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| 2022 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected characteristic | Percent of undergraduate students taking distance education or online classes | 2019-20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003-04 | 2007-08 | 2011-12 | 2015-16 | Number of undergraduate students (in thousands) |
Percent of undergraduate students taking online classes |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, any distance education classes |
Entire degree program through distance education1 |
Total, any distance education classes |
Entire degree program through distance education1 |
Total, any distance education classes |
Entire degree program is online1 | Total, any online classes |
Entire degree program is online1 |
Total, all students |
Number taking any online classes |
Total, any online classes |
Entire degree program is online1 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 15.6 | (0.29) | 4.9 | (0.17) | 20.6 | (0.23) | 3.8 | (0.16) | 32.0 | (0.33) | 6.5 | (0.18) | 43.1 | (0.31) | 10.8 | (0.21) | 16,936 | 11,185 | 66.0 | (0.35) | 23.9 | (0.56) | ||||||||||
| Gender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 13.6 | (0.31) | 4.3 | (0.19) | 18.8 | (0.31) | 3.4 | (0.16) | 28.5 | (0.45) | 4.9 | (0.24) | 39.7 | (0.42) | 9.2 | (0.27) | 6,946 | 4,336 | 62.4 | (0.49) | 21.5 | (0.55) | ||||||||||
| Female | 17.0 | (0.40) | 5.4 | (0.23) | 21.9 | (0.28) | 4.2 | (0.22) | 34.5 | (0.39) | 7.7 | (0.21) | 45.7 | (0.42) | 12.1 | (0.28) | 9,770 | 6,719 | 68.8 | (0.42) | 25.7 | (0.70) | ||||||||||
| Nonbinary2 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 219 | 129 | 59.0 | (2.50) | 22.4 | (2.72) | ||||||||||
Race/ethnicity |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 15.5 | (1.85) | 6.2 | (1.41) | 21.9 | (2.41) | 1.8 | ! | (0.55) | 32.6 | (2.56) | 7.0 | (1.43) | 47.5 | (3.08) | 12.2 | (1.71) | 173 | 118 | 68.1 | (3.19) | 29.4 | (3.22) | |||||||||
| Asian | 14.0 | (0.92) | 5.2 | (0.58) | 18.1 | (0.86) | 2.9 | (0.40) | 26.0 | (1.06) | 2.9 | (0.35) | 38.9 | (1.10) | 7.8 | (0.63) | 1,374 | 868 | 63.2 | (0.98) | 18.5 | (0.97) | ||||||||||
| Black | 14.9 | (0.59) | 4.9 | (0.37) | 19.9 | (0.66) | 5.1 | (0.48) | 32.7 | (0.70) | 9.1 | (0.56) | 42.5 | (0.72) | 14.9 | (0.47) | 2,230 | 1,477 | 66.2 | (0.66) | 27.6 | (0.73) | ||||||||||
| Hispanic | 13.4 | (0.54) | 4.1 | (0.27) | 16.5 | (0.53) | 2.7 | (0.23) | 27.9 | (0.57) | 4.3 | (0.24) | 38.4 | (0.68) | 7.7 | (0.32) | 3,450 | 2,292 | 66.4 | (0.55) | 22.3 | (0.70) | ||||||||||
| Pacific Islander | 19.1 | (2.37) | 6.9 | (1.69) | 17.0 | (1.89) | 1.2 | ! | (0.53) | 29.9 | (3.18) | 3.1 | ! | (1.29) | 42.2 | (4.02) | 12.0 | (2.44) | 111 | 69 | 62.2 | (4.07) | 28.5 | (4.05) | ||||||||
| White | 16.2 | (0.33) | 5.0 | (0.19) | 21.9 | (0.29) | 3.9 | (0.19) | 33.5 | (0.41) | 6.8 | (0.21) | 45.5 | (0.39) | 11.1 | (0.27) | 8,222 | 5,465 | 66.5 | (0.48) | 24.1 | (0.77) | ||||||||||
| Two or more races | 16.5 | (1.33) | 5.1 | (1.16) | 20.4 | (1.08) | 3.6 | (0.86) | 30.6 | (1.48) | 5.5 | (0.69) | 42.8 | (1.39) | 10.4 | (0.89) | 1,376 | 896 | 65.1 | (1.27) | 25.3 | (1.31) | ||||||||||
Age |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 to 23 | 11.7 | (0.26) | 3.1 | (0.13) | 15.2 | (0.22) | 1.4 | (0.09) | 26.5 | (0.36) | 3.2 | (0.13) | 36.6 | (0.38) | 3.5 | (0.13) | 10,464 | 6,513 | 62.2 | (0.36) | 15.6 | (0.28) | ||||||||||
| 24 to 29 | 18.4 | (0.46) | 6.7 | (0.41) | 25.7 | (0.56) | 5.6 | (0.45) | 36.5 | (0.67) | 8.0 | (0.41) | 50.7 | (0.69) | 17.5 | (0.52) | 2,974 | 2,096 | 70.5 | (0.71) | 30.5 | (0.96) | ||||||||||
| 30 or older | 22.4 | (0.65) | 8.3 | (0.42) | 30.0 | (0.55) | 9.0 | (0.40) | 40.9 | (0.64) | 13.0 | (0.50) | 53.8 | (0.58) | 24.9 | (0.58) | 3,497 | 2,575 | 73.6 | (0.75) | 43.7 | (1.38) | ||||||||||
Attendance status |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-time, full-year3 | 12.7 | (0.32) | 3.8 | (0.20) | 16.7 | (0.33) | 3.2 | (0.29) | 28.8 | (0.41) | 6.5 | (0.20) | 38.5 | (0.44) | 6.0 | (0.28) | 7,068 | 4,583 | 64.8 | (0.58) | 17.0 | (0.66) | ||||||||||
| Part-time only, for only part of year | 18.7 | (0.46) | 6.9 | (0.32) | 24.8 | (0.39) | 5.2 | (0.22) | 35.3 | (0.62) | 7.4 | (0.38) | 47.4 | (0.62) | 14.7 | (0.44) | 6,234 | 4,170 | 66.9 | (0.65) | 31.0 | (0.86) | ||||||||||
| Mixed attendance status4 | 17.4 | (0.53) | 4.7 | (0.23) | 22.5 | (0.42) | 2.9 | (0.20) | 35.0 | (0.62) | 5.0 | (0.28) | 44.7 | (0.47) | 13.2 | (0.38) | 3,634 | 2,432 | 66.9 | (0.47) | 27.8 | (0.71) | ||||||||||
Undergraduate field of study |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business/management | 18.7 | (0.58) | 7.0 | (0.43) | 24.2 | (0.55) | 6.4 | (0.45) | 39.3 | (0.75) | 11.4 | (0.45) | 51.3 | (0.72) | 17.0 | (0.67) | 2,415 | 1,795 | 74.3 | (0.76) | 33.1 | (1.22) | ||||||||||
| Computer/information science | 19.5 | (0.96) | 7.2 | (0.71) | 26.9 | (1.53) | 8.4 | (1.17) | 40.8 | (1.37) | 9.8 | (0.81) | 48.6 | (1.60) | 16.1 | (1.10) | 922 | 642 | 69.7 | (1.27) | 28.0 | (1.54) | ||||||||||
| Education | 17.1 | (0.89) | 4.6 | (0.45) | 22.8 | (0.81) | 3.2 | (0.33) | 33.8 | (1.17) | 6.4 | (0.59) | 45.7 | (1.35) | 9.7 | (0.81) | 859 | 614 | 71.4 | (1.33) | 27.7 | (2.22) | ||||||||||
| Engineering | 12.1 | (0.83) | 3.3 | (0.40) | 16.1 | (0.77) | 2.3 | (0.36) | 23.2 | (0.93) | 2.3 | (0.48) | 33.3 | (0.91) | 5.1 | (0.51) | 1,046 | 615 | 58.8 | (1.12) | 15.9 | (0.94) | ||||||||||
| Health | 17.4 | (0.48) | 5.6 | (0.30) | 21.9 | (0.60) | 4.2 | (0.33) | 33.3 | (0.67) | 6.7 | (0.43) | 45.0 | (0.72) | 13.3 | (0.53) | 3,080 | 2,076 | 67.4 | (0.70) | 23.7 | (0.92) | ||||||||||
| Humanities | 14.0 | (0.53) | 3.9 | (0.26) | 19.7 | (0.53) | 2.6 | (0.22) | 30.8 | (0.65) | 4.1 | (0.33) | 41.3 | (0.66) | 7.8 | (0.40) | 2,281 | 1,414 | 62.0 | (0.76) | 22.2 | (0.64) | ||||||||||
| Life sciences | 11.0 | (0.81) | 2.7 | (0.39) | 15.8 | (0.68) | 1.8 | (0.21) | 26.7 | (0.92) | 3.3 | (0.37) | 38.2 | (0.91) | 5.0 | (0.53) | 110 | 68 | 61.7 | (0.95) | 15.0 | (0.83) | ||||||||||
| Mathematics | 12.8 | (2.48) | 3.8 | ! | (1.42) | 15.1 | (2.51) | ‡ | (†) | 20.4 | (3.02) | 2.2 | ! | (1.05) | 42.2 | (3.98) | 9.7 | (2.80) | 110 | 57 | 52.0 | (3.74) | 16.0 | (2.51) | ||||||||
| Multi/interdisciplinary studies5 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 305 | 215 | 70.6 | (2.11) | 22.2 | (1.91) | ||||||||||
| Physical sciences | 9.8 | (2.02) | 0.9 | ! | (0.41) | 12.8 | (1.56) | 0.3 | ! | (0.16) | 22.1 | (1.93) | 1.2 | ! | (0.46) | 32.8 | (2.45) | 2.0 | ! | (0.67) | 184 | 104 | 56.1 | (2.78) | 14.7 | (1.96) | ||||||
| Social/behavioral sciences | 12.5 | (0.63) | 3.4 | (0.33) | 17.1 | (0.68) | 2.3 | (0.31) | 31.8 | (0.93) | 7.0 | (0.48) | 42.0 | (1.05) | 9.1 | (0.54) | 1,391 | 940 | 67.6 | (1.00) | 23.0 | (0.99) | ||||||||||
| Vocational/technical | 13.1 | (0.96) | 4.2 | (0.60) | 18.5 | (1.26) | 3.3 | (0.50) | 22.3 | (1.54) | 2.8 | (0.59) | 31.7 | (1.67) | 6.0 | (0.75) | 452 | 209 | 46.1 | (1.69) | 11.2 | (1.36) | ||||||||||
| Undeclared/no major | 15.0 | (0.61) | 4.6 | (0.34) | 20.5 | (0.56) | 3.1 | (0.45) | 27.6 | (1.16) | 5.2 | (0.81) | 33.0 | (1.71) | 9.5 | (1.12) | 163 | 93 | 57.2 | (2.66) | 21.8 | (2.56) | ||||||||||
| Other | 14.4 | (0.68) | 4.3 | (0.29) | 19.0 | (0.69) | 3.9 | (0.38) | 30.5 | (0.83) | 6.9 | (0.50) | 43.1 | (0.93) | 11.4 | (0.55) | 2,065 | 1,402 | 67.9 | (0.94) | 26.6 | (1.11) | ||||||||||
Had job during academic year6 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes | 16.8 | (0.34) | 5.5 | (0.22) | 22.2 | (0.25) | 4.2 | (0.16) | 36.2 | (0.42) | 7.6 | (0.24) | 47.1 | (0.39) | 12.9 | (0.28) | 12,090 | 8,161 | 67.5 | (0.41) | 24.9 | (0.69) | ||||||||||
| No | 11.9 | (0.32) | 3.3 | (0.17) | 15.8 | (0.37) | 2.8 | (0.25) | 24.9 | (0.42) | 4.8 | (0.20) | 36.8 | (0.44) | 7.6 | (0.25) | 4,846 | 3,024 | 62.4 | (0.54) | 21.5 | (0.57) | ||||||||||
Dependency status |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dependent | 11.1 | (0.24) | 2.9 | (0.13) | 14.4 | (0.24) | 1.0 | (0.08) | 25.5 | (0.36) | 2.7 | (0.12) | 35.1 | (0.37) | 1.9 | (0.10) | 9,578 | 5,911 | 61.7 | (0.38) | 14.7 | (0.29) | ||||||||||
|
Independent, no dependents, not married7 |
15.6 |
(0.50) | 5.1 |
(0.37) | 23.6 |
(0.56) | 4.8 |
(0.30) | 33.6 | (0.64) |
6.7 |
(0.33) |
46.2 |
(0.69) |
14.9 |
(0.45) |
3,185 | 2,154 | 67.6 |
(0.67) |
28.1 |
(0.86) |
||||||||||
| Independent, no dependents, married | 19.6 | (0.78) | 6.9 | (0.52) | 28.6 | (0.96) | 7.2 | (0.84) | 37.4 | (1.22) | 10.1 | (0.72) | 55.4 | (1.30) | 20.8 | (1.09) | 869 | 634 | 73.0 | (1.19) | 37.3 | (1.95) | ||||||||||
|
Independent, with dependents, not married7 |
20.5 |
(0.70) | 6.9 |
(0.49) | 25.3 |
(0.61) | 7.4 |
(0.52) | 38.2 | (0.67) |
10.7 |
(0.45) |
52.5 |
(0.80) |
22.9 |
(0.74) |
1,770 | 1,297 | 73.2 |
(0.89) |
40.2 |
(1.22) |
||||||||||
| Independent, with dependents, married | 25.1 | (0.79) | 9.7 | (0.53) | 32.9 | (0.71) | 9.4 | (0.51) | 44.9 | (0.92) | 14.7 | (0.75) | 57.8 | (0.89) | 27.1 | (0.84) | 1,533 | 1,190 | 77.6 | (0.92) | 47.1 | (1.85) | ||||||||||
Control and level of institution |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Public | 16.2 | (0.35) | 4.7 | (0.18) | 21.5 | (0.25) | 2.7 | (0.11) | 33.2 | (0.39) | 4.0 | (0.16) | 43.9 | (0.37) | 6.3 | (0.21) | 12,805 | 8,610 | 67.2 | (0.31) | 21.1 | (0.44) | ||||||||||
| 4-year | 13.5 | (0.54) | 3.8 | (0.23) | 18.4 | (0.41) | 2.2 | (0.19) | 32.7 | (0.51) | 4.3 | (0.24) | 43.6 | (0.50) | 6.1 | (0.40) | 7,118 | 4,872 | 68.4 | (0.35) | 19.6 | (0.31) | ||||||||||
| 2-year | 18.2 | (0.43) | 5.4 | (0.25) | 23.9 | (0.33) | 3.1 | (0.16) | 33.9 | (0.54) | 3.8 | (0.24) | 44.5 | (0.58) | 6.6 | (0.25) | 5,624 | 3,714 | 66.0 | (0.58) | 23.3 | (0.92) | ||||||||||
| Less-than-2-year | 11.8 | (1.19) | 3.0 | (0.66) | 8.1 | (1.66) | 1.9 | ! | (0.73) | 11.3 | (2.24) | ‡ | (†) | 9.4 | (1.89) | ‡ | (†) | 62 | 24 | 38.1 | (8.09) | 8.3 | ! | (2.52) | ||||||||
| Private nonprofit | 12.3 | (0.79) | 4.1 | (0.46) | 14.3 | (0.43) | 2.9 | (0.23) | 21.0 | (0.85) | 4.5 | (0.57) | 35.9 | (0.68) | 17.8 | (0.54) | 2,822 | 1,641 | 58.1 | (1.54) | 24.3 | (2.27) | ||||||||||
| 4-year | 12.3 | (0.83) | 4.1 | (0.48) | 14.2 | (0.44) | 2.8 | (0.23) | 21.3 | (0.87) | 4.6 | (0.59) | 36.2 | (0.65) | 17.7 | (0.47) | 2,763 | 1,607 | 58.2 | (1.56) | 24.3 | (2.30) | ||||||||||
| 2-year | 11.2 | (2.20) | 3.1 | ! | (1.11) | 19.4 | (2.30) | 5.9 | (1.02) | 12.7 | (3.26) | 0.5 | ! | (0.22) | 27.5 | ! | (8.33) | 21.2 | ! | (8.99) | 54 | 31 | 57.3 | (13.47) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||
| Less-than-2-year | 17.2 | (2.63) | 8.1 | (1.35) | 15.6 | ! | (4.69) | 2.7 | (0.66) | 13.6 | ! | (5.68) | # | (†) | 28.6 | (1.46) | 17.0 | (2.97) | ‡ | ‡ | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||
| Private for-profit | 15.3 | (1.08) | 8.6 | (1.06) | 21.7 | (1.18) | 12.8 | (1.24) | 35.5 | (0.83) | 21.6 | (0.82) | 48.1 | (0.94) | 33.5 | (1.22) | 1,308 | 935 | 71.4 | (1.29) | 49.6 | (2.25) | ||||||||||
| 4-year | 26.3 | (2.25) | 15.6 | (2.26) | 29.1 | (1.95) | 19.1 | (1.92) | 53.0 | (1.26) | 33.3 | (1.30) | 74.0 | (1.38) | 55.0 | (1.96) | 822 | 733 | 89.2 | (2.10) | 72.3 | (3.71) | ||||||||||
| 2-year | 12.1 | (1.64) | 6.3 | (1.25) | 17.6 | (1.49) | 8.0 | (1.34) | 8.4 | (1.28) | 2.9 | ! | (1.01) | 14.1 | (1.05) | 3.0 | (0.46) | 218 | 105 | 48.0 | (2.88) | 12.7 | (1.81) | |||||||||
| Less-than-2-year | 5.4 | (0.26) | 1.9 | (0.13) | 6.2 | (0.40) | 1.8 | (0.28) | 3.9 | (0.77) | ‡ | (†) | 6.2 | (0.70) | 1.1 | (0.22) | 268 | 97 | 36.2 | (2.60) | 9.4 | (1.44) | ||||||||||
| †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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1Excludes students not in a degree or certificate program. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2Nonbinary includes genderqueer, gender nonconforming, or a different identity. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3Full-time, full-year students are those who were enrolled full time for 9 or more months at one or more institutions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4Includes students enrolled part time for a full academic year as well as students enrolled full time, but for only part of an academic year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5Prior to 2019-20, multi/interdisciplinary studies was included with life sciences. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6Excludes work study/assistantships. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7Includes separated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: In 2011-12, 2015-16, and 2019-20 students were asked whether they took classes that were taught entirely online and, if so, whether their entire degree program was online. In 2003-04 and 2007-08, students were asked about distance education, which was defined in 2007-08 as "primarily delivered using live, interactive audio or videoconferencing, pre-recorded instructional videos, webcasts, CD-ROM, or DVD, or computer-based systems delivered over the Internet." The 2003-04 definition was very similar, with only minor differences in wording. In both years, distance education did not include correspondence courses. Data exclude students attending institutions in Puerto Rico. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003-04, 2007-08, 2011-12, 2015-16, and 2019-20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04, NPSAS:08, NPSAS:12, NPSAS:16, and NPSAS:20). (This table was prepared June 2023.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
