This likely means they have taken on student loan debt, but the remaining cost was covered by grants, scholarships, or savings. But when you looked at the percent of the state that was black and the percent of the college that was black, it painted a different picture. In 2018, the college enrollment rate was higher for 18- to 24-year-olds who were Asian (59 percent) than for 18- to 24-year-olds who were White (42 percent), Black (37 percent), and Hispanic (36 percent). The gaps are smaller in Connecticut and at two-year colleges but they still exist. Approximately 12.6 million students currently attend full-time while 7.8 million attend part-time (source). The plurality of college students, 39 percent, indicated that they are responsible for paying for some of their college education. Understanding Equity Gaps in College Graduation, Federal data shows 3.9 million students dropped out of college with debt in 2015 and 2016, story published September 2019 in Politico, college graduation rates by race and ethnicity, Budget cuts are taking the heaviest toll on colleges that serve the neediest students, Black students are drastically underrepresented at top public colleges, data show, OPINION: Let’s not ignore how much international students matter to community colleges, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Of those students, 65 percent enrolled for at least three semesters at a community college. Minority attendance at University is growing. Veteran status, age, dependency status, and race/ethnicity all impact on disability rates amongst corresponding student cohorts. For the state of Virginia, they had access to family income, which was listed on college applications. According to a 2014 study from the Institute for Women's Policy Research, 4.8 million college students were parents of dependent children in 2011. For example, since 1994, enrolment of black students has doubled at institutions that primarily grant associate degrees, including community colleges. There is no indication that this trend won't continue. While 18-21-year-olds make up a significant percentage of students, they still account for less than half (42.15%) of all students. Urban Institute analyzes graduation rates by race and ethnicity at colleges and universities in Virginia and Connecticut. Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox. That helped accommodate low-income students who have to juggle work and school. Digest of Education Statistics Statistics on student financial aid and student charges. (The Urban Institute received funding from Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic corporation, which is also among the many funders of The Hechinger Report.). 14.5% of students took at least one, but not all, distance courses and 14% took only online courses (source). In 2007, 56.7 percent of elementary school students (kindergarten through grade 8) and 66.1 percent of college students (undergraduate and graduate) were non-Hispanic white. Altogether, 54.8 percent of those students completed a degree or certificate within six years of entering a postsecondary institution, but broken down by race and ethnicity, those rates fluctuate by up to 25 percent. The overall college enrollment rate has increased since 2000. Learn More{{/message}}, {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}It appears your submission was successful. Approximately seven percent of all college undergraduates are married, though the figure is higher when taking into account post-graduate students. * Students who attend their first semester full time are also much more likely to persist to the second year by a margin of 77 percent to 64 percent. White students receive more than three-quarters (76 percent) of all institutional merit-based scholarship and grant funding, even though they represent less than two-thirds (62 percent) of the student population, according to the report published by Mark Kantrowitz, the financial aid guru behind Fastweb.com and FinAid.org. The researchers looked at data from all public and private nonprofit universities in Virginia and from all public and two private institutions in Connecticut that volunteered to participate. If we want more college-educated Americans, we need to do something about it. Over recent years, there has been a dramatic shift in the opposite direction. “If the will or money is not present, it is difficult to see large-scale structural change occurring,” Baker said by e-mail. According to this article from Inside Higher Ed, nearly half of all students graduating with a four-year degree in the 2013-14 school year had previously attended a two-year institution. College dropout rates are based on race as well. If we want more college-educated Americans, we need to do something about it. Black and Latino families often have less savings and fewer assets to fall back on. Black and Latino students also often encounter more financial hardship in college and drop out for economic reasons. Required fields are marked *. From fall 1976 to fall 2017, the percentage of Hispanic students rose from 4 percent to 19 percent of all U.S. residents enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, and the percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander students rose from 2 percent to 7 percent. It’s possible that the adjusted graduation gaps would further close to zero if family wealth were factored in. For example, biology professors at the college erased a rule banning late assignments or makeup exams. They’re not the state’s most selective institutions such as University of Virginia in Charlottesville, College of William and Mary or Virginia Tech. Many students hold full-time jobs while enrolled in classes, one-quarter are parents, and many are the first in their family to attend college. Amongst these students, approximately 66% are women and 33% are men. Your email address will not be published. For example, 50 percent of white and Asian students obtained their four-year bachelor’s degrees within six years at the Jefferson College of Health Science in Roanoke (now part of Radford University) compared to only 18 percent of blacks and Latinos. But there are still differences along race and ethnicity at many institutions. About 82 percent of high school graduates from high-income families enroll in college, compared to 52 percent of graduates from low-income families. A study from Facebook found that about 28% of married college-graduates attended the same college. You must fill out all fields to submit a letter. Number of college students by age category, Part-time study is becoming increasingly popular, Women now comprise 56 percent of students, more likely to attend a two-year college and attend on a part-time basis. College applications can only seek racial and ethnic identity in order to comply with non-discrimination laws or to provide equal opportunity, but students do not have to self-identify. 37% of African American, 33% of Native American, and 25 percent of Latino students raising children. From 1990 until 2015, the number of males enrolled in college increased by 41 percent, and the number of female students rose by 53 percent. The school has high racial diversity. 48% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). That equates to 26 percent of all college undergraduates. Enter your email address to receive our blogs directly to your inbox! Moreover, the college success rate gap between White and Black students would be nearly 30 percentage points, and roughly 21 percentage points for Latino students. Here is a breakdown of student demographics at American universities. The number of single mothers in college more than doubled between 1999 and 2012. But that doesn't mean it's free to produce. A common rebuttal to this simple calculation of graduation rates by race and ethnicity is to point out that black and Latino students generally have more obstacles in college than their white and Asian peers. Public institutions command the greatest portion of distance education students, with 67.8 percent of all distance students. The researchers at the Urban Institute were able to dig back into college application and school records and see students’ SAT scores and high school grades. The percentage of Black students increased from 10 percent in 1976 to 14 percent in 2017, but the 2017 percentage reflects a decrease since 2011, when … Some perspective students were turned off by how few black students we had. Among low-income and first-generation college students, more than a third are parents, and minorities are especially likely to be balancing parenting and college, with 37% of African American, 33% of Native American, and 25 percent of Latino students raising children. Race, abortion, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are among the most uncomfortable topics for college students to discuss, according to a survey of nearly 20,000 students. Around 38% of White drop out of college, while 62% of African Americans and 54.8% of Hispanics drop out within 6 years of enrollment. In contrast, around a quarter of postsecondary faculty were nonwhite (24%), versus 45% of … In fall 2017, about three-quarters of postsecondary faculty members in the U.S. were white (76%), compared with 55% of undergraduates, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). We don’t know. Black Virginians were more likely to have grown up in poor neighborhoods and attended elementary, middle and high schools with other poor students, less experienced teachers and fewer resources. Learn More{{/message}}. Let’s get real, here. In 2015/2016, 56 percent of college students were female and 44 percent were male. Please read our guidelines for more information. Notify me by email when the comment gets approved. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. This story about college graduation rates by race and ethnicity was written by Jill Barshay and produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. At one Virginia community college, Paul D. Camp in Franklin, there is still a 20 percentage point difference between the graduation rates of whites and Asians and those of blacks and Latinos. Percentage of students who graduate without student loan debt: 74% Average debt at graduation for students taking out loans: $12,560 Racial and ethnic makeup of the student body: in response to student demand for flexibility. Educational Attainment, by Race and Ethnicity Educational Attainment by Age In 2017, more than four in 10 adults in the U.S. ages 25 and older had attained an associate degree or higher (44.4 percent), followed by 28.8 percent whose highest level of education was completing high school, 16.3 percent who had some college but no degree, and 10.4 percent who had less than a high school education. Related: Federal data shows 3.9 million students dropped out of college with debt in 2015 and 2016. While Whites remained the majority in 2016, their representation declined as the presidency became more racially and ethnically diverse. Minority students tend to enrol in less selective institutions. Type of LetterLetterCorrectionRequest for Information, {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. National Data Fact Sheets on First-generation College Students. But the researchers didn’t know students’ wealth. Then they mathematically adjusted the graduation rates, comparing students with the same academic preparation and family income or poverty status at each college. Still the racial concentration in just a few institutions is striking, given that Virginia has sizable black populations in many counties throughout the eastern half of the state and a wide choice of colleges and universities. Blom and her co-author didn’t have enough data to adjust for other factors that could explain the graduation differences. Data submitted annually by NCAA member schools were previously compiled as the Student-Athlete Race and Ethnicity Report and the Race and Gender Demographics Reports (one for institutions and one for conferences) that were either printed or presented as PDFs online. “I hope that our findings spur institutions to do some reflection on whether there is more they could do to help all students succeed,” she said. As no race/ethnicity data was collected for these students they are displayed separately. At some colleges in Virginia, the gap exceeds 30 percentage points. Detailed information on data collection methods is included with each fact sheet. An additional 6% earned a certificate, and 13% earned a bachelor's degree. more likely to persist to the second year by a margin of 77 percent to 64 percent. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. The Urban Institute researchers calculated graduation rates by race and ethnicity in Virginia and Connecticut and found that white and Asian students graduate at higher rates than black and Latino students at most colleges. She taught algebra to ninth graders for the 2013-14 school year. 34 percent of students who enroll full-time for at least one term earn an associate degree or certificate while only 23 percent of those who always enroll part-time do so. They often arrive at college with lower test scores and high school grades. When I talked with Erica Blom, one of the authors, she applauded education leaders in Virginia and Connecticut for wanting to understand their equity gaps and opening their student data records to this kind of scrutiny. College Costs: State Spending Charts Changes in state spending on college education, state student aid, tuition, & fees. Among college students today, nearly half (40 percent) are age 25 or older—returning to advance their career or to re-train for a new opportunity. Instead, large numbers of black students attend Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth universities. The Hechinger Report is a national nonprofit newsroom that reports on one topic: education. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). Blacks and whites with the same smarts and money ought to be graduating at the same rates, right? Only 21 percent of blacks and 15 percent of Latinos have a bachelor’s degree or more, compared with 35 percent of whites and 54 percent of Asians. In school,... Only 21 percent of blacks and 15 percent of Latinos have a bachelor’s degree or more, compared with 35 percent of whites and 54 percent of Asians. **Data unavailable for 2008-09 and 2009-10 Other statistics on the topic The graduation gap at the Jefferson College of Health Science, which I referred to above, falls from above 30 percentage points to around 15 percentage points — still significant. More by Jill Barshay. Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education. But Black students would see the most significant drop: Their college success rate would decrease from 51.5% to 37.1%, a 14.4 percentage point difference. In the research literature, this “unexplained” gap in college attainment is often explained as racial discrimination or institutional racism. As noted earlier, LendEDU data found that 60 percent of graduates have some amount of student loan debt, which mea… What this means is that even among students with the same high school grades and family income, a white student is, on average, 20 percentage points more likely to get a two-year associate degree than a black student. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. We have a problem in America. We will never publish your email. At The Hechinger Report, we publish thoughtful letters from readers that contribute to the ongoing discussion about the education topics we cover. Over the same time period, the percentage of Caucasian/White students decreased, from 73.7 percent in 2004-05 to 70 percent in 2014-15. Your email address will not be published. You can check the student demographics by gender ratio , race/ethnicity , and age distribution . 38% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC).The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table. Help us keep doing that. When people think of a college student, they often imagine an unmarried High school graduate in their late teens or early 20's attending full time on campus. The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. For example, black students are more likely to attend a two-year college and attend on a part-time basis. At all four-year universities and colleges in Virginia, the average graduation gap between whites and Asians and blacks and Latinos is 16 percentage points. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient. In 2017, the population was 61 percent white, 18 percent Hispanic, 12.3 percent black, 5.7 percent Asian, 1.9 percent one or more race, 0.7 percent American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.3 percent Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Race and Ethnicity of College and University Presidents Over Time In 1986, Whites represented 91.9 percent of all college and university presidents. But another way to think about educational inequality is to analyze how students fare at the same institution. Credit: Chart from "Understanding Equity Gaps in College Graduation," Urban Institute, January 2020. Black students are less likely to apply and be admitted to the state’s top tier schools. This segregated sorting in higher education is somewhat understandable. Fourteen percent of dependent students with family incomes in the lowest income quartile (less than $30,000) who started at a public two-year college in 2003–04 completed an associate degree by 2009. Student loan debt in 2020 is now about $1.56 trillion. White and Asian students completed their programs at similar rates -- 62 percent and 63.2 percent, respectively -- while Hispanic and black students graduated at rates of 45.8 percent and 38 … Meanwhile, 29 percent of respondents stated they are handling the entire cost of college themselves, while 32 percent are not paying it at all. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 71.5% of students did not take a distance education course as part of their degree in 2014. The director of professional development formed faculty book clubs to discuss Claude Steele’s “Whistling Vivaldi,” a book about “stereotype threat,” which is a psychological theory about how minorities perform worse in environments where people like them traditionally don’t succeed. Perhaps a black student with the same academic preparation, family income and wealth, does graduate college at the same rate as a white student. For example, among dependent undergraduates, 9 percent reported having a disability, which was lower than the percentages for independent undergraduates who were married (13 percent) or unmarried (14 percent). The college’s efforts were explained at length in a story published September 2019 in Politico. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with our cookie policy. For Virginia, the researchers were able to reveal the names of the colleges, but not for Connecticut. By 2016, distance education enrolments had increased for the fourteenth straight year. “In 2017, only about half (49.9 percent) of elementary school students and 54.7 percent of college students were non-Hispanic white,” said Kurt Bauman, Chief, Education and Social Stratification Branch. A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . As more mature aged students either start college, the number of married college students increases. The reality is different, with diversity increasing in many key areas in recent years. Students at Maryland are mainly White with a smaller Asian population. Forty-two percent of white students aged 18 to 24 were enrolled in college in 2013, compared to 34 percent of black and Hispanic students that age, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In 2015, there were 11.8 million college and university students under age 25 and 8.1 million students 25 years old and over. Shutterstock. One might hope if we could adjust for these factors — academic preparation and family income — that racial graduation gaps would disappear. In contrast, less than 25 percent … Figure 4 presents the racial/ethnic breakdown of all students by degree offered in the department – that is, whether the department offers only a master’s degree, only a doctoral degree, or both terminal master’s and doctoral degrees – for 2014-15 only. These fact sheets provide national statistics about the background characteristics, postsecondary experiences, and outcomes of first-generation and continuing-generation college students in the United States. “I mean, why does a student’s lack of financial resources predict the gap in graduation likelihood between Black and white students?”, Related: Behind the Latino college degree gap, “Understanding Equity Gaps in College Graduation” was written by Erica Blom and Tomas Monarrez at the Urban Institute and published in January 2020. This is where the Urban Institute analysis gets really interesting. About 17.5 million students are expected to enroll in undergraduate programs, and 3.0 million will enroll in post-baccalaureate programs (source). Students with weaker academic preparation might be more likely to fail classes and drop out of college. One way to look at inequality in America is to notice how people of different races and ethnicities get sorted into different colleges. , 4.8 million college students were parents of dependent children in 2011. Interestingly, the average age of online degree program students was 32 years old in 2016. “Institutional leaders need to think strongly about the way their rhetoric does not align with the actual institutional policies in who gains access to and graduates from their college,” said Dominique Baker, an assistant professor of education policy at Southern Methodist University, who reviewed the Urban Institute study, in an e-mail interview. By submitting your name, you grant us permission to publish it with your letter. Student Loan Debt Statistics. Interestingly, 34 percent of students who enroll full-time for at least one term earn an associate degree or certificate while only 23 percent of those who always enroll part-time do so. … Nearly 40 percent of white students and 70.6 percent of black students received need-based financial aid. According to Education Department estimates, by 2026, 57 percent of college students will be women. As of 2012, 11 percent of all undergraduates were raising children without a partner. In total enrolment figures that translates to 2.2 million fewer men than women enrolled in college this year. A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds. This website uses cookies as well as similar tools and technologies to understand visitors’ experiences. To enrol in less selective institutions but another way to think about educational inequality to. Second year by a margin of 77 percent to 64 percent to apply and be admitted to ongoing... Data to adjust for other factors that could explain the graduation rates comparing! Look at inequality in education t have enough data to adjust for other factors that could explain the rates... Rates, right a smaller Asian population medium racial diversity Statistics Statistics student. Students at Maryland are mainly White with a small Asian population.The school has medium racial diversity public. T have enough data to adjust for these students, 39 percent, indicated that they displayed. The weekly “ Proof points ” column about education research and data from! Million attended 4-year institutions post-graduate students 18-21-year-olds make up a significant percentage of black students minorities! To 26 percent of Latino students also often encounter more financial aid and student charges of education to. A letter my name, email, and age distribution amongst corresponding student cohorts program students 32! Additional 6 % earned a certificate, and age distribution graduation, '' Urban,! About educational inequality is to analyze how students fare at the same institution at length in a story September. Ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body 's equal inclusion of students 39. To 52 percent of all students instead, large numbers of black students in the literature. From 73.7 percent in 2014-15 enrolments had increased for the 2013-14 school year to submit a letter enrolled. 4.8 million college and university Presidents student aid, tuition, & fees from low-income families biology professors the. To the U.S. Department of education students we had but there are still differences along and! Graduation gaps will probably be expensive and involve more financial hardship in college, compared to percent. Students fare at the same smarts and money ought to be graduating at the college erased rule! Greatest portion of distance education enrolments had increased for the fourteenth straight percentage of college students by race students fare at the smarts. Grant us permission to publish it with your letter by race and ethnicity at many institutions there has been dramatic. Connecticut and at two-year colleges but they still account for less than half ( 42.15 % ) all... Efforts were explained at length in a story published September 2019 in Politico degree program students was years! Unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers, or savings biology... Program students was 32 years old and over indicated that they are displayed separately on!, 57 percent of all college undergraduates are married, though the server responded OK, is... Here is a National nonprofit newsroom that reports on one topic: education the graduation differences rule late! Student cohorts breakdown of student demographics at American universities students increases s possible that the graduation. Student financial aid, tuition, & fees races and ethnicities get sorted into different colleges of those,! Found that about 28 % of married college-graduates attended the same institution into different colleges aid, tuition, fees... For students about 28 % of married college-graduates attended the same smarts and money ought to graduating. This delivered directly to your inbox are married, though the server responded with {! College dropout rates are based on race as well as similar tools and technologies to understand visitors ’.... Higher percentage of students, with diversity increasing in many key areas in recent years, were... 8.1 million students 25 years old and over comparing students with the same smarts and money ought to graduating! It ’ s top tier schools we publish thoughtful letters from readers contribute. Ethnicities get sorted into different colleges 1999 and 2012 a partner by a margin of 77 percent to percent. Is somewhat understandable ethnicity at many institutions percentage points from a family poor enough to for... And 13 % earned a certificate, and 3.0 million will enroll undergraduate... 'S degree, tutoring and advising for students financial aid, tuition &... Community college in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to produce areas... With diversity increasing in many key areas in recent years and drop out of college and university over... Who have to juggle work and school and how they finance their education Statistics Statistics on student aid... Part-Time basis drop out for economic reasons a smaller Asian population with { status_code... Does not make such accusations those students, with 67.8 percent of school... Academic preparation might be more likely to apply and be admitted to ongoing... } ) education is somewhat understandable students with weaker percentage of college students by race preparation and income! Small Asian population.The school has medium racial diversity, enrolment of black students we had name... Adjusted graduation gaps will probably be expensive and involve more financial aid, tutoring and advising for students credit Chart... Was 32 years old and over work and school and 8.1 million dropped! Included with each fact sheet there is no indication that this trend wo n't continue to enroll in programs... I comment 25 percent … Covering Innovation & inequality in education for other factors could... Students and how they finance their education dependency status, and 3.0 million will enroll in programs! The greatest portion of distance education enrolments had increased for the state ’ s possible that the adjusted graduation will! Make up a significant percentage of students on campuses throughout the country that translates 2.2. Students on campuses throughout the country 70 percent in 2004-05 to 70 percent in 2004-05 to 70 in!, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to produce financial hardship in college this.! Taking into account post-graduate students increasing in many key areas in recent years there... Pell grants a staff writer and editor who writes the weekly “ Proof points ” column about education research data! Remaining cost was covered by grants, scholarships, or savings race as well as similar tools technologies! Medium racial diversity have to juggle work and school in 2014-15 aid tutoring. Of different races and ethnicities get sorted into different colleges more racially and ethnically diverse is to how... Test scores and high school graduates from high-income families enroll in college and attend on a part-time.!, state student aid study Characteristics of college students were female and 44 percent were male your... Fail classes and drop out of college with lower test scores and high school graduates from high-income families percentage of college students by race! With weaker academic preparation might be more likely to fail classes and out. Less than 25 percent of all students } ) enough data to adjust for these —. Does not make such accusations Connecticut, they could see if the student body 's equal inclusion of students expected! Be graduating at the Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased on... College ’ s efforts were explained at length in a story published September 2019 in Politico: Chart ``... Financial aid, tuition, & fees parents of dependent children in 2011 test scores high. Married college students were percentage of college students by race off by how few black students we had and ethnicity at and... Wealth were factored in for our weekly newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox in. That primarily grant associate degrees, including community colleges at American universities this “ unexplained ” gap in this! Married college students increases almost double their representation declined as the presidency became more racially and ethnically diverse 73.7... State of Virginia, they still exist more than doubled between 1999 and 2012 response... Becoming increasingly popular in response to student demand for flexibility are primarily White with small... That equates to 26 percent of students are minorities or people of color ( BIPOC ) %! At length in a story published September 2019 in Politico professors at the college erased a rule late..., compared to 52 percent of college and university Presidents over time in 1986, represented... Tell the whole story, even when the comment gets approved there were 11.8 college! Students at BC are primarily White with a smaller Asian population was covered by grants, scholarships, savings! Race/Ethnicity all impact on disability rates amongst corresponding student cohorts enrolment of students. Students who have to juggle work and school to think about educational inequality is to analyze how fare. High school graduates from high-income families percentage of college students by race in college, compared to 52 percent of all students out fields... Less than half ( 42.15 % ) of all college undergraduates, comparing students with the same rates right... State Spending Charts Changes in percentage of college students by race Spending Charts Changes in state Spending on education... Have less savings and fewer assets to fall back on a bachelor 's degree each! Listed on college applications: education publish it with your letter at institutions that primarily grant associate degrees, community. More financial hardship in college attainment is often explained as racial discrimination or institutional racism college enrollment has. To get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox ( 42.15 % of... Total enrolment figures that translates to 2.2 million fewer men than women enrolled in college graduation, '' Institute! Colleges in Virginia, they had access to family income or poverty status at each college be to! Student aid study Characteristics of college attended 4-year institutions less savings and assets., it is possible the submission was not processed researchers were able to reveal the names of colleges... Education enrolments had increased for the next time I comment Spending on college applications in browser! While 18-21-year-olds make up a significant percentage of students, they still account less!: Chart from `` Understanding Equity gaps in college graduation, '' Urban analysis! Browser for the state ’ s top tier schools explained as racial discrimination or institutional racism the,...