0.60) 31.9   (0.52) 22.8   (1.26) 17.5 (1.74) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 33.0 (0.75) 30.8 (0.72) 22.6 (1.86) 22.9 (1.72) 18.5 (2.47) 16.5 (2.44)
1988 30.3 (0.48) 8.8 (0.30) 21.5 (0.43) 30.2 (0.69) 30.4 (0.67) 33.2   (0.58) 21.2   (1.35) 17.0 (1.90) --- (†) ---   (†) ---   (†) --- (†) 33.4 (0.83) 33.0 (0.80) 18.5 (1.90) 23.5 (1.91) 16.5 (2.60) 17.6 (2.77)
1989 30.9 (0.46) 8.0 (0.27) 22.9 (0.42) 30.2 (0.66) 31.6 (0.65) 34.2   (0.56) 23.4   (1.32) 16.1 (1.66) 46.1 (3.77) ---   (†) 15.7 ! (5.13) --- (†) 34.1 (0.80) 34.4 (0.79) 19.7 (1.82) 26.7 (1.89) 14.6 (2.23) 17.6 (2.47)

1990
32.0 (0.47) 8.7 (0.28) 23.3 (0.43) 32.3 (0.68) 31.8 (0.66) 35.1   (0.57) 25.4   (1.37) 15.8 (1.67) 56.9 (3.56) ---   (†) 15.8 ! (5.07) --- (†) 35.5 (0.82) 34.7 (0.80) 26.0 (2.03) 24.8 (1.85) 15.3 (2.31) 16.4 (2.42)
1991 33.3 (0.48) 9.7 (0.30) 23.6 (0.43) 32.8 (0.68) 33.6 (0.67) 36.8   (0.58) 23.5   (1.34) 17.9 (1.72) 57.1 (3.19) ---   (†) 15.9 ! (5.45) --- (†) 36.5 (0.83) 37.0 (0.82) 23.2 (1.95) 23.8 (1.84) 14.0 (2.15) 22.2 (2.70)
1992 34.4 (0.49) 9.9 (0.31) 24.4 (0.44) 32.7 (0.68) 36.0 (0.69) 37.3   (0.59) 25.2   (1.36) 21.3 (1.87) 58.4 (3.27) ---   (†) 18.5 ! (6.17) --- (†) 36.2 (0.83) 38.3 (0.83) 21.3 (1.87) 28.8 (1.96) 17.8 (2.47) 24.7 (2.80)
1993 34.0 (0.49) 9.8 (0.30) 24.2 (0.44) 33.6 (0.69) 34.4 (0.68) 36.8   (0.59) 24.5   (1.35) 21.7 (1.88) 61.2 (3.26) ---   (†) 18.9   (5.65) --- (†) 36.5 (0.84) 37.1 (0.83) 22.9 (1.92) 26.0 (1.90) 19.7 (2.59) 23.7 (2.71)
1994 34.6 (0.48) 9.1 (0.29) 25.5 (0.44) 33.1 (0.67) 36.0 (0.68) 38.1   (0.59) 27.7   (1.38) 18.8 (1.58) 62.7 (3.31) ---   (†) 29.4   (6.65) --- (†) 37.0 (0.84) 39.2 (0.84) 25.6 (1.95) 29.5 (1.94) 16.5 (2.04) 21.5 (2.44)

1995
34.3 (0.45) 8.9 (0.27) 25.4 (0.41) 33.1 (0.63) 35.5 (0.63) 37.9   (0.55) 27.5   (1.18) 20.7 (1.13) 54.6 (3.11) ---   (†) 27.6   (6.16) --- (†) 37.0 (0.78) 38.8 (0.78) 26.0 (1.72) 28.7 (1.63) 18.7 (1.50) 23.0 (1.72)
1996 35.5 (0.47) 9.5 (0.29) 26.1 (0.43) 34.1 (0.66) 37.0 (0.67) 39.5   (0.59) 27.4   (1.23) 20.1 (1.18) 53.9 (2.47) ---   (†) 30.3   (5.24) --- (†) 38.3 (0.83) 40.6 (0.84) 25.7 (1.77) 28.8 (1.70) 16.5 (1.52) 24.0 (1.81)
1997 36.8 (0.47) 9.9 (0.29) 27.0 (0.43) 35.0 (0.66) 38.7 (0.67) 40.6   (0.59) 29.8   (1.25) 22.4 (1.21) 55.1 (2.60) ---   (†) 27.1   (4.62) --- (†) 39.3 (0.82) 41.8 (0.84) 25.4 (1.75) 33.7 (1.77) 19.2 (1.56) 26.1 (1.88)
1998 36.5 (0.46) 10.2 (0.29) 26.3 (0.42) 34.5 (0.65) 38.6 (0.66) 40.6   (0.59) 29.8   (1.24) 20.4 (1.11) 60.4 (2.49) ---   (†) 20.3   (4.90) --- (†) 39.4 (0.82) 41.9 (0.84) 26.1 (1.76) 32.9 (1.73) 16.4 (1.41) 24.9 (1.73)
1999 35.6 (0.46) 9.1 (0.27) 26.5 (0.42) 34.1 (0.64) 37.0 (0.65) 39.4   (0.58) 30.4   (1.24) 18.7 (1.08) 55.7 (2.42) ---   (†) 19.5   (4.70) --- (†) 38.3 (0.81) 40.6 (0.82) 28.9 (1.81) 31.6 (1.69) 15.8 (1.41) 21.9 (1.65)

2000
35.5 (0.45) 9.4 (0.27) 26.0 (0.41) 32.6 (0.62) 38.4 (0.65) 38.7   (0.57) 30.5   (1.21) 21.7 (1.12) 55.9 (2.42) ---   (†) 15.9   (4.30) --- (†) 36.2 (0.79) 41.3 (0.81) 25.1 (1.67) 35.2 (1.72) 18.5 (1.45) 25.4 (1.71)
2001 36.3 (0.43) 9.8 (0.26) 26.6 (0.39) 33.6 (0.59) 39.0 (0.61) 39.5   (0.54) 31.4   (1.15) 21.7 (1.04) 61.3 (2.23) ---   (†) 23.3   (4.07) --- (†) 37.2 (0.75) 41.9 (0.77) 26.7 (1.62) 35.5 (1.62) 17.4 (1.35) 26.1 (1.58)
2002 36.7 (0.43) 9.7 (0.26) 27.0 (0.39) 33.7 (0.59) 39.7 (0.61) 40.9   (0.55) 31.9   (1.18) 19.9 (0.94) 60.9 (2.10) ---   (†) 23.6   (3.96) --- (†) 38.9 (0.77) 42.8 (0.78) 26.3 (1.63) 36.9 (1.68) 16.2 (1.17) 24.4 (1.51)
20033 37.8 (0.43) 10.2 (0.27) 27.7 (0.39) 34.3 (0.59) 41.3 (0.61) 41.6   (0.55) 32.3   (1.20) 23.5 (1.02) 61.2 (2.27) 43.3   (9.97) 17.7   (4.45) 41.6 (3.58) 38.5 (0.77) 44.5 (0.78) 28.2 (1.68) 36.0 (1.69) 18.3 (1.27) 29.4 (1.60)
20043 38.0 (0.42) 9.4 (0.25) 28.6 (0.39) 34.7 (0.59) 41.2 (0.61) 41.7   (0.55) 31.8   (1.18) 24.7 (1.02) 60.6 (2.24) 55.8   (8.99) 24.4   (4.52) 36.8 (3.44) 38.4 (0.76) 45.0 (0.78) 26.5 (1.63) 36.6 (1.67) 21.7 (1.33) 28.2 (1.56)

20053
38.9 (0.43) 9.6 (0.26) 29.2 (0.40) 35.3 (0.59) 42.5 (0.61) 42.8   (0.55) 33.1   (1.18) 24.8 (1.02) 61.0 (2.26) 50.6   (10.95) 27.8   (4.88) 41.8 (3.48) 39.4 (0.76) 46.1 (0.79) 28.2 (1.64) 37.6 (1.69) 20.7 (1.31) 29.5 (1.58)
20063 37.3 (0.42) 9.6 (0.25) 27.8 (0.39) 34.1 (0.58) 40.6 (0.60) 41.0   (0.54) 32.6   (1.16) 23.6 (0.99) 58.3 (2.28) 39.1   (8.36) 26.2   (5.18) 38.5 (3.51) 37.9 (0.75) 44.1 (0.78) 28.1 (1.60) 36.9 (1.65) 20.0 (1.29) 27.6 (1.52)
20073 38.8 (0.42) 10.9 (0.27) 27.9 (0.39) 35.5 (0.58) 42.1 (0.60) 42.6   (0.54) 33.1   (1.15) 26.6 (1.02) 57.2 (2.28) 37.1   (9.07) 24.7   (4.63) 39.2 (3.48) 39.6 (0.76) 45.7 (0.78) 32.2 (1.63) 34.0 (1.61) 20.7 (1.29) 33.0 (1.57)
20083 39.6 (0.42) 11.8 (0.28) 27.8 (0.38) 37.0 (0.58) 42.3 (0.60) 44.2   (0.54) 32.1   (1.13) 25.8 (1.01) 59.3 (2.32) 27.3 ! (8.92) 21.9   (4.22) 45.7 (3.55) 41.7 (0.76) 46.9 (0.78) 29.7 (1.61) 34.2 (1.59) 23.0 (1.35) 28.9 (1.50)
20093 41.3 (0.42) 11.7 (0.27) 29.6 (0.39) 38.4 (0.59) 44.2 (0.60) 45.0   (0.55) 37.7   (1.17) 27.5 (1.01) 65.2 (2.17) 33.4   (7.45) 29.8   (5.10) 39.3 (3.32) 42.3 (0.76) 47.7 (0.78) 33.2 (1.64) 41.9 (1.64) 24.2 (1.35) 31.0 (1.50)

20103
41.2 (0.57) 12.9 (0.36) 28.2 (0.53) 38.3 (0.78) 44.1 (0.84) 43.3   (0.81) 38.4   (1.66) 31.9 (1.15) 63.6 (2.70) 36.0   (8.36) 41.4   (6.60) 38.3 (4.38) 40.6 (1.00) 46.1 (1.17) 35.2 (2.13) 41.4 (2.16) 27.9 (1.57) 36.1 (1.60)
20113 42.0 (0.59) 12.0 (0.35) 30.0 (0.58) 39.1 (0.80) 44.9 (0.80) 44.7   (0.77) 37.1   (1.53) 34.8 (1.20) 60.1 (2.45) 37.8   (7.93) 23.5   (5.30) 38.8 (3.60) 42.4 (0.96) 47.1 (1.08) 34.0 (2.29) 39.9 (1.90) 31.0 (1.63) 39.4 (1.58)
20123 41.0 (0.62) 12.7 (0.38) 28.3 (0.58) 37.6 (0.79) 44.5 (0.86) 42.1   (0.83) 36.4   (1.62) 37.5 (1.18) 59.8 (2.61) 50.3   (9.60) 27.8   (4.43) 39.4 (3.64) 38.3 (1.06) 46.0 (1.08) 33.9 (2.04) 38.7 (2.33) 33.5 (1.58) 41.7 (1.73)
20133 39.9 (0.63) 11.6 (0.36) 28.3 (0.57) 36.6 (0.85) 43.3 (0.80) 41.6   (0.90) 34.2   (1.58) 33.8 (1.24) 62.3 (2.62) 32.9   (8.26) 31.8   (5.58) 44.7 (3.99) 38.1 (1.11) 45.3 (1.11) 30.6 (2.13) 37.6 (2.18) 29.1 (1.72) 38.8 (1.58)
20143 40.0 (0.65) 10.6 (0.40) 29.4 (0.61) 37.3 (0.89) 42.8 (0.79) 42.2   (0.87) 32.6   (1.48) 34.7 (1.21) 65.2 (2.27) 41.0   (11.29) 35.4   (4.63) 31.6 (3.20) 40.2 (1.28) 44.2 (0.99) 28.5 (1.95) 36.6 (2.04) 30.3 (1.65) 39.4 (1.70)

20153
40.5 (0.70) 10.6 (0.35) 29.9 (0.69) 37.8 (0.91) 43.2 (0.93) 41.8   (0.88) 34.9   (1.54) 36.6 (1.31) 62.6 (2.65) 24.1 ! (7.29) 23.0   (4.45) 38.3 (3.86) 39.1 (1.16) 44.5 (1.10) 34.1 (2.21) 35.7 (2.17) 32.8 (1.76) 40.5 (1.91)
20163 41.2 (0.71) 10.1 (0.36) 31.1 (0.64) 38.6 (0.83) 43.9 (0.91) 42.1   (0.88) 36.2   (1.69) 39.2 (1.28) 57.6 (2.17) 20.7 ! (8.02) 18.6   (3.72) 42.3 (3.64) 39.8 (1.09) 44.5 (1.12) 33.0 (2.18) 39.4 (2.51) 34.9 (1.67) 43.6 (1.76)
20173 40.4 (0.66) 10.0 (0.37) 30.4 (0.64) 36.8 (0.84) 44.0 (0.91) 41.0   (0.76) 36.5   (1.71) 36.2 (1.50) 64.7 (2.49) 32.6 ! (10.94) 20.1   (4.47) 41.5 (3.66) 37.8 (1.05) 44.4 (1.12) 33.1 (2.45) 39.6 (2.18) 31.1 (1.82) 41.4 (2.02)
20183 40.9 (0.68) 9.9 (0.37) 31.0 (0.64) 37.6 (0.90) 44.3 (0.80) 42.3   (0.86) 37.2   (1.58) 35.9 (1.25) 59.0 (3.20) 23.8 ! (8.62) 24.2   (5.60) 44.3 (3.86) 39.1 (1.08) 45.4 (1.08) 33.3 (1.86) 40.9 (2.43) 31.6 (1.59) 40.4 (1.80)
20193 40.7 (0.81) 10.3 (0.38) 30.4 (0.75) 37.0 (0.94) 44.3 (1.10) 41.1   (0.98) 37.0   (2.05) 36.3 (1.46) 62.0 (2.62) 42.7   (10.58) 23.6   (6.08) 46.9 (4.00) 37.0 (1.24) 45.4 (1.32) 33.5 (2.53) 40.3 (2.86) 32.9 (1.84) 39.6 (1.97)
20203 40.0 (0.70) 9.1 (0.36) 30.9 (0.66) 35.6 (0.84) 44.5 (0.95) 40.9   (0.95) 35.8   (1.80) 35.8 (1.37) 63.7 (2.38) 33.6   (8.06) 22.4   (5.71) 33.7 (3.67) 36.5 (1.20) 45.4 (1.33) 31.4 (2.31) 39.8 (2.37) 29.9 (1.72) 41.7 (1.94)
---Not available.
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
1 Prior to 2003, Asian data include Pacific Islanders.
2 Prior to 1972, White and Black data include persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
3 After 2002, data for individual race categories exclude persons of Two or more races. In 2002 and earlier years, each respondent could select only one race category.
NOTE: Includes 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college or graduate school. Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, which excludes persons in the military and persons living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Prior to 2010, standard errors were computed using generalized variance function methodology rather than the more precise replicate weight methodology used in later years. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity except where otherwise noted.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 1970 through 2020. (This table was prepared August 2021.)

2021 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest