U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

NCES 2017-008 AUGUST 2017

Change in Number and

Types of Postsecondary

Institutions: 2000 to 2014

This Data Point uses data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). IPEDS is an annual data collection of all postsecondary institutions in the United States and outlying territories that participate in Title IV federal student financial aid programs. This Data Point 

presents IPEDS data for U.S. undergraduate institutions in 2000 and 2014, examining changes in institutions overall and among institutions that 

offer subbaccalaureate occupational education (i.e., programs that can be considered career and technical education; see figure 2 note).

The number of postsecondary 

institutions was higher in 2014 

than in 2000, particularly among 

institutions that offer subbaccalaureate occupational education. 

In 2000, there were 6,479 postsecondary institutions overall in the United 

States; this number increased to 

7,151 institutions in 2014, an increase 

of 10 percent (figure 1). Over this 

same time period, the number of institutions that offer subbaccalaureate 

education increased from 4,675 to 

5,590, an increase of 20 percent. 

Because of the relatively large growth 

in institutions that offer subbaccalaureate occupational education, the percentage of all institutions that offer 

subbaccalaureate occupational education increased from 72 percent in 2000 

to 78 percent in 2014 (not in figures). 

FIGURE 1. Number of postsecondary institutions overall and of institutions that offer 

subbaccalaureate occupational education, by institution control: 2000 and 2014 

NOTE: Counts for intervening years are not shown in figure. Counts for even-numbered years from 2000 to 2014 are found at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/tables/

P140.asp and https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/tables/P141.asp. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Institutional Characteristics 

(IC) and Completions components, 2000–01 and 2014–15.

To learn more about IPEDS, visit https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds. For questions about content or to 

view this report online, go to https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2017008.
Change in Number and Types of Postsecondary Institutions: 2000 to 2014

Among institutions overall, 

growth was restricted to the 

for-profit sector. 

From 2000 to 2014, the number of forprofit institutions increased from 2,445 to 

3,360, a 37 percent increase (figure 1). 

At the same time, the number of public 

and private nonprofit institutions declined 

from 2,084 to 1,964 and from 1,950 to 

1,827, respectively, a 6 percent decline 

in each sector. Thus, from 2000 to 2014, 

the percentage of all institutions that 

were for-profit institutions increased from 

38 to 47 percent (figure 2). 

Growth among institutions 

offering subbaccalaureate 

occupational education also 

resulted from growth in the 

for-profit sector. 

As for institutions overall, the growth 

from 2000 to 2014 in the number of 

institutions offering subbaccalaureate occupational education resulted 

from growth in the number of forprofit institutions. Over this period, 

the number of for-profit institutions 

that offered subbaccalaureate occupational education increased from 

2,177 to 3,193, a 47 percent increase, 

while the number of public and private 

nonprofit institutions declined, respectively, from 1,659 to 1,615 (a 3 percent 

decrease) and from 839 to 782 (a 

7 percent decrease) (figure 1). As a 

result, for-profit institutions increased 

from 47 percent of all institutions that 

offered subbaccalaureate occupational 

education in 2000 to 57 percent in 

2014 (figure 2). 

FIGURE 2. Percentage distribution of postsecondary institutions overall and of postsecondary 

institutions that offer subbaccalaureate occupational education, by institution control: 2000 

and 2014 

NOTE: Occupational education includes agriculture and natural resources; business management and support; communication and design; computer and information sciences; construction; consumer services; education; engineering, architecture, and science technologies; health sciences; manufacturing; marketing; mechanics and repair; 

protective services; public, legal, and social services; and transportation. Percentages in figure were calculated from the counts found at https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/

tables/P140.asp and https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ctes/tables/P141.asp.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Institutional Characteristics 

(IC) and Completions components, 2000–01 and 2014–15.

This National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Data Point presents 

information on education topics of current interest. It was authored by Lisa 

Hudson of NCES. Because IPEDS is a census data collection, no statistical 

tests were performed. In the design, conduct, and data processing of all 

NCES data collections, efforts are made to minimize effects of nonsampling 

errors, such as item nonresponse, measurement error, data processing 

error, or other systematic error.