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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 student or institution characteristic | Percent of 2003-04 first-year undergraduates1 who took any remedial courses | Percent of 2007-08 first-year undergraduates1 who took any remedial courses | Percent of 2011-12 first-year undergraduates1 who took any remedial courses | Percent of 2015-16 first-year undergraduates1 who took any remedial courses | 2019-20 first-year undergraduates1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Students who took any remedial courses | Percent who took specific remedial courses in 2019-20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ever | In 2003-04 | Ever | In 2007-08 | Ever | In 2011-12 | Ever | In 2015-16 | Percent who ever took | Percent who took in 2019-20 | Mathematics | Reading/ writing | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 34.8 | (0.36) | 19.2 | (0.30) | 36.2 | (0.38) | 20.0 | (0.35) | 32.6 | (0.42) | 19.7 | (0.36) | 43.0 | (0.58) | 19.2 | 0.0 | (0.43) | 31.4 | (0.54) | 15.4 | (0.35) | 10.1 | (0.27) | 8.0 | (0.25) | |||||||||
| Gender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 33.0 | (0.53) | 18.4 | (0.46) | 33.0 | (0.53) | 19.3 | (0.51) | 30.8 | (0.61) | 19.9 | (0.55) | 40.7 | (0.82) | 19.1 | 0 | (0.67) | 28.2 | (0.67) | 13.9 | (0.47) | 8.8 | (0.36) | 7.5 | (0.35) | |||||||||
| Female | 36.2 | (0.54) | 19.8 | 5.8 | (0.39) | 38.7 | (0.51) | 20.6 | (0.46) | 34.0 | (0.52) | 19.7 | (0.46) | 44.8 | (0.66) | 19.3 | 0 | (0.50) | 33.8 | (0.74) | 16.4 | (0.48) | 10.9 | (0.38) | 8.4 | (0.35) | ||||||||
| Nonbinary2 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 27.0 | (3.73) | 13.8 | (2.80) | 12.2 | (2.70) | 6.8 | (2.05) | ||||||||||
Race/ethnicity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 44.8 | (4.34) | 23.7 | (3.10) | 47.9 | (4.66) | 29.7 | (3.88) | 34.9 | (4.11) | 19.8 | (2.79) | 50.1 | (5.64) | 23.8 | 0 | (4.98) | 30.6 | (4.06) | 14.8 | (2.77) | 10.9 | (2.30) | 10.5 | (2.89) | |||||||||
| Asian | 39.6 | (1.72) | 17.6 | (1.56) | 38.9 | (2.05) | 20.0 | (1.90) | 37.6 | (2.25) | 23.0 | (1.75) | 45.4 | (1.83) | 19.8 | 0 | (1.48) | 30.1 | (1.55) | 13.0 | (1.11) | 6.8 | (0.80) | 8.3 | (0.89) | |||||||||
| Black | 41.2 | (1.000) | 22.4 | (0.76) | 45.1 | (0.99) | 24.4 | (0.86) | 37.6 | (0.89) | 22.2 | (0.75) | 48.7 | (1.05) | 20.6 | 0 | (0.78) | 37.9 | (1.46) | 17.9 | (0.89) | 12.3 | (0.75) | 9.6 | (0.66) | |||||||||
| Hispanic | 38.5 | (0.91) | 21.5 | (0.72) | 43.7 | (1.12) | 23.3 | (0.84) | 35.8 | (0.99) | 22.4 | (0.81) | 47.7 | (0.97) | 23.0 | 0 | (0.98) | 37.5 | (1.11) | 19.2 | (0.70) | 12.7 | (0.61) | 10.1 | (0.49) | |||||||||
| Pacific Islander | 40.8 | (5.11) | 22.4 | (4.55) | 39.9 | (4.63) | 19.1 | (3.90) | 33.4 | (5.16) | 15.2 | (3.50) | 43.7 | (6.07) | 21.8 | 0 | (5.04) | 31.1 | (5.90) | 13.9 | (3.99) | 7.1 | ! | (2.69) | 5.5 | ! | (2.21) | |||||||
| White | 31.7 | (0.42) | 17.8 | (0.35) | 31.3 | (0.46) | 17.7 | (0.41) | 29.4 | (0.51) | 17.7 | (0.47) | 38.3 | (0.76) | 16.8 | 0 | (0.48) | 26.9 | (0.64) | 13.3 | (0.51) | 8.6 | (0.39) | 6.6 | (0.33) | |||||||||
| Two or more races | 33.9 | (2.02) | 20.9 | (1.80) | 32.3 | (2.29) | 20.4 | (2.06) | 29.8 | (2.02) | 19.0 | (1.68) | 41.1 | (2.28) | 18.1 | 0 | (1.79) | 26.2 | (1.84) | 12.5 | (1.15) | 8.9 | (0.92) | 5.7 | (0.64) | |||||||||
| Other | 31.1 | (2.78) | 17.3 | (2.34) | 35.2 | (6.000) | 21.7 | (5.11) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ||||||||||
Age | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 to 23 | 33.7 | (0.41) | 21.5 | (0.39) | 34.5 | (0.46) | 22.0 | (0.43) | 31.0 | (0.49) | 21.1 | (0.38) | 41.0 | (0.70) | 19.5 | 0 | (0.52) | 29.6 | (0.57) | 15.8 | (0.38) | 10.7 | (0.33) | 8.7 | (0.31) | |||||||||
| 24 to 29 | 35.0 | (0.99) | 16.0 | (0.78) | 39.7 | (0.98) | 19.5 | (0.86) | 34.4 | (1.12) | 17.2 | (0.91) | 47.4 | (1.17) | 18.9 | 0 | (0.94) | 33.6 | (1.37) | 13.5 | (0.81) | 8.3 | (0.59) | 6.6 | (0.61) | |||||||||
| 30 or older | 37.6 | (0.87) | 15.6 | (0.52) | 38.1 | (0.84) | 15.2 | (0.68) | 35.4 | (0.94) | 18.4 | (0.82) | 45.1 | (1.06) | 18.8 | 0 | (0.81) | 35.4 | (1.46) | 15.6 | (0.87) | 9.7 | (0.65) | 7.0 | (0.52) | |||||||||
Attendance status | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-time, full-year3 | 31.4 | (0.45) | 19.1 | (0.37) | 31.4 | (0.52) | 19.4 | (0.46) | 28.1 | (0.48) | 17.6 | (0.41) | 36.7 | (0.78) | 16.9 | 0 | (0.58) | 26.6 | (0.64) | 13.2 | (0.41) | 8.7 | (0.31) | 7.0 | (0.30) | |||||||||
| Part-time only, for only part of year | 37.5 | (0.65) | 17.9 | (0.51) | 39.8 | (0.71) | 19.0 | (0.59) | 37.4 | (0.81) | 21.3 | (0.78) | 47.7 | (0.92) | 20.3 | 0 | (0.74) | 36.9 | (1.03) | 17.2 | (0.75) | 10.2 | (0.62) | 8.3 | (0.53) | |||||||||
| Mixed attendance status4 | 41.1 | (0.97) | 23.7 | (0.85) | 42.6 | (0.98) | 26.3 | (0.93) | 37.0 | (0.95) | 23.4 | (0.74) | 47.4 | (0.97) | 22.2 | 0 | (0.83) | 35.4 | (1.09) | 18.2 | (0.76) | 13.2 | (0.66) | 10.0 | (0.54) | |||||||||
Housing status | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On-campus | 24.5 | (0.70) | 16.8 | (0.56) | 23.2 | (0.84) | 17.1 | (0.76) | 17.9 | (0.78) | 14.1 | (0.67) | 24.7 | (1.26) | 13.0 | 0 | (0.89) | 17.8 | (0.71) | 10.3 | (0.54) | 7.0 | (0.45) | 6.0 | (0.44) | |||||||||
| Off-campus, not with parents or relatives | 35.9 | (0.58) | 17.0 | (0.40) | 37.2 | (0.57) | 17.8 | (0.49) | 34.0 | (0.65) | 19.6 | (0.63) | 45.9 | (0.78) | 18.9 | 0 | (0.58) | 34.4 | (0.98) | 16.0 | (0.61) | 10.3 | (0.44) | 7.7 | (0.38) | |||||||||
| Off-campus, with parents or relatives | 37.9 | (0.59) | 24.5 | (0.61) | 39.6 | (0.78) | 25.2 | (0.66) | 35.3 | (0.78) | 22.2 | (0.61) | 47.6 | (1.04) | 23.7 | 0 | (0.79) | 36.1 | (0.80) | 18.2 | (0.56) | 12.1 | (0.43) | 10.0 | (0.49) | |||||||||
| Attended more than one institution5 | 36.5 | (1.18) | 18.3 | (0.98) | 36.1 | (1.11) | 20.2 | (0.97) | 32.7 | (1.09) | 17.0 | (0.95) | 36.0 | (1.07) | 14.2 | 0 | (0.81) | 25.4 | (1.16) | 11.9 | (0.72) | 7.7 | (0.61) | 6.3 | (0.51) | |||||||||
Dependency status | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dependent | 33.4 | (0.45) | 22.1 | (0.41) | 34.4 | (0.51) | 22.8 | (0.46) | 31.2 | (0.53) | 22.0 | (0.42) | 39.5 | (0.77) | 19.5 | 0 | (0.55) | 29.0 | (0.56) | 15.5 | (0.40) | 10.4 | (0.34) | 8.6 | (0.33) | |||||||||
| Independent | 36.4 | (0.61) | 16.1 | (0.39) | 38.1 | (0.59) | 17.1 | (0.51) | 33.9 | (0.57) | 17.6 | (0.52) | 46.5 | (0.76) | 19.0 | 0 | (0.55) | 34.6 | (0.95) | 15.3 | (0.55) | 9.7 | (0.42) | 7.3 | (0.36) | |||||||||
Veteran status | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Veteran | 35.9 | (2.33) | 13.2 | (1.52) | 35.8 | (2.36) | 17.1 | (2.08) | 31.4 | (2.21) | 17.4 | (1.74) | 43.9 | (2.08) | 17.1 | 0 | (1.53) | 26.6 | (2.94) | 10.8 | (1.62) | 9.5 | (1.56) | 4.5 | (1.09) | |||||||||
| Not veteran | 34.8 | (0.38) | 19.4 | (0.31) | 36.2 | (0.38) | 20.1 | (0.36) | 32.7 | (0.42) | 19.8 | (0.37) | 43.0 | (0.58) | 19.3 | 0 | (0.43) | 31.6 | (0.56) | 15.5 | (0.36) | 10.1 | (0.27) | 8.1 | (0.25) | |||||||||
Field of study6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business/management | 36.4 | (1.000) | 19.6 | (0.97) | 37.0 | (1.13) | 21.7 | (1.06) | 32.7 | (1.11) | 19.8 | (0.85) | 42.6 | (1.37) | 18.2 | 0 | (0.95) | 29.8 | (1.63) | 13.0 | (1.02) | 9.0 | (0.75) | 7.3 | (0.70) | |||||||||
| Computer/information science | 33.7 | (1.59) | 19.2 | (1.39) | 34.7 | (2.28) | 19.8 | (1.77) | 29.3 | (1.69) | 17.4 | (1.40) | 41.0 | (2.14) | 19.4 | 0 | (1.78) | 34.4 | (2.05) | 16.3 | (1.59) | 11.0 | (1.42) | 9.5 | (1.24) | |||||||||
| Education | 41.5 | (1.61) | 23.1 | (1.14) | 40.3 | (1.90) | 23.0 | (1.48) | 36.0 | (1.84) | 21.6 | (1.53) | 46.6 | (2.33) | 22.1 | 0 | (1.91) | 36.4 | (2.09) | 16.8 | (1.61) | 11.6 | (1.15) | 9.2 | (1.11) | |||||||||
| Engineering | 30.9 | (1.79) | 16.6 | (1.41) | 33.0 | (1.81) | 19.0 | (1.57) | 33.1 | (1.88) | 20.9 | (1.63) | 38.6 | (2.02) | 17.8 | 0 | (1.66) | 26.4 | (1.74) | 13.4 | (1.43) | 8.7 | (1.06) | 6.8 | (0.93) | |||||||||
| Health | 37.0 | (0.83) | 19.7 | (0.68) | 38.6 | (2.49) | 18.9 | (4.49) | 34.6 | (0.74) | 18.8 | (0.70) | 46.5 | (1.09) | 19.1 | 0 | (0.87) | 35.8 | (1.33) | 16.5 | (0.77) | 11.3 | (0.62) | 8.2 | (0.54) | |||||||||
| Humanities | 34.0 | (1.29) | 18.8 | (0.94) | 31.2 | (1.94) | 20.5 | (1.77) | 36.6 | (1.03) | 23.9 | (0.91) | 46.8 | (1.13) | 20.5 | 0 | (0.97) | 34.5 | (1.04) | 20.0 | (0.84) | 12.7 | (0.69) | 10.1 | (0.58) | |||||||||
| Life sciences | 31.2 | (1.81) | 19.7 | (1.72) | 31.2 | (6.21) | 20.5 | ! | (8.64) | 26.7 | (1.71) | 17.9 | (1.11) | 36.4 | (2.03) | 18.0 | 0 | (1.56) | 27.8 | (1.43) | 14.5 | (1.14) | 8.9 | (0.93) | 7.9 | (0.93) | ||||||||
| Mathematics | 23.0 | (5.55) | 11.0 | ! | (4.43) | 41.1 | (6.31) | 15.6 | ! | (5.20) | 14.3 | ! | (4.57) | 8.4 | ! | (2.81) | 36.4 | (7.45) | 13.2 | ! | (4.85) | 22.0 | (5.21) | 7.4 | ! | (2.59) | 6.1 | ! | (2.31) | 5.7 | ! | (2.30) | ||
| Multi/interdisciplinary studies | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 30.9 | (3.90) | 14.8 | (2.64) | 9.4 | (2.74) | 8.8 | ! | (2.67) | |||||||||
| Physical sciences | 24.0 | (4.39) | 12.9 | (3.49) | 24.5 | (4.31) | 15.7 | (3.92) | 29.2 | (4.72) | 24.7 | (4.59) | 37.2 | (6.96) | 15.4 | 0 | (3.50) | 24.6 | (3.65) | 15.2 | (3.87) | 9.5 | (2.85) | 8.2 | ! | (2.87) | ||||||||
| Social/behavioral sciences | 33.2 | (2.08) | 19.4 | (1.57) | 35.0 | (2.16) | 23.4 | (1.94) | 27.7 | (1.87) | 19.8 | (1.38) | 42.4 | (2.23) | 19.2 | 0 | (1.61) | 26.6 | (1.50) | 12.6 | (1.07) | 8.7 | (0.90) | 6.1 | (0.77) | |||||||||
| Vocational/technical | 38.5 | (2.11) | 18.3 | (1.60) | 31.1 | (1.93) | 15.7 | (1.78) | 26.9 | (1.94) | 15.7 | (1.59) | 33.0 | (2.32) | 15.3 | 0 | (1.64) | 23.1 | (2.09) | 9.9 | (1.36) | 6.4 | (1.11) | 4.7 | (0.81) | |||||||||
| Undeclared | 33.6 | (0.67) | 19.2 | (0.59) | 35.8 | (1.29) | 20.0 | (1.14) | 31.8 | (2.10) | 22.0 | (1.86) | 45.0 | (2.56) | 25.8 | 0 | (2.15) | 23.1 | (2.68) | 13.4 | (2.32) | 8.6 | (2.17) | 8.5 | (2.06) | |||||||||
| Other | 33.3 | (1.49) | 18.0 | (1.06) | 34.6 | (1.23) | 18.5 | (0.97) | 29.3 | (0.94) | 16.7 | (0.77) | 42.6 | (1.36) | 18.7 | 0 | (1.01) | 31.1 | (1.24) | 13.8 | (0.93) | 9.6 | (0.80) | 8.1 | (0.74) | |||||||||
Control and level of institution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4-year doctorate | 25.7 | (1.11) | 16.3 | (0.64) | 25.0 | (1.03) | 17.8 | (0.86) | 21.9 | (0.84) | 15.6 | (0.80) | 26.2 | (1.35) | 11.7 | 0 | (0.93) | 21.1 | (1.17) | 10.6 | (0.76) | 7.1 | (0.60) | 5.2 | (0.43) | |||||||||
| 4-year nondoctorate | 34.2 | (1.77) | 21.4 | (1.12) | 38.9 | (1.24) | 25.4 | (1.14) | 37.8 | (2.12) | 24.3 | (1.30) | 44.4 | (1.92) | 18.1 | 0 | (1.28) | 38.9 | (1.07) | 19.8 | (0.91) | 13.4 | (0.77) | 10.2 | (0.83) | |||||||||
| 2-year | 41.4 | (0.59) | 23.0 | (0.47) | 41.8 | (0.54) | 23.7 | (0.48) | 40.3 | (0.67) | 25.6 | (0.64) | 52.5 | (0.76) | 25.3 | 0 | (0.63) | 38.2 | (0.83) | 20.0 | (0.60) | 13.0 | (0.49) | 10.4 | (0.40) | |||||||||
| Less-than-2-year | 30.6 | (1.85) | 10.9 | (1.09) | 31.9 | (1.99) | 9.0 | (0.89) | 30.2 | (6.13) | 12.2 | ! | (3.86) | 33.0 | (3.85) | 10.9 | 0 | (1.54) | 18.6 | (3.45) | 4.8 | ! | (1.65) | ‡ | (†) | 2.0 | ! | (0.87) | ||||||
| Private nonprofit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4-year doctorate | 18.3 | (1.67) | 11.6 | (1.39) | 22.1 | (1.70) | 12.6 | (1.38) | 14.6 | (1.85) | 9.6 | (1.24) | 21.8 | (1.71) | 9.2 | 0 | (1.07) | 15.4 | (2.30) | 5.8 | (0.67) | 3.8 | (0.51) | 3.9 | (0.49) | |||||||||
| 4-year nondoctorate | 26.0 | (1.16) | 14.7 | (0.78) | 25.5 | (1.74) | 16.6 | (1.46) | 24.4 | (1.66) | 15.3 | (1.23) | 28.3 | (1.88) | 11.3 | 0 | (0.93) | 18.7 | (1.59) | 8.2 | (1.13) | 5.6 | (0.79) | 5.0 | (0.75) | |||||||||
| Less-than-4-year | 31.3 | (2.06) | 12.9 | (1.89) | 30.3 | (3.75) | 10.2 | (2.81) | 22.3 | (4.25) | 9.4 | ! | (3.42) | 23.7 | (1.86) | 5.7 | ! | (2.02) | 55.8 | ! | (19.09) | 18.7 | (5.24) | 11.1 | ! | (4.10) | 8.4 | ! | (2.98) | |||||
| Private for-profit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 years or more | 25.4 | (1.63) | 11.7 | (1.04) | 28.8 | (1.46) | 11.3 | (1.20) | 20.9 | (0.74) | 8.2 | (0.37) | 33.9 | (1.61) | 10.7 | 0 | (0.70) | 19.2 | (2.03) | 5.0 | (0.82) | 3.1 | (0.64) | 2.7 | (0.41) | |||||||||
| Less-than-2-year | 24.1 | (0.50) | 7.8 | (0.23) | 26.5 | (1.02) | 5.5 | (0.51) | 16.7 | (0.74) | 3.8 | (0.56) | 25.0 | (1.10) | 4.2 | 0 | (0.69) | 17.2 | (1.68) | 2.7 | (0.51) | 0.7 | (0.18) | 1.1 | (0.28) | |||||||||
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| !Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1First-year student status was determined by accumulation of credits. Students attending postsecondary education part time, or not completing the credit accumulation requirements for second-year status, could be considered first-year students for more than one year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5Students who attended more than one institution during the year are categorized separately because they may have had more than one housing status. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6Excludes students not in a degree or certificate program. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Percentages of students who took remedial courses are based on student reports. Data exclude students attending institutions in Puerto Rico. Detail may not sum to totals because of survey item nonresponse and 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. Corrections were made February 2024.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
