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| 2023 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 205.20. | Enrollment and percentage distribution of students enrolled in private elementary and secondary schools, by school orientation and grade level: Selected years, fall 2009 through fall 2021 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade level and year | Total private enrollment | Catholic | Other religious | Nonsectarian | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | Parochial | Diocesan | Private | Total | Conservative Christian | Affiliated1 | Unaffiliated2 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||
| Enrollment | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, all grades | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 5,488,490 | (35,857) | 2,160,220 | (3,494) | 856,440 | (3,088) | 909,010 | (4,393) | 394,770 | (1,087) | 2,076,220 | (32,751) | 737,020 | (1,891) | 516,310 | (4,366) | 822,890 | (31,180) | 1,252,050 | (8,849) |
| 2011 | 5,268,090 | (24,908) | 2,087,870 | (14,426) | 804,410 | (3,686) | 899,810 | (14,320) | 383,650 | (459) | 1,991,950 | (21,814) | 730,570 | (4,721) | 565,340 | (2,990) | 696,040 | (20,419) | 1,188,270 | (5,376) |
| 2013 | 5,395,740 | (50,342) | 2,055,140 | (37,142) | 739,850 | (18,829) | 936,320 | (32,000) | 378,970 | (980) | 2,030,930 | (30,090) | 707,100 | (7,544) | 565,490 | (5,884) | 758,350 | (28,152) | 1,309,670 | (14,800) |
| 2015 | 5,750,520 | (85,729) | 2,082,660 | (42,791) | 716,120 | (24,336) | 960,590 | (22,533) | 405,950 | (14,453) | 2,268,820 | (68,162) | 760,790 | (53,772) | 587,490 | (23,414) | 920,550 | (45,692) | 1,399,030 | (29,132) |
| 2017 | 5,719,990 | (74,133) | 2,137,330 | (40,520) | 648,580 | (26,112) | 1,052,150 | (32,312) | 436,590 | (7,204) | 2,188,240 | (40,106) | 685,070 | (13,085) | 633,310 | (24,576) | 869,850 | (30,669) | 1,394,420 | (26,889) |
| 2019 | 5,485,800 | (37,869) | 1,913,700 | (17,601) | 562,860 | (11,499) | 918,210 | (4,496) | 432,630 | (11,450) | 2,163,560 | (30,020) | 680,320 | (19,603) | 670,640 | (7,792) | 812,600 | (18,758) | 1,408,540 | (12,355) |
| 2021 | 5,473,540 | (16,721) | 1,816,480 | (2,112) | 461,560 | (1,366) | 970,040 | (834) | 384,870 | (574) | 2,262,630 | (14,252) | 785,440 | (11,120) | 741,680 | (6,943) | 735,510 | (5,051) | 1,394,420 | (5,395) |
Prekindergarten |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 788,370 | (6,425) | 150,580 | (757) | 72,580 | (738) | 64,220 | (†) | 13,780 | (170) | 324,210 | (4,277) | 99,610 | (1,270) | 70,770 | (963) | 153,830 | (3,532) | 313,580 | (4,172) |
| 2011 | 773,240 | (2,420) | 159,480 | (501) | 75,740 | (368) | 69,000 | (88) | 14,740 | (311) | 315,300 | (777) | 100,020 | (381) | 78,590 | (755) | 136,690 | (396) | 298,460 | (1,943) |
| 2013 | 819,320 | (10,185) | 163,750 | (4,583) | 75,850 | (3,584) | 73,390 | (2,827) | 14,500 | (404) | 319,580 | (5,105) | 93,380 | (1,005) | 76,280 | (970) | 149,920 | (4,847) | 335,990 | (6,714) |
| 2015 | 846,920 | (17,898) | 181,190 | (7,731) | 80,620 | (4,595) | 82,370 | (5,292) | 18,200 | (1,984) | 336,000 | (8,563) | 97,010 | (7,088) | 75,590 | (1,911) | 163,400 | (4,569) | 329,730 | (10,690) |
| 2017 | 821,830 | (17,849) | 175,660 | (4,995) | 67,030 | (1,995) | 91,840 | (4,426) | 16,780 | (1,025) | 330,470 | (12,883) | 86,540 | (2,779) | 75,520 | (1,998) | 168,400 | (12,828) | 315,710 | (8,956) |
| 2019 | 832,900 | (13,880) | 170,730 | (3,287) | 69,710 | (2,889) | 84,980 | (728) | 16,040 | (37) | 350,960 | (11,594) | 89,320 | (2,366) | 98,390 | (3,757) | 163,250 | (10,690) | 311,210 | (6,973) |
| 2021 | 742,240 | (4,971) | 151,480 | (#) | 51,310 | (#) | 85,600 | (#) | 14,570 | (#) | 299,750 | (3,308) | 80,130 | (#) | 90,550 | (1,269) | 129,070 | (2,978) | 291,010 | (3,511) |
Kindergarten through grade 8 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 3,390,690 | (30,456) | 1,391,250 | (2,705) | 709,470 | (2,526) | 578,500 | (846) | 103,270 | (469) | 1,341,470 | (28,718) | 479,590 | (1,039) | 330,660 | (3,416) | 531,220 | (27,723) | 657,970 | (6,185) |
| 2011 | 3,203,710 | (17,388) | 1,322,130 | (3,471) | 661,350 | (3,315) | 561,970 | (305) | 98,820 | (218) | 1,268,320 | (16,618) | 468,130 | (3,502) | 365,180 | (1,975) | 435,000 | (15,186) | 613,260 | (1,985) |
| 2013 | 3,264,540 | (37,386) | 1,302,810 | (23,196) | 604,510 | (15,276) | 592,860 | (17,437) | 105,430 | (788) | 1,295,540 | (28,353) | 451,230 | (4,838) | 369,770 | (4,400) | 474,550 | (27,339) | 666,190 | (7,700) |
| 2015 | 3,457,540 | (57,067) | 1,306,430 | (35,421) | 582,050 | (19,842) | 595,170 | (17,629) | 129,210 | (12,740) | 1,435,430 | (42,011) | 479,560 | (31,920) | 370,030 | (13,750) | 585,850 | (32,298) | 715,680 | (18,610) |
| 2017 | 3,430,130 | (57,452) | 1,302,390 | (33,780) | 526,890 | (23,679) | 647,130 | (22,895) | 128,370 | (6,184) | 1,396,820 | (28,164) | 431,660 | (9,083) | 411,200 | (18,711) | 553,960 | (21,027) | 730,930 | (19,707) |
| 2019 | 3,233,280 | (21,061) | 1,152,910 | (11,100) | 445,910 | (10,001) | 571,040 | (4,428) | 135,960 | (2,693) | 1,357,230 | (17,736) | 429,390 | (12,652) | 426,580 | (5,927) | 501,270 | (11,228) | 723,140 | (5,252) |
| 2021 | 3,329,190 | (11,595) | 1,108,230 | (1,951) | 373,490 | (1,366) | 616,500 | (796) | 118,240 | (415) | 1,486,490 | (9,844) | 520,880 | (7,937) | 492,260 | (4,807) | 473,350 | (2,938) | 734,470 | (2,854) |
Grades 9 through 12 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 1,309,430 | (6,480) | 618,390 | (4,409) | 74,380 | (42) | 266,290 | (4,311) | 277,720 | (920) | 410,540 | (4,285) | 157,830 | (362) | 114,880 | (1,074) | 137,840 | (4,111) | 280,500 | (1,880) |
| 2011 | 1,291,130 | (15,396) | 606,250 | (14,313) | 67,320 | (10) | 268,840 | (14,313) | 270,090 | (†) | 408,330 | (5,747) | 162,420 | (1,349) | 121,560 | (513) | 124,350 | (5,792) | 276,550 | (3,485) |
| 2013 | 1,311,880 | (14,936) | 588,580 | (13,452) | 59,480 | (358) | 270,060 | (13,416) | 259,040 | (905) | 415,810 | (2,774) | 162,490 | (1,942) | 119,440 | (1,862) | 133,880 | (1,762) | 307,490 | (6,938) |
| 2015 | 1,446,060 | (23,777) | 595,050 | (2,166) | 53,450 | (1,662) | 283,050 | (38) | 258,550 | (1,388) | 497,390 | (23,622) | 184,220 | (15,411) | 141,870 | (9,045) | 171,300 | (16,438) | 353,620 | (5,530) |
| 2017 | 1,468,020 | (17,378) | 659,290 | (15,189) | 54,670 | (3,818) | 313,180 | (14,701) | 291,440 | (†) | 460,960 | (6,962) | 166,870 | (2,664) | 146,600 | (5,627) | 147,490 | (2,665) | 347,780 | (4,172) |
| 2019 | 1,419,620 | (13,656) | 590,060 | (8,817) | 47,230 | (†) | 262,190 | (†) | 280,630 | (8,817) | 455,370 | (7,293) | 161,610 | (5,074) | 145,680 | (†) | 148,080 | (3,725) | 374,190 | (4,221) |
| 2021 | 1,402,110 | (3,567) | 556,770 | (295) | 36,760 | (†) | 267,940 | (248) | 252,060 | (160) | 476,400 | (3,516) | 184,430 | (3,216) | 158,870 | (1,233) | 133,100 | (638) | 368,950 | (930) |
| Percentage distribution | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, all grades | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.4 | (0.25) | 15.6 | (0.11) | 16.6 | (0.13) | 7.2 | (0.05) | 37.8 | (0.37) | 13.4 | (0.09) | 9.4 | (0.07) | 15.0 | (0.48) | 22.8 | (0.16) |
| 2011 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.6 | (0.25) | 15.3 | (0.09) | 17.1 | (0.25) | 7.3 | (0.04) | 37.8 | (0.28) | 13.9 | (0.09) | 10.7 | (0.08) | 13.2 | (0.34) | 22.6 | (0.15) |
| 2013 | 100.0 | (†) | 38.1 | (0.50) | 13.7 | (0.33) | 17.4 | (0.51) | 7.0 | (0.07) | 37.6 | (0.44) | 13.1 | (0.16) | 10.5 | (0.13) | 14.1 | (0.47) | 24.3 | (0.28) |
| 2015 | 100.0 | (†) | 36.2 | (0.66) | 12.5 | (0.38) | 16.7 | (0.40) | 7.1 | (0.24) | 39.5 | (0.80) | 13.2 | (0.85) | 10.2 | (0.39) | 16.0 | (0.73) | 24.3 | (0.51) |
| 2017 | 100.0 | (†) | 37.4 | (0.53) | 11.3 | (0.40) | 18.4 | (0.51) | 7.6 | (0.16) | 38.3 | (0.42) | 12.0 | (0.24) | 11.1 | (0.40) | 15.2 | (0.43) | 24.4 | (0.40) |
| 2019 | 100.0 | (†) | 34.9 | (0.27) | 10.3 | (0.20) | 16.7 | (0.14) | 7.9 | (0.19) | 39.4 | (0.36) | 12.4 | (0.32) | 12.2 | (0.14) | 14.8 | (0.29) | 25.7 | (0.25) |
| 2021 | 100.0 | (†) | 33.2 | (0.09) | 8.4 | (0.03) | 17.7 | (0.06) | 7.0 | (0.02) | 41.3 | (0.15) | 14.3 | (0.17) | 13.6 | (0.12) | 13.4 | (0.09) | 25.5 | (0.09) |
Prekindergarten |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 100.0 | (†) | 19.1 | (0.15) | 9.2 | (0.10) | 8.1 | (0.07) | 1.7 | (0.02) | 41.1 | (0.38) | 12.6 | (0.17) | 9.0 | (0.11) | 19.5 | (0.36) | 39.8 | (0.36) |
| 2011 | 100.0 | (†) | 20.6 | (0.06) | 9.8 | (0.05) | 8.9 | (0.03) | 1.9 | (0.04) | 40.8 | (0.11) | 12.9 | (0.04) | 10.2 | (0.10) | 17.7 | (0.07) | 38.6 | (0.16) |
| 2013 | 100.0 | (†) | 20.0 | (0.49) | 9.3 | (0.41) | 9.0 | (0.33) | 1.8 | (0.05) | 39.0 | (0.52) | 11.4 | (0.15) | 9.3 | (0.13) | 18.3 | (0.52) | 41.0 | (0.56) |
| 2015 | 100.0 | (†) | 21.4 | (0.81) | 9.5 | (0.50) | 9.7 | (0.59) | 2.1 | (0.24) | 39.7 | (0.76) | 11.5 | (0.75) | 8.9 | (0.27) | 19.3 | (0.50) | 38.9 | (0.78) |
| 2017 | 100.0 | (†) | 21.4 | (0.62) | 8.2 | (0.27) | 11.2 | (0.52) | 2.0 | (0.14) | 40.2 | (0.97) | 10.5 | (0.39) | 9.2 | (0.31) | 20.5 | (1.23) | 38.4 | (0.89) |
| 2019 | 100.0 | (†) | 20.5 | (0.46) | 8.4 | (0.34) | 10.2 | (0.18) | 1.9 | (0.03) | 42.1 | (0.90) | 10.7 | (0.31) | 11.8 | (0.44) | 19.6 | (1.05) | 37.4 | (0.75) |
| 2021 | 100.0 | (†) | 20.4 | (0.14) | 6.9 | (0.05) | 11.5 | (0.08) | 2.0 | (0.01) | 40.4 | (0.32) | 10.8 | (0.07) | 12.2 | (0.17) | 17.4 | (0.34) | 39.2 | (0.33) |
Kindergarten through grade 8 |
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| 2009 | 100.0 | (†) | 41.0 | (0.36) | 20.9 | (0.19) | 17.1 | (0.16) | 3.0 | (0.03) | 39.6 | (0.51) | 14.1 | (0.13) | 9.8 | (0.11) | 15.7 | (0.68) | 19.4 | (0.20) |
| 2011 | 100.0 | (†) | 41.3 | (0.23) | 20.6 | (0.13) | 17.5 | (0.10) | 3.1 | (0.02) | 39.6 | (0.31) | 14.6 | (0.09) | 11.4 | (0.09) | 13.6 | (0.41) | 19.1 | (0.11) |
| 2013 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.9 | (0.57) | 18.5 | (0.43) | 18.2 | (0.48) | 3.2 | (0.04) | 39.7 | (0.60) | 13.8 | (0.19) | 11.3 | (0.17) | 14.5 | (0.73) | 20.4 | (0.29) |
| 2015 | 100.0 | (†) | 37.8 | (0.82) | 16.8 | (0.49) | 17.2 | (0.50) | 3.7 | (0.34) | 41.5 | (0.85) | 13.9 | (0.85) | 10.7 | (0.39) | 16.9 | (0.85) | 20.7 | (0.55) |
| 2017 | 100.0 | (†) | 38.0 | (0.68) | 15.4 | (0.60) | 18.9 | (0.59) | 3.7 | (0.18) | 40.7 | (0.52) | 12.6 | (0.29) | 12.0 | (0.52) | 16.1 | (0.48) | 21.3 | (0.48) |
| 2019 | 100.0 | (†) | 35.7 | (0.30) | 13.8 | (0.28) | 17.7 | (0.18) | 4.2 | (0.08) | 42.0 | (0.35) | 13.3 | (0.35) | 13.2 | (0.18) | 15.5 | (0.31) | 22.4 | (0.21) |
| 2021 | 100.0 | (†) | 33.3 | (0.10) | 11.2 | (0.04) | 18.5 | (0.07) | 3.6 | (0.01) | 44.7 | (0.16) | 15.6 | (0.20) | 14.8 | (0.13) | 14.2 | (0.09) | 22.1 | (0.08) |
Grades 9 through 12 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 100.0 | (†) | 47.2 | (0.25) | 5.7 | (0.03) | 20.3 | (0.27) | 21.2 | (0.12) | 31.4 | (0.25) | 12.1 | (0.06) | 8.8 | (0.08) | 10.5 | (0.28) | 21.4 | (0.15) |
| 2011 | 100.0 | (†) | 47.0 | (0.63) | 5.2 | (0.06) | 20.8 | (0.88) | 20.9 | (0.25) | 31.6 | (0.49) | 12.6 | (0.18) | 9.4 | (0.13) | 9.6 | (0.43) | 21.4 | (0.35) |
| 2013 | 100.0 | (†) | 44.9 | (0.64) | 4.5 | (0.06) | 20.6 | (0.83) | 19.7 | (0.24) | 31.7 | (0.42) | 12.4 | (0.19) | 9.1 | (0.17) | 10.2 | (0.19) | 23.4 | (0.47) |
| 2015 | 100.0 | (†) | 41.1 | (0.67) | 3.7 | (0.13) | 19.6 | (0.32) | 17.9 | (0.30) | 34.4 | (1.11) | 12.7 | (0.96) | 9.8 | (0.59) | 11.8 | (1.02) | 24.5 | (0.51) |
| 2017 | 100.0 | (†) | 44.9 | (0.63) | 3.7 | (0.25) | 21.3 | (0.80) | 19.9 | (0.24) | 31.4 | (0.46) | 11.4 | (0.21) | 10.0 | (0.36) | 10.0 | (0.19) | 23.7 | (0.34) |
| 2019 | 100.0 | (†) | 41.6 | (0.40) | 3.3 | (0.03) | 18.5 | (0.18) | 19.8 | (0.49) | 32.1 | (0.40) | 11.4 | (0.33) | 10.3 | (0.10) | 10.4 | (0.21) | 26.4 | (0.27) |
| 2021 | 100.0 | (†) | 39.7 | (0.10) | 2.6 | (0.01) | 19.1 | (0.05) | 18.0 | (0.04) | 34.0 | (0.17) | 13.2 | (0.20) | 11.3 | (0.08) | 9.5 | (0.05) | 26.3 | (0.09) |
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| #Rounds to zero. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1Affiliated schools belong to associations of schools with a specific religious orientation other than Catholic or conservative Christian. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2Unaffiliated schools have a religious orientation or purpose but are not classified as Catholic, conservative Christian, or affiliated. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12 in schools that offer kindergarten or higher grade. Ungraded students are prorated into grade 1 through grade 8 and grades 9 through 12. Enrollment at schools with only ungraded students are included with enrollment in elementary grades. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 2009–10 through 2021–22. (This table was prepared June 2023.) |
