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Table 17. Percentage of high school completers who were enrolled in 2- or 4-year colleges in the October immediately following high school completion, by sex and level of institution: Selected years, 1980 through 2009
 
Year Total   Male   Female
Total 2-year 4-year   Total 2-year 4-year   Total 2-year 4-year
1980 1 49.3 19.4 29.9   46.7 17.1 29.7   51.8 21.6 30.2
1985 1 57.7 19.6 38.1   58.6 19.9 38.8   56.8 19.3 37.5
1990 60.1 20.1 40.0   58.0 19.6 38.4   62.2 20.6 41.6
1995 61.9 21.5 40.4   62.6 25.3 37.4   61.3 18.1 43.2
2000 63.3 21.4 41.9   59.9 23.1 36.8   66.2 20.0 46.2
                       
2001 61.7 19.7 42.0   59.7 18.6 41.1   63.6 20.7 42.9
2002 65.2 21.7 43.5   62.1 20.5 41.7   68.3 23.0 45.3
2003 63.9 21.5 42.5   61.2 21.9 39.3   66.5 21.0 45.5
2004 66.7 22.4 44.2   61.4 21.8 39.6   71.5 23.1 48.5
2005 68.6 24.0 44.6   66.5 24.7 41.8   70.4 23.4 47.0
                       
2006 66.0 24.7 41.3   65.8 24.9 40.9   66.1 24.5 41.7
2007 67.2 24.1 43.1   66.1 22.7 43.4   68.3 25.5 42.8
2008 68.6 27.7 40.9   65.9 24.9 41.0   71.6 30.6 40.9
2009 70.1 27.7 42.4   66.0 25.1 40.9   73.8 30.1 43.8
1 In 1980 and 1985, due to a skip pattern in the Current Population Survey (CPS), about 3–9 percent of high school completers ages 16–24 who immediately enrolled in college were not asked the question about the level of institution attended. Such respondents were assumed to have had the same probability of enrolling in a 2- or 4-year institution as those who were asked the question.
NOTE: Includes high school completers ages 16–24, who accounted for about 98 percent of all high school completers in a given year. The Current Population Survey (CPS) questions about educational attainment were reworded in 1992. Before then, high school completers referred to those who had completed 12 years of schooling; since 1992, the term has referred to those who have received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October Supplement, selected years, 1980–2009.