Higher Ed Spotlight - Higher Education Today

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to inform public dialogue about how students access higher education and whether or not they are successful. Institution
Higher Ed Spotlight

Basic Facts About U.S. Higher Education Today In today’s society, a postsecondary education is critical to good citizenship, individual opportunity, and national competitiveness. Higher education in the United States comprises thousands of institutions that serve a wide diversity of students and an equally wide variety of academic preparation levels. As the demand for higher education grows, unpacking this diversity has become important to inform public dialogue about how students access higher education and whether or not they are successful.

Institutions, Students, and Degree Production

Student Outcomes

Increases from 2002 to 2012

Students obtaining an undergraduate degree or certificate, or are still enrolled after 6 years at any institution

4,726 institutions currently offer postsecondary degrees

21 million

people are attending college

up

degrees and certificates are awarded annually

up

up

13%

31% 31% 24%

4.7 million

53%

24%

Still enrolled

10%

Completion at Different Institution Completion at Same Institution

15%

14% 59%

15% 13%

Remediation Rate

19%

13%

51%

Students taking at least one remedial course after enrolling

43%

13% 9%

13%

33% 26%

First-Year Dropout Rate

College freshmen not returning for their second year at any institution

Highly Mobile Learners

Students graduating from an institution different than their starting institution

Private nonprofit 4-year

Public 4-year

Widespread Payoffs of College Education

Compared with those with a high school credential only, college-educated adults are:

earning more

more likely to work

more likely to more likely to participate in have healthy civic activities habits

less likely to rely on public assistance

VOTE SOURCES: Baum, Sandy, and Jennifer Ma. 2014. Trends in College Pricing 2014. New York: The College Board. Baum, Sandy, Diane Cardenas Elliott, and Jennifer Ma. 2014. Trends in Student Aid 2014. New York: The College Board. Baum, Sandy, Jennifer Ma, and Kathleen Payea. 2013. Education Pays 2013: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society. New York: The College Board. National Center for Education Statistics. National Postsecondary Student Aid Study 2011–12. National Center for Education Statistics. 2014. Digest of Education Statistics. National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. 2014. Persistence and Retention–Snapshot Report, Spring 2014. http://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/SnapshotReport14-PersistenceRetention-.pdf. Shapiro, Doug, Afet Dundar, Mary Ziskin, Xin Yuan, and Autumn Harrell. 2013. Completing College: A National View of Student Attainment Rates. Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Analysis by Mikyung Ryu

National average

Public 2-year

Private for-profit 4-year

Profile of College Students Typical undergraduates are no longer 18-year-olds straight out of high school.

74%

Post-traditional learners* on U.S. campuses today * Post-traditional learners are diverse, and include those who delayed entry to college after high school, obtained an alternative high school credential such as the GED® credential, studied part time at the start, were financially independent, had children, were single parents, or worked full time while enrolled. These characteristics are known to adversely affect college persistence and completion. American Council on Education © 2015