National Center for Education Statistics Releases 2009 'Condition of Education' Report

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) recently posted the 34th annual "Condition of Education" report for 2009. The report highlights the persisting college access gap between White students and Black, Hispanic and Indian/Alaska Native students. The report also detailed financial aid awarded by different types of institutions and the work habits of today's students.

Persisting Gaps

The following was the percentage of students in the 4,339 public and private (both not-for-profit and for-profit) 2- and 4-year degree granting institutions:

64 percent of college students were White
13 percent were Black
11 percent were Hispanic
7 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander
1 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native
3 percent were nonresident alien students

The percentage of minorities attending 2-year institutions was higher than those at 4-year institutions. The percentage of students at for-profit institutions who were White (53 percent) was lower than the percentages of students who were White at public and not-for-profit 2- and 4-year institutions (from 61 to 70 percent). In contrast, the percentage of students at for-profit institutions who were Black (26 percent) was higher than the percentages of students who were Black at public and not-for-profit 2- and 4-year institutions (from 11 to 19 percent).

In addition:

52 percent of White students attended institutions where more than 75 percent of the enrollment was White
13 percent of Black students attended colleges where they made up 75 percent or more of the enrollment
6 percent of Hispanic students attended colleges where they constituted 75 percent or more of the enrollment
8 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students attended colleges where they made up 75 percent or more of the total enrollment

Financial Aid

Seventy-three percent of undergraduates participated in some type of financial aid program, including federal, state/local, and institutional grants, and student loans, according to the report. The percentage of undergraduates receiving financial aid was:

85 percent at private not-for-profit institutions
70 percent at public institutions
69 percent for-profit institutions

Among undergraduates at public institutions, the percentage receiving aid was lower at 2-year institutions (61 percent) than at public 4-year institutions (75 percent). In contrast, 55 percent of undergraduates at for-profit 4-year institutions received financial aid, compared with 89 percent at for-profit 2-year institutions."

Not-for-profit institutions awarded a higher average of financial aid for full-time, first-time undergraduates than at public institutions. In 2006-07, the average federal grant was:

$3,841 at not-for-profit institutions
$3,214 at public institutions
$2,878 at for-profit institutions

The average award for state/local grants was higher at not-for-profit institutions ($3,444) than at public institutions ($2,404) and for-profit institutions ($2,565). The average award for student loans at for-profit institutions ($6,747) was higher than the average award at both not-for-profit institutions ($5,750) and public institutions ($4,232).

Average financial aid awards for full-time, first-time undergraduates were higher in 2006-07 than in 2000-01, after adjustment for inflation. The average award for institutional aid was 19 percent higher in 2006-07 than in 2000-01, compared with the smaller increases of 8 percent for federal grants and 65 percent for state grants (see table A-45-2). The average student loan amount was 14 percent higher in 2006-07 than in 2000-01.

Working Students

The percentage of full time college students aged 16-24working has increased from 34 to 52 percent between 1970 and 2000. That percentage has fluctuated between 46 and 69 percent between 2001 and 2007.

The number of hours worked per week has also increased. The percentage of students working at least 20 hours per week increased between 1970 and 2000 and then remained relatively steady through 2007. Ten percent of full-time students worked 20-34 hours per week, and 4 percent worked 35 or more hours per week compared to 22 percent and 9 percent in 2007. Eighty-one percent of part-time college students were employed in 2007 with little change compared to 1970. There is however a decrease in hours worked; with the percentage of students working 35 or more hours per week decreasing from 60 to 46 percent between 1970 and 2007.

Completion

The number of post secondary degrees conferred at private and public institutions has increased for each type of degree between 1996-97 and 2006-07, but at different rates. The percentage increases were larger for associates, bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees at for private for-profit institutions than for public and private not-for-profit institutions. Private for-profit institutions making up 16 percent of all associate's degrees awarded in 2006-07.

Associate degrees conferred by institution type from 1996-97 to 2006-07:

Private for-profit institutions increased from 56,600 to 117,800 degrees
Public institutions increased from 465,500 to 566,500 degrees
Private not-for-profit institutions decreased from 49,200 to 43,800 degrees

Associate degrees conferred by institution type from 1996-97 to 2006-07:

Private for-profit institutions increased from 12,100 to 70,800 degrees
Public institutions increased from 776,700 to 975,500 degrees
Private not-for-profit institutions increased from 384,100 to 477,800 degrees

The report found there were 351,200 more bachelor's degrees awarded in 2006-07 than in 1996-97, leading to 1.5 million bachelor's degrees awarded that year - a 30 percent increase.

About 57 percent of all bachelor's degrees conferred in 2006-07 were awarded to females, according to the report. Females also accounted for the majority of associates degrees with 62 percent in 2006-07.

The report also found there were 605,000 master degrees awarded for the 2006-07 year More than 50 percent were concentrated in the fields of education (29 percent) and business (25 percent). There were 185,000 (44 percent) more master's degrees awarded in 2006-07 than in 1996-97. Females held the majority of master's degree with 61 percent.

There were 60,600 doctoral degrees awarded for the 2006-07 year, according to the report. There was a 32 percent increase of 14,700 more doctoral degrees being awarded in 2006-06 than in 1996-97. Females grasped 50 percent or half of the doctoral degrees awarded.

Posted 06/02/09 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.