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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 303.10. Total fall enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by attendance status, sex of student, and control of institution: Selected years, 1947 through 2030
Year Total
enrollment
Attendance status Sex of student Control of institution
Full-time Part-time Percent
part-
time
Male Female Percent
female
Public Private
Total Nonprofit For-
profit
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
19471 2,338,226 --- ---   --- 1,659,249 678,977 29.0 1,152,377 1,185,849 --- ---  
19481 2,403,396 --- ---   --- 1,709,367 694,029 28.9 1,185,588 1,217,808 --- ---  
19491 2,444,900 --- ---   --- 1,721,572 723,328 29.6 1,207,151 1,237,749 --- ---  
19501 2,281,298 --- ---   --- 1,560,392 720,906 31.6 1,139,699 1,141,599 --- ---  
19511 2,101,962 --- ---   --- 1,390,740 711,222 33.8 1,037,938 1,064,024 --- ---  

19521
2,134,242 --- ---   --- 1,380,357 753,885 35.3 1,101,240 1,033,002 --- ---  
19531 2,231,054 --- ---   --- 1,422,598 808,456 36.2 1,185,876 1,045,178 --- ---  
19541 2,446,693 --- ---   --- 1,563,382 883,311 36.1 1,353,531 1,093,162 --- ---  
19551 2,653,034 --- ---   --- 1,733,184 919,850 34.7 1,476,282 1,176,752 --- ---  
19561 2,918,212 --- ---   --- 1,911,458 1,006,754 34.5 1,656,402 1,261,810 --- ---  

1957
3,323,783 --- ---   --- 2,170,765 1,153,018 34.7 1,972,673 1,351,110 --- ---  
1959 3,639,847 2,421,016 1,218,831 2 33.5 2,332,617 1,307,230 35.9 2,180,982 1,458,865 --- ---  
1961 4,145,065 2,785,133 1,359,932 2 32.8 2,585,821 1,559,244 37.6 2,561,447 1,583,618 --- ---  
1963 4,779,609 3,183,833 1,595,776 2 33.4 2,961,540 1,818,069 38.0 3,081,279 1,698,330 --- ---  
1964 5,280,020 3,573,238 1,706,782 2 32.3 3,248,713 2,031,307 38.5 3,467,708 1,812,312 --- ---  

1965
5,920,864 4,095,728 1,825,136 2 30.8 3,630,020 2,290,844 38.7 3,969,596 1,951,268 --- ---  
1966 6,389,872 4,438,606 1,951,266 2 30.5 3,856,216 2,533,656 39.7 4,348,917 2,040,955 --- ---  
1967 6,911,748 4,793,128 2,118,620 2 30.7 4,132,800 2,778,948 40.2 4,816,028 2,095,720 2,074,041 21,679  
1968 7,513,091 5,210,155 2,302,936   30.7 4,477,649 3,035,442 40.4 5,430,652 2,082,439 2,061,211 21,228  
1969 8,004,660 5,498,883 2,505,777   31.3 4,746,201 3,258,459 40.7 5,896,868 2,107,792 2,087,653 20,139  

1970
8,580,887 5,816,290 2,764,597   32.2 5,043,642 3,537,245 41.2 6,428,134 2,152,753 2,134,420 18,333  
1971 8,948,644 6,077,232 2,871,412   32.1 5,207,004 3,741,640 41.8 6,804,309 2,144,335 2,121,913 22,422  
1972 9,214,860 6,072,389 3,142,471   34.1 5,238,757 3,976,103 43.1 7,070,635 2,144,225 2,123,245 20,980  
1973 9,602,123 6,189,493 3,412,630   35.5 5,371,052 4,231,071 44.1 7,419,516 2,182,607 2,148,784 33,823  
1974 10,223,729 6,370,273 3,853,456   37.7 5,622,429 4,601,300 45.0 7,988,500 2,235,229 2,200,963 34,266  

1975
11,184,859 6,841,334 4,343,525   38.8 6,148,997 5,035,862 45.0 8,834,508 2,350,351 2,311,448 38,903  
1976 11,012,137 6,717,058 4,295,079   39.0 5,810,828 5,201,309 47.2 8,653,477 2,358,660 2,314,298 44,362  
1977 11,285,787 6,792,925 4,492,862   39.8 5,789,016 5,496,771 48.7 8,846,993 2,438,794 2,386,652 52,142  
1978 11,260,092 6,667,657 4,592,435   40.8 5,640,998 5,619,094 49.9 8,785,893 2,474,199 2,408,331 65,868  
1979 11,569,899 6,794,039 4,775,860   41.3 5,682,877 5,887,022 50.9 9,036,822 2,533,077 2,461,773 71,304  

1980
12,096,895 7,097,958 4,998,937   41.3 5,874,374 6,222,521 51.4 9,457,394 2,639,501 2,527,787 111,714 3
1981 12,371,672 7,181,250 5,190,422   42.0 5,975,056 6,396,616 51.7 9,647,032 2,724,640 2,572,405 152,235 3
1982 12,425,780 7,220,618 5,205,162   41.9 6,031,384 6,394,396 51.5 9,696,087 2,729,693 2,552,739 176,954 3
1983 12,464,661 7,261,050 5,203,611   41.7 6,023,725 6,440,936 51.7 9,682,734 2,781,927 2,589,187 192,740  
1984 12,241,940 7,098,388 5,143,552   42.0 5,863,574 6,378,366 52.1 9,477,370 2,764,570 2,574,419 190,151  

1985
12,247,055 7,075,221 5,171,834   42.2 5,818,450 6,428,605 52.5 9,479,273 2,767,782 2,571,791 195,991  
1986 12,503,511 7,119,550 5,383,961   43.1 5,884,515 6,618,996 52.9 9,713,893 2,789,618 2,572,479 217,139 4
1987 12,766,642 7,231,085 5,535,557   43.4 5,932,056 6,834,586 53.5 9,973,254 2,793,388 2,602,350 191,038 4
1988 13,055,337 7,436,768 5,618,569   43.0 6,001,896 7,053,441 54.0 10,161,388 2,893,949 2,673,567 220,382  
1989 13,538,560 7,660,950 5,877,610   43.4 6,190,015 7,348,545 54.3 10,577,963 2,960,597 2,731,174 229,423  

1990
13,818,637 7,820,985 5,997,652   43.4 6,283,909 7,534,728 54.5 10,844,717 2,973,920 2,760,227 213,693  
1991 14,358,953 8,115,329 6,243,624   43.5 6,501,844 7,857,109 54.7 11,309,563 3,049,390 2,819,041 230,349  
1992 14,487,359 8,162,118 6,325,241   43.7 6,523,989 7,963,370 55.0 11,384,567 3,102,792 2,872,523 230,269  
1993 14,304,803 8,127,618 6,177,185   43.2 6,427,450 7,877,353 55.1 11,189,088 3,115,715 2,888,897 226,818  
1994 14,278,790 8,137,776 6,141,014   43.0 6,371,898 7,906,892 55.4 11,133,680 3,145,110 2,910,107 235,003  

1995
14,261,781 8,128,802 6,132,979   43.0 6,342,539 7,919,242 55.5 11,092,374 3,169,407 2,929,044 240,363  
1996 14,367,520 8,302,953 6,064,567   42.2 6,352,825 8,014,695 55.8 11,120,499 3,247,021 2,942,556 304,465  
1997 14,502,334 8,438,062 6,064,272   41.8 6,396,028 8,106,306 55.9 11,196,119 3,306,215 2,977,614 328,601  
1998 14,506,967 8,563,338 5,943,629   41.0 6,369,265 8,137,702 56.1 11,137,769 3,369,198 3,004,925 364,273  
1999 14,849,691 8,803,139 6,046,552   40.7 6,515,164 8,334,527 56.1 11,375,739 3,473,952 3,055,029 418,923  

2000
15,312,289 9,009,600 6,302,689   41.2 6,721,769 8,590,520 56.1 11,752,786 3,559,503 3,109,419 450,084  
2001 15,927,987 9,447,502 6,480,485   40.7 6,960,815 8,967,172 56.3 12,233,156 3,694,831 3,167,330 527,501  
2002 16,611,711 9,946,359 6,665,352   40.1 7,202,116 9,409,595 56.6 12,751,993 3,859,718 3,265,476 594,242  
2003 16,911,481 10,326,133 6,585,348   38.9 7,260,264 9,651,217 57.1 12,858,698 4,052,783 3,341,048 711,735  
2004 17,272,044 10,610,177 6,661,867   38.6 7,387,262 9,884,782 57.2 12,980,112 4,291,932 3,411,685 880,247  

2005
17,487,475 10,797,011 6,690,464   38.3 7,455,925 10,031,550 57.4 13,021,834 4,465,641 3,454,692 1,010,949  
2006 17,754,230 10,957,538 6,796,692   38.3 7,572,265 10,181,965 57.3 13,175,350 4,578,880 3,512,929 1,065,951  
2007 18,258,138 11,270,929 6,987,209   38.3 7,819,938 10,438,200 57.2 13,500,894 4,757,244 3,571,395 1,185,849  
2008 19,081,686 11,734,636 7,347,050   38.5 8,177,714 10,903,972 57.1 13,970,862 5,110,824 3,660,827 1,449,997  
2009 20,313,594 12,605,355 7,708,239   37.9 8,732,953 11,580,641 57.0 14,810,768 5,502,826 3,767,672 1,735,154  

2010
21,019,438 13,087,182 7,932,256   37.7 9,045,759 11,973,679 57.0 15,142,171 5,877,267 3,854,482 2,022,785  
2011 21,010,590 13,002,531 8,008,059   38.1 9,034,256 11,976,334 57.0 15,116,303 5,894,287 3,926,819 1,967,468  
2012 20,644,478 12,734,404 7,910,074   38.3 8,919,006 11,725,472 56.8 14,884,667 5,759,811 3,951,388 1,808,423  
2013 20,376,677 12,596,610 7,780,067   38.2 8,861,197 11,515,480 56.5 14,746,848 5,629,829 3,971,390 1,658,439  
2014 20,209,092 12,454,464 7,754,628   38.4 8,797,530 11,411,562 56.5 14,654,660 5,554,432 3,997,249 1,557,183  

2015
19,988,204 12,287,512 7,700,692   38.5 8,723,819 11,264,385 56.4 14,572,843 5,415,361 4,065,891 1,349,470  
2016 19,846,904 12,125,314 7,721,590   38.9 8,638,422 11,208,482 56.5 14,585,840 5,261,064 4,078,956 1,182,108  
2017 19,778,151 12,076,141 7,702,010   38.9 8,571,314 11,206,837 56.7 14,571,739 5,206,412 4,108,489 1,097,923  
2018 19,651,412 11,989,569 7,661,843   39.0 8,444,614 11,206,798 57.0 14,539,257 5,112,155 4,131,846 980,309  
2019 19,630,178 11,954,413 7,675,765   39.1 8,363,889 11,266,289 57.4 14,503,647 5,126,531 4,135,372 991,159  

2020
18,991,798 11,591,353 7,400,445   39.0 7,869,545 11,122,253 58.6 13,867,239 5,124,559 4,101,019 1,023,540  
20215 20,327,000 12,387,000 7,941,000   39.1 8,685,000 11,643,000 57.3 14,975,000 5,352,000 --- ---  
20225 20,031,000 12,177,000 7,854,000   39.2 8,524,000 11,506,000 57.4 14,769,000 5,261,000 --- ---  
20235 19,851,000 12,041,000 7,810,000   39.3 8,422,000 11,429,000 57.6 14,650,000 5,201,000 --- ---  
20245 19,862,000 12,041,000 7,821,000   39.4 8,416,000 11,446,000 57.6 14,664,000 5,198,000 --- ---  

20255
19,934,000 12,099,000 7,835,000   39.3 8,444,000 11,490,000 57.6 14,716,000 5,218,000 --- ---  
20265 20,054,000 12,182,000 7,872,000   39.3 8,497,000 11,557,000 57.6 14,801,000 5,253,000 --- ---  
20275 20,169,000 12,241,000 7,928,000   39.3 8,550,000 11,619,000 57.6 14,882,000 5,287,000 --- ---  
20285 20,282,000 12,301,000 7,980,000   39.3 8,603,000 11,679,000 57.6 14,960,000 5,322,000 --- ---  
20295 20,393,000 12,361,000 8,032,000   39.4 8,656,000 11,737,000 57.6 15,038,000 5,355,000 --- ---  
20305 20,482,000 12,402,000 8,080,000   39.4 8,700,000 11,783,000 57.5 15,101,000 5,381,000 --- ---  
---Not available.
1 Degree-credit enrollment only.
2 Includes part-time resident students and all extension students (students attending courses at sites separate from the primary reporting campus). In later years, part-time student enrollment was collected as a distinct category.
3 Large increases are due to the addition of schools accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology.
4 Because of imputation techniques, data are not consistent with figures for other years.
5 Projected.
NOTE: Data in this table represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. 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. Projections in this table were calculated after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and take into account the expected impacts of the pandemic. Some data have been revised from previously published figures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Biennial Survey of Education in the United States; Opening Fall Enrollment in Higher Education, 1963 through 1965; Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), "Fall Enrollment in Colleges and Universities" surveys, 1966 through 1985; Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), "Fall Enrollment Survey" (IPEDS-EF:86-99); IPEDS Spring 2001 through Spring 2021, Fall Enrollment component; and Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions Projection Model, through 2030. (This table was prepared November 2021.)

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