Skip Navigation
Digest of Education Statistics
2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 302.20.Percentage of recent high school completers enrolled in college, by race/ethnicity and level of institution: 1960 through 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Level of institution and yearPercent of recent high school completers enrolled in college (annual data)13-year moving averages2
TotalAsian3BlackHispanicWhitePercent of recent high school completers enrolled in college1Difference between percent enrolled
TotalAsian3BlackHispanicWhiteWhite-Asian3White-BlackWhite-Hispanic
1234567891011121314
Total
196045.1(2.16)---(†)---(†)---(†)45.84(2.24)46.6(1.52)---(†)---(†)---(†)47.74(1.58)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196148.0(2.12)---(†)---(†)---(†)49.54(2.22)47.4(1.22)---(†)---(†)---(†)48.74(1.28)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196249.0(2.08)---(†)---(†)---(†)50.64(2.19)47.4(1.22)---(†)---(†)---(†)48.64(1.27)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196345.0(2.12)---(†)---(†)---(†)45.64(2.21)47.5(1.18)---(†)---(†)---(†)48.54(1.23)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196448.3(1.92)---(†)---(†)---(†)49.24(2.01)48.5(1.10)---(†)---(†)---(†)49.24(1.15)---(†)---(†)---(†)
 
196550.9(1.73)---(†)---(†)---(†)51.74(1.81)49.9(1.03)---(†)---(†)---(†)51.04(1.08)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196650.1(1.74)---(†)---(†)---(†)51.74(1.82)51.0(1.01)---(†)---(†)---(†)52.14(1.06)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196751.9(1.44)---(†)---(†)---(†)53.04(1.52)52.5(0.82)---(†)---(†)---(†)53.84(0.87)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196855.4(1.41)---(†)---(†)---(†)56.64(1.50)53.6(0.81)---(†)---(†)---(†)55.04(0.86)---(†)---(†)---(†)
196953.3(1.36)---(†)---(†)---(†)55.24(1.43)53.5(0.80)---(†)---(†)---(†)54.64(0.85)---(†)---(†)---(†)
 
197051.7(1.38)---(†)---(†)---(†)52.04(1.46)52.9(0.79)---(†)---(†)---(†)53.84(0.83)---(†)---(†)---(†)
197153.5(1.35)---(†)---(†)---(†)54.04(1.42)51.5(0.78)---(†)---(†)---(†)51.94(0.83)---(†)---(†)---(†)
197249.2(1.33)---(†)44.6(4.74)45.0(12.85)49.7(1.45)49.7(0.77)---(†)38.4(3.26)49.9(8.76)50.5(0.83)---(†)12.1(3.36)(†)
197346.6(1.31)---(†)32.5(4.40)54.1(11.89)47.8(1.43)47.8(0.76)---(†)41.4(2.68)48.8(7.04)48.2(0.83)---(†)6.8!(2.81)(†)
197447.6(1.30)---(†)47.2(4.69)46.9(11.79)47.2(1.42)48.3(0.75)---(†)40.5(2.69)53.1(6.72)48.7(0.82)---(†)8.3!(2.82)(†)
 
197550.7(1.29)---(†)41.7(4.81)58.0(11.14)51.1(1.40)49.1(0.75)---(†)44.5(2.78)52.7(6.44)49.1(0.82)---(†)(†)(†)
197648.8(1.33)---(†)44.4(4.94)52.7(10.52)48.8(1.45)50.1(0.75)---(†)45.3(2.78)53.6(6.18)50.3(0.82)---(†)(†)(†)
197750.6(1.30)---(†)49.5(4.70)50.8(10.43)50.8(1.42)49.9(0.75)---(†)46.8(2.73)48.8(6.18)50.1(0.83)---(†)(†)(†)
197850.1(1.29)---(†)46.4(4.55)42.0(11.06)50.5(1.42)50.0(0.75)---(†)47.5(2.69)46.1(6.14)50.4(0.82)---(†)(†)(†)
197949.3(1.29)---(†)46.7(4.73)45.0(10.37)49.9(1.42)49.6(0.75)---(†)45.2(2.65)46.3(6.32)50.1(0.82)---(†)(†)(†)
 
198049.3(1.31)---(†)42.7(4.48)52.3(11.39)49.8(1.44)50.8(0.75)---(†)44.0(2.64)49.6(6.25)51.5(0.83)---(†)7.5!(2.76)(†)
198153.9(1.31)---(†)42.7(4.48)52.1(10.73)54.9(1.45)51.3(0.76)---(†)40.3(2.53)48.7(6.13)52.4(0.84)---(†)12.2(2.66)(†)
198250.6(1.38)---(†)35.8(4.39)43.2(10.37)52.7(1.54)52.4(0.80)---(†)38.8(2.61)49.4(6.44)54.2(0.90)---(†)15.4(2.76)(†)
198352.7(1.41)---(†)38.2(4.41)54.2(11.69)55.0(1.57)52.8(0.81)---(†)38.0(2.50)46.7(6.16)55.5(0.90)---(†)17.5(2.66)(†)
198455.2(1.39)---(†)39.8(4.21)44.3(10.00)59.0(1.57)55.1(0.82)---(†)39.9(2.58)49.3(6.38)57.9(0.92)---(†)18.0(2.74)(†)
 
198557.7(1.47)---(†)42.2(4.86)51.0(9.79)60.1(1.64)55.5(0.83)---(†)39.5(2.59)46.1(5.20)58.6(0.93)---(†)19.1(2.75)12.5!(5.28)
198653.8(1.45)---(†)36.9(4.44)44.0(8.88)56.8(1.64)56.1(0.85)---(†)43.5(2.75)42.3(5.21)58.5(0.96)---(†)15.0(2.91)16.2!(5.30)
198756.8(1.48)---(†)52.2(4.90)33.5(8.28)58.6(1.68)56.5(0.85)---(†)44.2(2.69)45.0(5.06)58.8(0.96)---(†)14.6(2.86)13.8!(5.15)
198858.9(1.60)---(†)44.4(4.98)57.1(9.60)61.1(1.82)58.4(0.94)---(†)49.7(3.02)48.5(5.67)60.1(1.07)---(†)10.4!(3.20)11.6!(5.77)
198959.6(1.58)81.1(10.23)53.4(5.07)55.1(9.21)60.7(1.79)59.5(0.90)81.4(6.36)48.0(2.87)52.7(5.54)61.6(1.02)-19.8!(6.44)13.6(3.04)(†)
 
199060.1(1.60)81.7(8.12)46.8(5.08)42.7(10.82)63.0(1.80)60.7(0.92)81.4(6.36)48.9(2.97)52.5(5.70)63.0(1.04)-18.5!(6.44)14.0(3.14)(†)
199162.5(1.62)78.9(9.04)46.4(5.24)57.2(9.57)65.4(1.82)61.5(0.92)80.6(5.21)47.2(2.93)52.6(5.52)64.2(1.05)-16.3!(5.31)17.0(3.11)11.7!(5.62)
199261.9(1.58)81.7(7.00)48.2(4.91)55.0(8.50)64.3(1.84)62.3(0.92)80.9(4.58)50.0(2.97)58.2(5.04)64.2(1.06)-16.7(4.70)14.2(3.16)(†)
199362.6(1.59)86.2(6.63)55.6(5.27)62.2(8.21)62.9(1.86)62.1(0.91)82.5(4.30)51.3(2.96)55.7(4.97)63.9(1.04)-18.6(4.42)12.6(3.14)(†)
199461.9(1.54)78.3(8.55)50.8(5.20)49.1(9.00)64.5(1.74)62.1(0.89)82.2(4.25)52.4(2.97)55.0(4.63)64.0(1.03)-18.2(4.37)11.5(3.14)(†)
 
199561.9(1.41)83.0(6.94)51.2(4.22)53.7(4.94)64.3(1.65)63.0(0.81)82.7(4.47)52.9(2.40)51.6(3.19)65.4(0.94)-17.3(4.57)12.5(2.58)13.8(3.33)
199665.0(1.42)85.3(5.21)56.0(4.03)50.8(5.79)67.4(1.66)64.7(0.82)82.7(3.59)55.4(2.41)57.6(2.96)66.6(0.97)-16.0(3.72)11.3(2.60)9.0!(3.11)
199767.0(1.37)80.5(6.09)58.5(4.11)65.6(4.52)68.2(1.64)65.9(0.80)83.0(3.49)58.8(2.35)55.3(2.93)68.1(0.94)-15.0(3.62)9.3(2.53)12.8(3.08)
199865.6(1.38)85.5(5.71)61.9(4.04)47.4(4.92)68.5(1.61)65.2(0.80)83.8(3.28)59.8(2.31)51.9(2.79)67.7(0.94)-16.1(3.41)7.9!(2.49)15.7(2.94)
199962.9(1.38)78.3(5.73)58.9(3.85)42.3(4.76)66.3(1.63)64.0(0.80)81.1(3.40)58.6(2.31)47.4(2.84)66.8(0.94)-14.3(3.53)8.3!(2.50)19.5(2.99)
 
200063.3(1.41)81.0(6.29)54.9(4.10)52.9(5.03)65.7(1.66)62.7(0.82)81.3(3.44)56.4(2.33)48.6(2.96)65.4(0.96)-15.8(3.57)9.1(2.52)16.9(3.11)
200161.8(1.41)73.8(8.71)55.0(3.96)51.7(5.33)64.3(1.63)63.5(0.78)78.4(3.87)56.4(2.26)52.8(2.78)66.3(0.92)-12.0!(3.97)10.0(2.44)13.5(2.93)
200265.2(1.31)63.7(6.51)59.4(3.90)53.6(4.46)69.1(1.55)63.7(0.78)71.9(4.05)57.3(2.33)54.8(2.75)66.5(0.92)(†)9.3(2.50)11.7(2.90)
2003563.9(1.35)84.1(5.10)57.5(4.25)58.6(4.61)66.2(1.61)65.3(0.77)74.2(3.51)59.9(2.29)57.7(2.66)68.0(0.91)(†)8.1!(2.46)10.3(2.81)
2004566.7(1.31)75.6(6.13)62.5(3.77)61.8(4.76)68.8(1.57)66.4(0.77)81.6(3.37)58.8(2.34)57.7(2.60)69.4(0.91)-12.2(3.49)10.6(2.51)11.7(2.75)
 
2005568.6(1.31)86.7(5.99)55.7(4.15)54.0(4.18)73.2(1.52)67.1(0.76)80.9(3.64)58.2(2.35)57.5(2.52)70.2(0.90)-10.7!(3.75)12.0(2.52)12.6(2.67)
2006566.0(1.33)82.3(5.32)55.5(4.33)57.9(4.18)68.5(1.60)67.2(0.75)85.1(3.64)55.6(2.35)58.5(2.43)70.4(0.89)-14.7(3.74)14.7(2.51)11.9(2.59)
2007567.2(1.26)88.8(6.26)55.7(3.78)64.0(4.22)69.5(1.49)67.3(0.73)85.8(3.45)55.7(2.27)62.0(2.33)70.0(0.87)-15.8(3.56)14.3(2.43)8.0!(2.48)
2008568.6(1.21)88.4(5.08)55.7(3.78)63.9(3.72)71.7(1.44)68.6(0.71)90.1(3.01)60.3(2.15)62.3(2.25)70.8(0.86)-19.2(3.13)10.5(2.31)8.6(2.41)
2009570.1(1.23)92.1(3.90)69.5(3.51)59.3(3.80)71.3(1.53)68.9(0.70)88.1(2.85)62.4(2.09)60.9(2.14)71.2(0.86)-16.9(2.98)8.8(2.26)10.3(2.31)
 
2010568.1(1.49)84.7(5.27)62.0(4.81)59.7(4.18)70.5(1.68)68.8(0.71)87.4(2.78)66.1(2.01)62.3(2.01)70.1(0.90)-17.3(2.92)(†)7.8(2.21)
2011568.2(1.45)86.1(4.25)67.1(4.01)66.6(3.50)68.3(1.86)67.5(0.89)83.9(2.79)62.1(2.86)66.1(2.17)68.2(1.03)-15.7(2.97)6.1!(3.04)(†)
2012566.2(1.59)81.5(5.15)56.4(4.84)70.3(3.22)65.7(1.94)66.8(0.94)82.3(3.59)60.5(2.64)65.9(1.99)67.6(1.12)-14.7(3.76)7.1!(2.87)(†)
2013565.9(1.58)80.1(6.52)56.7(5.59)59.8(3.62)68.8(1.90)66.8(0.98)83.6(3.20)60.7(3.09)65.5(2.06)67.4(1.26)-16.2(3.44)6.7!(3.34)(†)
2014568.4(1.67)90.9(3.91)70.2(4.56)65.2(4.08)67.7(2.25)67.8(1.00)84.2(3.16)60.6(3.40)64.7(2.16)69.3(1.17)-14.9(3.37)8.8!(3.59)(†)
 
2015569.2(1.54)83.2(4.65)55.6(5.69)68.9(3.64)71.3(1.74)69.1(1.07)88.5(2.48)60.8(3.41)69.0(2.05)69.6(1.32)-18.9(2.81)8.8!(3.66)(†)
2016569.8(1.64)91.9(3.65)57.3(6.11)72.0(3.24)69.7(2.34)68.6(1.02)85.7(2.60)57.5(3.44)67.6(2.20)70.1(1.28)-15.7(2.90)12.6(3.67)(†)
2017566.7(1.68)82.7(5.20)59.4(4.79)61.0(3.98)69.1(2.09)68.6(1.00)82.0(2.96)60.7(2.86)66.5(2.19)69.9(1.23)-12.1(3.20)9.2!(3.11)(†)
2018569.1(1.62)73.6(5.64)64.5(4.37)65.4(3.59)70.9(1.93)67.4(1.04)82.1(3.01)58.1(2.76)63.4(2.13)69.3(1.26)-12.7(3.26)11.2(3.04)5.9!(2.48)
2019566.2(1.80)89.8(3.99)49.8(4.94)63.4(4.05)68.0(2.41)66.0(1.04)82.1(3.00)57.5(2.88)61.5(2.17)68.0(1.34)-14.1(3.29)10.5!(3.18)6.5!(2.55)
 
2020562.7(1.76)82.7(5.49)57.5(5.56)56.2(3.94)65.0(2.33)63.7(1.07)86.0(2.81)55.4(3.07)59.3(2.25)65.3(1.48)-20.7(3.18)9.9!(3.41)6.0!(2.69)
2021561.8(1.86)85.2(6.80)59.2(5.74)58.6(4.53)62.3(2.68)62.2(1.01)80.7(3.65)59.2(3.16)57.5(2.26)63.8(1.56)-16.9(3.96)(‡)6.3!(2.74)
2022562.0(2.06)74.5(7.55)60.9(6.26)58.0(4.47)64.0(2.63)61.9(1.30)79.5(5.00)60.1(4.26)58.3(3.10)63.2(1.93)-16.3(5.36)(‡)(‡)
 
2-year college
2017522.6(1.50)26.0(6.21)23.0(4.19)24.5(3.39)20.7(1.93)24.0(0.83)17.0(3.23)22.3(2.37)30.8(2.13)21.9(1.08)(†)(†)-8.9(2.39)
2018525.5(1.54)13.8!(4.63)22.2(4.19)33.9(3.76)23.2(1.87)23.3(0.90)19.4(3.23)21.7(2.57)28.5(2.06)21.2(1.18)(†)(†)-7.2!(2.37)
2019521.8(1.46)19.1!(5.78)19.9(4.38)26.0(3.60)19.8(2.01)22.4(0.87)13.0(2.56)21.1(2.59)30.0(2.05)19.8(1.11)6.8!(2.79)(†)-10.2(2.33)
2020519.9(1.71)(†)21.2(4.38)29.7(3.90)16.1(1.85)20.2(0.91)11.7(2.78)19.4(2.40)25.3(2.04)18.3(1.19)6.6!(3.03)(†)-7.0!(2.36)
2021518.5(1.50)9.3!(4.58)16.8(3.99)19.0(3.10)19.0(2.11)18.5(0.93)8.7(2.51)17.0(2.25)24.9(2.17)17.0(1.06)8.4!(2.73)(‡)-7.9(2.41)
2022516.9(1.38)11.4!(4.79)12.9(3.22)25.0(3.73)16.2(1.81)17.7(1.05)10.4!(3.39)14.8(2.51)22.0(2.48)17.5(1.33)(‡)(‡)-4.5(2.82)
 
4-year college or 
   university

































2017544.2(1.83)56.7(6.88)36.4(4.73)36.5(4.43)48.4(2.27)44.6(1.02)64.9(3.95)38.3(2.73)35.7(2.08)48.0(1.39)-16.9(4.19)9.7!(3.06)12.3(2.50)
2018543.6(1.76)59.8(6.56)42.3(4.61)31.5(3.52)47.6(2.38)44.0(1.02)62.7(4.17)36.4(2.88)35.0(2.06)48.1(1.38)-14.6!(4.39)11.7(3.19)13.1(2.48)
2019544.4(1.67)70.7(6.68)29.9(4.87)37.4(4.05)48.2(2.41)43.6(1.05)69.1(3.60)36.3(2.68)31.6(2.04)48.3(1.47)-20.9(3.89)11.9(3.05)16.7(2.51)
2020542.8(1.86)76.9(6.25)36.2(4.88)26.5(3.30)48.9(2.59)43.5(1.19)74.3(3.68)36.0(2.79)34.0(2.05)47.0(1.67)-27.3(4.04)11.0(3.26)13.0(2.65)
2021543.3(2.10)75.9(7.80)42.5(5.62)39.5(4.17)43.3(2.91)43.7(1.16)72.1(4.29)42.2(3.19)32.6(2.14)46.8(1.59)-25.2(4.57)(‡)14.2(2.66)
2022545.1(2.12)63.1(8.07)48.0(6.58)33.0(4.62)47.8(2.78)44.2(1.40)69.0(5.60)45.3(4.35)36.3(3.03)45.7(2.01)-23.4(5.95)(‡)9.4!(3.63)
---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. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
1High school completers are individuals ages 16 to 24 who graduated from high school or completed a GED or other high school equivalency credential. Enrollment in college as of October of each year for individuals ages 16 to 24 who had completed high school earlier in the calendar year.
2A 3-year moving average is a weighted average of the year indicated, the year immediately preceding, and the year immediately following. For the first and final years of available data, a 2-year moving average is used: The moving average for 1960 reflects an average of 1960 and 1961; for Black and Hispanic data, the moving average for 1972 reflects an average of 1972 and 1973; for Asian-only data, the moving average for 2003 reflects an average of 2003 and 2004; and the moving average for 2022 reflects an average of 2021 and 2022. Moving averages are used to produce more stable estimates.
3Prior to 2003, Asian data include Pacific Islanders.
4Prior to 1972, White data include persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
5After 2002, Asian, Black, and White data exclude persons of Two or more races. In 2002 and earlier years, each respondent could select only one race category.
NOTE: 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). Includes enrollment in 2-year colleges and in 4-year colleges and universities. 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. Totals include persons of other racial/ethnic groups not separately shown. Some data have been revised from previously published figures.
SOURCE: American College Testing Program, unpublished tabulations, derived from statistics collected by the Census Bureau, 1960 through 1969. U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 1970 through 2022. (This table was prepared August 2023.)

2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest