NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

E.D. Tabs October 1998

Fall Enrollment in

Postsecondary Institutions, 1996

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Educational Research and Improvement NCES 1999-239
iii

HIGHLIGHTS

Enrollment in All Postsecondary Institutions

This report focuses on degree-granting postsecondary institutions that were eligible for

Title IV federal financial aid in 1996, rather than on postsecondary institutions that were

accredited at the college level by an agency recognized by the Secretary, U.S.

Department of Education (ED). Among postsecondary institutions, almost 9 percent

more were degree-granting eligible institutions in 1996 than were accredited higher

education institutions in 1995. This difference in the number of institutions translates

into a difference in total enrollment of about 0.5 percent in 1996. For more information

on the change in universe definition, please see the introduction to the report and the

Methodology section.

P In the fall of 1996, 14.8 million students were enrolled in the nation’s 6,404

postsecondary institutions that were eligible for Title IV financial aid. Of these, 97

percent were enrolled in degree-granting institutions, that is, institutions that award at

least an associate’s degree (table 1-1).

P Of the U.S. citizens and resident aliens who were enrolled in any eligible

postsecondary institution, 73.5 percent were white, non-Hispanic; 11.1 percent were

black, non-Hispanic; 8.6 percent were Hispanic; 5.9 percent were Asian or Pacific

Islander; and 1.0 percent were American Indian or Alaskan Native (table 1-2).

P Minority students represented a higher proportion of students in non-degree-granting

postsecondary institutions than in degree-granting institutions (table 1-2).

Enrollment in Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions

P Black students composed 11.0 percent of undergraduates but only 7.2 percent of firstprofessional and 7.2 percent of graduate students. Hispanics composed 8.8 percent of

undergraduates but only 4.7 percent of first-professional and 4.2 percent of graduate

students (table 1-3). Asians, on the other hand, accounted for 10.5 percent of firstprofessional students, although they composed only 5.8 percent of all students.

P Women composed the majority of all students in degree-granting institutions (55.8

percent) in 1996 as well as the majority of undergraduate (56.0 percent) and graduate

(56.4 percent) students (table 1-4). However, women made up only 42.1 percent of

first-professional students.

Types of Institutions

P Among all students, 77.4 percent attended public degree-granting institutions in 1996

(table 2-1). Of undergraduates, 80.6 percent attended public institutions, as did 61.3

percent of graduate students. However, only 39.1 percent of first-professional

students attended public institutions.
iv

P The majority of students (61.3 percent) attended 4-year institutions, as did more than

half of all undergraduates (54.9 percent) (figure 2-1). However, among

undergraduates attending public institutions, more than half (53.5 percent) attended

2-year institutions. Among students attending private institutions, 92.3 percent

attended 4-year institutions, as did 89.6 percent of undergraduates.

P Private institutions were less likely to enroll minority students and more likely to

enroll nonresident aliens than were public institutions when both undergraduate and

postbaccalaureate students are considered (table 2-2).

P Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian undergraduates were more likely to attend

public institutions (ranging from 83.7 percent for Asians to 88.0 percent for

American Indians) than were white and black undergraduates (79.9 percent and 80.2

percent, respectively) (table 2-3). In addition, while the majority of white, black,

and Asian undergraduates attended 4-year institutions (ranging from 53.2 percent for

blacks to 56.9 percent for whites), only 39.1 percent of Hispanic and 44.5 percent of

American Indian undergraduates attended 4-year institutions.

Attendance Status

P Overall, 59.2 percent of undergraduate students, 89.6 percent of first-professional

students, and 42.3 percent of graduate students attended school full time (table 3-1).

P Over three-fourths of undergraduates in private institutions and in 4-year institutions

attended school full time (table 3-1). This compares with 54.6 percent of

undergraduates in public institutions and 37.3 percent of students in 2-year

institutions who attended full time. Of all types of institutions, public 2-year

institutions served the smallest percentage of full-time students—35.2 percent.

P Among undergraduates, Asian/Pacific Islanders were most likely to attend full time

(61.1 percent) (table 3-2). Barely half (50.5 percent) of Hispanic undergraduates

attended full time. Men were more likely to attend school full time than women.

Changes in Enrollment

P In degree-granting, Title IV-eligible institutions, enrollment increased between 1995

and 1996 by 0.6 percent (table 4-1b). This was the first increase in enrollment since

1992. This increase in enrollment between 1995 and 1996 was observed in every

institutional sector except for public 4-year institutions and private, nonprofit 2-year

institutions.

P There was a decline in public 4-year institutions’ enrollment between 1995 and 1996.

However, there was an increase in public 2-year institutions’ enrollment resulting in

an overall increase of 0.3 percent in public institutions (table 4-1b).

P Among degree-granting private institutions, private, for-profit 4-year institutions

experienced a 46.9 percent increase in enrollment from 1992 to 1996, while private,

nonprofit 4-year institutions’ enrollments rose 3.7 percent (table 4-1b). On the other

hand, private, nonprofit 2-year institutions have seen declining enrollments every
v

year since 1994, for a total decline of 5.6 percent among degree-granting private,

nonprofit 2-year institutions.

P First-professional enrollment increased by 0.7 percent between 1995 and 1996 in

degree-granting institutions (table 4-3b). Graduate student enrollment also increased

between 1995 and 1996 by 0.7 percent in degree-granting institutions. Over the

period 1992 to 1996, first-professional enrollments increased by 8.4 percent in

degree-granting institutions while graduate enrollments increased 3.9 percent.

P Even though total undergraduate enrollment and enrollment of minority

undergraduates increased between 1995 and 1996, the enrollment of white

undergraduates continued to decline (tables 4-4a and 4-4b). Minority enrollments

increased in almost every institutional sector between 1995 and 1996, and also

between 1992 and 1996.

P The increase in enrollment between 1995 and 1996 occurred only among full-time

students (table 4-5b). The number of part-time students decreased by 0.6 percent in

degree-granting institutions, with a declining number of part-time students in public

and private nonprofit 4-year institutions and private nonprofit 2-year institutions.

Enrollment by State

P Over 77 percent of all students enrolled in degree-granting institutions were enrolled

in public degree-granting institutions, with 40.4 percent enrolled in 4-year institutions

and 37.0 percent enrolled in 2-year institutions (table 5-1). By state, the percentage

of undergraduates in public institutions ranged from a high of 97.8 percent in Nevada

to a low of 17.4 percent in the District of Columbia, with 18 states and the District of

Columbia below the national average (table 5-2).
vi
vii

Table of Contents

Page

Highlights.......................................................................................................... iii

Fall Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, 1996............................................ 1

Introduction................................................................................................ 1

Information Covered by the Report............................................................. 3

1996 Methodology...................................................................................... 4

Structure of the Report................................................................................ 5

Summary of Findings......................................................................................... 7

I. Characteristics of Enrolled Students............................................... 7

All Postsecondary Institutions........................................................ 7

Degree-Granting Institutions .......................................................... 8

II. Types of Institutions Attended........................................................ 9

Enrollment by Type of Institution................................................... 10

Enrollment by Student Characteristics............................................ 12

III. Attendance Status........................................................................... 16

Attendance by Type of Institution................................................... 16

Attendance by Student Characteristics............................................ 17

IV. Changes in Enrollment: 1992-96 ................................................... 18

Enrollment Changes by Type of Institution..................................... 18

Enrollment Changes by Race/Ethnicity........................................... 22

Enrollment Changes by Attendance Status...................................... 24

V. Enrollment by State........................................................................ 27

Enrollment by Type of Institution................................................... 27

Minority Enrollment....................................................................... 27
viii

Table of Contents

(continued)

List of Appendixes

Appendix Page

A National Enrollment Tables by Race/Ethnicity in Degree-Granting

Institutions.................................................................................................. 31

B State Enrollment Tables by Race/Ethnicity and Attendance Status in

Degree-Granting Institutions....................................................................... 65

C National Trends in Enrollments of Accredited Institutions—Fall 1992-96 ... 115

D State Trends in Enrollments of Accredited Institutions—Fall 1992-96......... 127

E Technical Notes.......................................................................................... 147

List of Tables

Table

A Differences in enrollment in postsecondary institutions accredited at a

college level by an agency recognized by the Secretary, ED, and

enrollment in degree-granting, Title IV-eligible postsecondary

institutions, fall 1995 and 1996 ................................................................... 2

1-1 Total enrollment and percent distribution of students in eligible

postsecondary institutions, by residence status and by degree-granting

status: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996............................... 7

1-2 Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment of U.S. citizens and

resident aliens in eligible postsecondary institutions, by degree-granting

status: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996.............................. 7

1-3 Percent distribution of total enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by

race/ethnicity and student level: 50 states and the District of Columbia,

fall 1996 ..................................................................................................... 8

1-4 Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment in degree-granting

institutions, by sex and student level: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1996 .................................................................................... 9

2-1 Percent distribution of students enrolled in degree-granting institutions,

by student level and by level and control of institution: 50 states and the

District of Columbia, fall 1996.................................................................... 10

2-2 Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment in degree-granting

institutions, by student level and level and control of institution: 50

states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996 .............................................. 13
ix

Table of Contents

(continued)

List of Tables

(continued)

Table Page

2-3 Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment within level and control

of degree-granting institutions, by student level: 50 states and the District

of Columbia, fall 1996................................................................................ 14

2-4 Percent distribution of students enrolled in degree-granting institutions,

by student level, sex, and by level and control of institution: 50 states

and the District of Columbia, fall 1996 ....................................................... 16

3-1 Percent distribution of students enrolled in degree-granting institutions,

by student level and attendance status, and by level and control of

institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996........................ 17

3-2 Percent distribution of undergraduate students in degree-granting

institutions, by race/ethnicity, and sex and attendance status: 50 states

and the District of Columbia, fall 1996 ....................................................... 17

4-1a Total enrollment in accredited institutions, by level and control of

institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1992 through fall

1996 ........................................................................................................... 19

4-1b Total enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by level and control of

institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1992 through fall

1996 ........................................................................................................... 19

4-2a Undergraduate enrollment in accredited institutions, by level and control

of institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1992 through

fall 1996 ..................................................................................................... 20

4-2b Undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by level and

control of institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1992

through fall 1996 ........................................................................................ 21

4-3a Percent change in first-professional and graduate enrollment in

accredited institutions, by race/ethnicity: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1992 through fall 1996......................................................... 21

4-3b Percent change in first-professional and graduate enrollment in degreegranting institutions, by race/ethnicity: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1992 through fall 1996......................................................... 22
x

Table of Contents

(continued)

List of Tables

(continued)

Table Page

4-4a Percent change in undergraduate enrollment in accredited institutions, by

race/ethnicity and by level and control of institution: 50 states and the

District of Columbia, fall 1995 to 1996 and 1992 to 1996 .......................... 23

4-4b Percent change in undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting

institutions, by race/ethnicity and by level and control of institution: 50

states and the District of Columbia, fall 1995 to 1996 and 1992 to 1996..... 23

4-5a Total enrollment in accredited institutions, by attendance status, and by

level and control of institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia,

fall 1992 through fall 1996.......................................................................... 25

4-5b Total enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by attendance status,

and by level and control of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1992 through fall 1996......................................................... 26

5-1 Percent of all students enrolled in public degree-granting institutions, by

level of institution and by state: 50 states and the District of Columbia...... 28

5-2 Percent of undergraduates enrolled in public degree-granting institutions,

by level of institution and by state: 50 states and the District of

Columbia.................................................................................................... 29
xi

Table of Contents

(continued)

List of Figures

Figure Page

2-1 Percent of undergraduate and all students in degree-granting 2- and 4-

year institutions, by control of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1996 .................................................................................... 11

2-2 Percent of undergraduate students attending public and private degreegranting institutions, by level of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1996 .................................................................................... 12

2-3 Percent of undergraduates enrolled in 4-year degree-granting institutions

attending public institutions, by race/ethnicity: 50 states and the District

of Columbia, fall 1996................................................................................ 15
xii
1

Fall Enrollment in

Postsecondary Institutions, 1996

Introduction

This report presents detailed tabulations for fall 1996, and historical comparisons with

previous years’ of student enrollment in postsecondary education institutions in the

United States. The report focuses primarily on higher education institutions defined in

this report as degree-granting institutions that are eligible for Title IV federal financial

aid. Summary data are also presented for non-degree-granting eligible institutions.1 The

data are from the Fall Enrollment survey, a component of the Integrated Postsecondary

Education Data System (IPEDS) of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center

for Education Statistics (NCES).

This report is a significant departure from previous reports on enrollment in

postsecondary education published by NCES. Previous reports were concerned primarily

with enrollment in postsecondary institutions that were accredited at the college level by

an agency recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education (ED). This

change from reporting on higher education institutions as defined by accreditation status

to reporting on higher education institutions as defined by degree-granting status and

Title IV eligibility is necessary because ED no longer distinguishes among institutions

based upon accreditation status. Thus, it is no longer possible for NCES to obtain

updated lists of “higher education” institutions as defined in previous reports. In lieu of

this designation, NCES has subsetted the postsecondary institutional universe on the basis

of whether or not institutions grant a degree, information that is available directly from

IPEDS data. In addition, because eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid has

reporting implications and is of particular policy interest, the postsecondary institution

universe is further subdivided into those schools that are eligible for Title IV federal

financial aid and those that are not, based on lists of eligible institutions maintained by

ED’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE).

NCES has published annual data on fall enrollment in higher education since 1966. The

changes in the reporting universe noted above could represent a significant discontinuity

in college and university enrollment trends. To examine the effect of changes in the

reporting universe on enrollment trends, table A indicates the number of schools and their

enrollments that were classified as institutions of higher education (IHE) in 1995, the last

year accreditation was used as the criterion, and the number that were degree-granting,

eligible2 postsecondary institutions in 1995. In 1995 there were 5 percent more degreegranting, eligible higher education institutions than accredited higher education

institutions. While this difference in the number of schools may seem large, it represents

only a small difference in total enrollment. For example, in 1995 NCES reported a total

fall enrollment in higher education of 14,261,781 based on institutions’ accreditation

 

1

 In the remainder of the report institutions that are eligible for Title IV federal financial aid will be designated simply as

“eligible.”

2

 Eligibility in 1995 is based on 1996 eligibility; degree-granting status is as of fall 1995.
2

status. If NCES had reported fall enrollment in higher education based on degreegranting, eligible institutions, the reported enrollment would have been 14,279,299 or a

difference of about 0.1 percent. Public institutions’ enrollment would have been affected

to an even lesser extent (0.06 percent) by the change in reporting universe, while

enrollment in private institutions would have been about 0.8 percent higher. As table A

indicates, most of the differences observed in the private institutional sector are due to the

relatively large increase in enrollments in private, for-profit institutions (13 percent).

Table A.—Differences in enrollment in postsecondary institutions accredited at a

college level by an agency recognized by the Secretary, ED, and

enrollment in degree-granting, Title IV-eligible postsecondary

institutions, fall 1995 and 1996

Postsecondary institutions Enrollment

Level and control

of institutions

Accredited

institutions

Eligible

degreegranting

institutions

Percent

difference

In

accredited

institutions

In eligible

degreegranting

institutions

Percent

difference

1995

All institutions ....... 3,676 3,862 5.06 14,261,781 14,279,299 0.12

Public................. 1,649 1,651 0.12 11,092,374 11,085,746 -0.06

Private................ 2,027 2,211 9.08 3,169,407 3,193,553 0.76

Nonprofit ....... 1,697 1,661 -2.12 2,929,044 2,922,033 -0.24

For-profit ....... 330 550 66.67 240,363 271,520 12.96

4-year..................... 2,226 2,210 -0.72 8,769,252 8,764,924 -0.05

Public................. 607 610 0.49 5,814,545 5,813,690 -0.01

Private................ 1,619 1,600 -1.17 2,954,707 2,951,234 -0.12

Nonprofit ....... 1,511 1,482 -1.92 2,853,890 2,845,135 -0.31

For-profit ....... 108 118 9.26 100,817 106,099 5.24

2-year..................... 1,450 1,652 13.93 5,492,529 5,514,375 0.40

Public................. 1,042 1,041 -0.10 5,277,829 5,272,056 -0.11

Private................ 406 611 49.75 214,700 242,319 12.86

Nonprofit ....... 186 179 -3.76 75,154 76,898 2.32

For-profit ....... 222 432 94.59 139,546 165,421 18.54

1996

All institutions ....... 3,647 3,956 8.47 14,300,255 14,367,520 0.47

Public................. 1,644 1,693 2.98 11,090,171 11,120,499 0.27

Private................ 2,003 2,263 12.98 3,210,084 3,247,021 1.15

Nonprofit ....... 1,684 1,679 -0.30 2,940,557 2,942,556 0.07

For-profit ....... 319 584 83.07 269,527 304,465 12.96

4-year..................... 2,243 2,249 0.27 8,802,835 8,804,193 0.02

Public................. 609 613 0.66 5,806,904 5,806,036 -0.01

Private................ 1,634 1,636 0.12 2,995,931 2,998,157 0.07

Nonprofit ....... 1,513 1,498 -0.99 2,871,693 2,867,181 -0.16

For-profit ....... 121 138 14.05 124,238 130,976 5.42

2-year..................... 1,404 1,707 21.58 5,497,420 5,563,327 1.20

Public................. 1,035 1,080 4.35 5,283,267 5,314,463 0.59

Private................ 369 627 69.92 214,153 248,864 16.21

Nonprofit ....... 171 181 5.85 68,864 75,275 9.31

For-profit ....... 198 446 125.25 145,289 173,489 19.41

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1995 and 1996.
3

Among 4-year and 2-year institutions changing from accredited higher education

institutions to degree-granting, eligible institutions affects 2-year institution enrollments

much more than 4-year institution enrollments. Enrollment in 4-year institutions would

have been 0.05 percent lower in 1995, while enrollment in 2-year institutions would have

been 0.4 percent higher. However, within the 2-year sector, enrollments in private 2-year

institutions would have been almost 13 percent higher, with private, nonprofit institutions

2.3 percent higher, and private, for-profit 2-year institutions almost 19 percent higher.

Table A also shows the number of institutions in 1996 that were classified as higher

education institutions in 1995 because of their accreditation status and the number of

degree-granting, eligible institutions in 1996. In l996 almost 9 percent more schools

were degree-granting, eligible institutions than were accredited institutions in 1995. This

difference in the number of institutions translates into a difference in total enrollment of

about 0.5 percent. So, in 1996 there were 14,367,520 students enrolled in the nation’s

degree-granting, eligible institutions as compared to 14,300,255 students enrolled in

accredited higher education institutions.

As with 1995 enrollments, the differences between reporting on degree-granting, eligible

higher education institutions and accredited institutions were largest among private

institutions and 2-year institutions. By reporting on degree-granting, eligible institutions

rather than accredited institutions, private, for-profit institution enrollments were almost

13 percent higher and private 2-year institution enrollments were over 16 percent higher.

It must also be noted here that regardless of the definition of a higher education

institution that is used to report fall enrollment statistics, a fall enrollment number

generally underestimates the number of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions

throughout the year, particularly for less-than-4-year institutions. For example, data from

the 1996 Institutional Characteristics survey that collected full-year unduplicated

enrollments for the 1995-96 full year3 indicate that fall enrollment in eligible

postsecondary institutions represented 69.5 percent of the full-year enrollment—79.9

percent for 4-year institutions and 58.8 percent for 2-year institutions. For degreegranting institutions, fall enrollment represented 70.3 percent of the full-year

enrollment—79.9 percent for 4-year institutions and 59.0 percent for 2-year institutions.

Information Covered by the Report

Some enrollment data are presented for all eligible postsecondary institutions, but the

primary focus of this report is on enrollment in degree-granting, Title IV-eligible

postsecondary institutions (institutions of higher education). A total of 6,404 eligible

institutions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia were included in the report. Of

these, 3,956 were classified as degree-granting, eligible institutions and 2,448 as eligible

non-degree-granting institutions. All tables and figures are labeled to indicate whether

the information is for all eligible postsecondary institutions or for eligible degreegranting institutions only.

 

3

 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

(IPEDS), “Institutional Characteristics” survey, 1996-97.
4

Students included in the Fall Enrollment survey fell in one of three categories:

P Enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree or other formal award;

P Enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including

those offered at off-campus centers; or

P Enrolled in high school and taking regular college courses for credit.

Information on resident alien status and race/ethnicity is presented for students enrolled

in all postsecondary institutions. For students in degree-granting institutions, the

following information is covered in this report.

P Race/ethnicity

P Sex

P Student level

P Institution level (4-year, 2-year)

P Control of institution (public; private, nonprofit; and private, for-profit)

P Attendance status (full or part time)

P Enrollment by state

1996 Methodology

The 1996 Fall Enrollment survey was mailed out in July 1996, and survey results were

collected from November 1996 through June 1997. Postsecondary institutions completed

either the extensive “EF1” form (for 4-year, degree-granting institutions eligible for Title

IV financial aid programs or 4-year institutions offering a bachelor’s, master’s, doctor’s

or first-professional degree that are not eligible for Title IV financial aid), or the “EF2,” a

less detailed form for all 2-year, degree-granting, eligible postsecondary institutions.

Enrollment data were also collected from all remaining Title IV-eligible institutions not

receiving the Fall Enrollment survey via the IPEDS Consolidated survey. For institutions

in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and outlying areas, the response rate was 95

percent for all postsecondary institutions and 96.4 percent for degree-granting

institutions. Data were imputed for missing institutions and for institutions that had

missing individual items. (See technical notes in Appendix E for a description of study

methodology.)
5

Structure of the Report

The report presents the summary of survey findings in five major sections: (1)

characteristics of enrolled students, (2) types of institutions attended, (3) attendance

status, (4) changes in enrollment, 1992-96, and (5) enrollment by state. Section 1

includes data for all postsecondary institutions and for the subset of degree-granting

institutions. Sections 2 through 5 focus on degree-granting institutions.

Detailed statistical tables for degree-granting institutions are presented in Appendices A

through D of the report. Appendix E provides technical notes on study methodology.
6
7

Summary of Findings

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF ENROLLED STUDENTS

All Postsecondary Institutions

In the fall of 1996, 14.8 million students were enrolled in the 6,404 postsecondary

institutions that were eligible for Title IV financial aid. Of these, 97 percent were

enrolled in degree-granting institutions, that is, institutions that award at least an

associate’s degree (table 1-1). Of the total enrollment in eligible postsecondary

institutions, 14.3 million were U.S. citizens or resident aliens and about 0.5 million were

nonresident aliens, or individuals who are in the United States on temporary visas (table

1-1). Of the U.S. citizens and resident aliens who were enrolled in any eligible

postsecondary institution, 73.5 percent were white, non-Hispanic; 11.1 percent were

black, non-Hispanic; 8.6 percent were Hispanic; 5.9 percent were Asian or Pacific

Islander; and 1.0 percent were American Indian or Alaskan Native (table 1-2). As shown

by the racial/ethnic distribution of U.S. citizens and resident aliens in table 1-2, it is

evident that minority students represented a higher proportion of students in non-degreegranting postsecondary institutions than in degree-granting institutions.

Table 1-1.—Total enrollment and percent distribution of students in eligible

postsecondary institutions, by residence status and by degree-granting

status: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996

All students U.S. citizens and

resident aliens Degree-granting status of Nonresident alien

institution Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Total........................................... 14,809,897 100.0 14,337,466 100.0 472,431 100.0

Eligible degree-granting ........ 14,367,520 97.0 13,901,261 97.0 466,259 98.7

Eligible non-degree-granting . 442,377 3.0 436,205 3.0 6,172 1.3

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.

Table 1-2.—Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment of U.S. citizens and

resident aliens in eligible postsecondary institutions, by degreegranting status: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996

Minorities

Degree-granting status of

institution Total

number

White,

nonHispanic All

Black,

nonHispanicHispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

Total......................................... 14,337,466 73.5 26.5 11.1 8.6 5.9 1.0

Eligible degree-granting ...... 13,901,261 73.8 26.2 10.8 8.4 6.0 1.0

Eligible non-degree-

 granting............................ 436,205 61.3 38.7 19.7 14.0 4.0 1.0

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.
8

Degree-Granting Institutions

Across all degree-granting institutions and across all students, whites composed 71.4

percent of the student population; minorities, 25.4 percent; and nonresident aliens, 3.2

percent (table 1-3). However, the racial/ethnic distribution of students within level is

somewhat different from the distribution as whole. For example, black students

composed 11 percent of undergraduates and 11.9 percent of first-time, first-year

undergraduates, but only 7.2 percent of first-professional and 7.2 percent of graduate

students. Similarly, Hispanics composed 8.8 percent of undergraduates and 9.1 percent

of first-time, first-year undergraduates, but only 4.7 percent of first-professional students

and 4.2 percent of graduate students. Enrollments of American Indians showed these

same disparities. Asians, on the other hand, accounted for 10.5 percent of firstprofessional students, although they composed only 5.8 percent of all students.

Additionally, 10.5 percent of all graduate students were nonresident aliens.

Table 1-3.—Percent distribution of total enrollment in degree-granting institutions,

by race/ethnicity and student level: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1996

Student level Total

number

White,

nonHispanic

Black,

nonHispanicHispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

Nonresident

alien

All students............................. 14,367,520 71.4 10.5 8.1 5.8 1.0 3.2

Undergraduates..................... 12,326,948 71.1 11.0 8.8 5.8 1.0 2.2

First-time, first-year............ 2,274,319 70.4 11.9 9.1 5.5 1.1 1.9

Other undergraduates.......... 10,052,629 71.3 10.8 8.7 5.9 1.0 2.3

First-professional .................. 298,312 74.3 7.2 4.7 10.5 0.7 2.6

Graduate ............................... 1,742,260 73.0 7.2 4.2 4.5 0.5 10.5

NOTE: Because of rounding, percents may not add to 100.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.

Women composed the majority of all students in degree-granting institutions (55.8

percent) in 1996, as well as the majority of undergraduate (56.0 percent) and graduate

(56.4 percent) students (table 1-4). However, women made up only 42.1 percent of firstprofessional students. Within each of the racial/ethnic groups, women composed the

majority of undergraduates as well as first-time, first-year undergraduates, although they

accounted for 51.4 percent of all Asian undergraduates. Similarly, at the

postbaccalaureate level, women made up over half of the graduate students in each

racial/ethnic category except Asian, where they composed 49.8 percent of all graduate

students. It is notable that women made up more than two-thirds of all black graduate

students. At the first-professional level, the picture is quite different for all groups except

blacks. While women accounted for just 40.3 percent of white first-professional students,

45.7 percent of Asian students, and 45.2 percent of American Indians, they accounted for

56.3 percent of black first-professional students.
9

Table 1-4.—Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment in degree-granting

institutions, by sex and student level: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1996

Sex and student level Total

White,

NonHispanic

Black,

nonHispanicHispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

Total men.......................... 44.2 44.4 37.5 43.4 49.0 41.6

Undergraduates.................. 44.0 44.4 37.8 43.5 48.6 41.4

First-time, first-year ........ 46.0 46.5 41.6 45.1 49.1 44.4

Other undergraduates ...... 43.5 43.9 36.9 43.1 48.5 40.7

First-professional ............... 57.9 59.7 43.7 55.5 54.3 54.8

Graduate ............................ 43.6 41.6 32.8 40.6 50.2 40.0

Total women..................... 55.8 55.6 62.5 56.6 51.0 58.4

Undergraduates.................. 56.0 55.6 62.2 56.5 51.4 58.6

First-time, first-year ........ 54.0 53.5 58.4 54.9 50.9 55.6

Other undergraduates ...... 56.5 56.1 63.1 56.9 51.5 59.3

First-professional ............... 42.1 40.3 56.3 44.5 45.7 45.2

Graduate ............................ 56.4 58.4 67.2 59.4 49.8 60.0

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.

II. TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS ATTENDED

This section examines the types of postsecondary institutions students attended in 1996.

These types are defined in terms of highest level of institution (4-year or 2-year) and

control (public; private, nonprofit; or private, for-profit). Private, nonprofit and private,

for-profit institutions are distinguished in all the tables since there are a significant

number of degree-granting private, for-profit institutions. Interesting differences between

the private, nonprofit and private, for-profit sectors are noted in the text.

This section also looks at the interaction between the characteristics of students and the

types of institutions they attended. This information can inform many policy questions

that are important at the federal, state, and institutional levels. For example, access to

higher education has been a significant national issue for many years. As a result, the

federal government has increased amounts of student financial aid through legislation

such as the Higher Education Act. States also support a wide range of higher education

institutions that have relatively low tuition and required fees, offer a wide range of

program and degree options, and are strategically placed in the state to afford geographic

accessibility. In addition, many institutions have significantly increased institutional

financial aid over the past several years in an effort to establish a diverse student body

that reflects the college-age population of the nation.4 While an examination of the

characteristics of students enrolled in various types of institutions cannot evaluate these

policies, it does provide an indicator of where racial/ethnic minorities, women, and

individuals who historically have had limited access to higher education are attending

college. Changes in enrollment by student characteristics and institutional type, the focus

of Section IV, provide additional data that can inform this issue.

 

4U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Financial Statistics of Higher Education

Institutions: 1994.
10

Enrollment by Type of Institution

About 77 percent of all students attending a degree-granting institution attended a public

degree-granting institution in 1996, probably reflecting both their lower cost and greater

availability (table 2-1). Among all students, 22.6 percent attended private institutions and

20.5 percent attended nonprofit institutions. Almost 81 percent of undergraduate students

attended public institutions, although first-time freshmen were less likely to attend public

schools than were all other undergraduates (76.1 percent versus 81.6 percent). Among

postbaccalaureate students, only 39.1 percent of first-professional students attended

public institutions, and 61.3 percent of graduate students attended public institutions.

Table 2-1.—Percent distribution of students enrolled in degree-granting institutions,

by student level and by level and control of institution: 50 states and the

District of Columbia, fall 1996

Undergraduate Control and level

of institution

All

students Total First-time,

first-year Other

Firstprofessional Graduate

All institutions ....... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

4-year.................. 61.3 54.9 51.4 55.7 100.0 100.0

2-year.................. 38.7 45.1 48.6 44.3 0.0 0.0

Public....................... 77.4 80.6 76.1 81.6 39.1 61.3

4-year.................. 40.4 37.5 32.6 38.6 39.1 61.3

2-year.................. 37.0 43.1 43.5 43.0 0.0 0.0

Private ..................... 22.6 19.4 23.9 18.4 60.9 38.7

4-year.................. 20.9 17.4 18.8 17.1 60.9 38.7

2-year.................. 1.7 2.0 5.1 1.3 0.0 0.0

Nonprofit................. 20.5 17.1 18.8 16.8 60.3 37.3

4-year.................. 20.0 16.5 17.6 16.3 60.3 37.3

2-year.................. 0.5 0.6 1.2 0.5 0.0 0.0

For-profit................. 2.1 2.3 5.1 1.6 0.6 1.3

4-year.................. 0.9 0.9 1.2 0.8 0.6 1.3

2-year.................. 1.2 1.4 3.9 0.8 0.0 0.0

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.
11

Among all students in degree-granting institutions, 61.3 percent attended 4-year

institutions, as did more than half of all undergraduates (54.9 percent) (figure 2-1).

Among all students attending public institutions, more than half (52.2 percent) attended

4-year institutions. However, among undergraduates attending public institutions, more

than half (53.5 percent) attended 2-year institutions. In contrast, among all students

attending private institutions, 92.3 percent attended 4-year institutions, as did 89.6

percent of undergraduates. Finally, of the undergraduates attending 4-year institutions,

68.3 percent attended public institutions; of those attending 2-year institutions, 95.5

percent attended public institutions (figure 2-2).

Figure 2-1.—Percent of undergraduate and all students in degree-granting 2- and 4-

year institutions, by control of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1996

96.4

97.4

92.3

52.2

54.9

61.3

62.1

57.0

3.6

2.6

10.4

7.7

53.5

47.8

45.1

38.7

46.5

89.6

37.9

43.0

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent of students

2-year

4-year

All 

institutions

Public

institutions

All private

institutions

Private,

nonprofit

institutions

Private, 

for-profit

institutions

All

Undergraduate

All

Undergraduate

All

Undergraduate

All

Undergraduate

All

Undergraduate

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.
12

Figure 2-2.—Percent of undergraduate students attending public and private

degree-granting institutions, by level of institution: 50 states and the

District of Columbia, fall 1996

4-year institutions 2-year institutions

Public

68.3

Private

31.7

Private

4.5

Public 

 95.5 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.

Enrollment by Student Characteristics

Table 2-2 presents the distribution of undergraduate, first-professional, and graduate

students by race/ethnicity within different types of institutions. These data illustrate the

degree to which the distribution of students within institutions reflects the college-going

population as a whole. For example, private institutions were less likely to enroll black,

Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian students than were public institutions.

When only undergraduates are considered, blacks composed a slightly higher percentage

of the undergraduate students in private institutions than in public institutions, primarily

because of the high percentage of black students in private, for-profit institutions (16.9

percent). Hispanics, on the other hand, composed 8.8 percent of the total undergraduate

population in 1996, but only 5.9 percent of those in private institutions and 5.1 percent of

those in private, nonprofit institutions.

These differences between public and private institutions are not as striking among 4-year

institutions, although many are still evident. Two-year institutions enrolled higher

concentrations of black, Hispanic, and American Indian undergraduates than did 4-year

institutions, and lower concentrations of white undergraduates. Public 2-year institutions

had especially high concentrations of Hispanic undergraduates (11.9 percent compared to

8.8 percent Hispanic undergraduates in all institutions) while private 2-year institutions

had higher concentrations of black students (15.5 percent compared to 11 percent black

undergraduates in all institutions). The distribution of postbaccalaureate students by

race/ethnicity was fairly similar in public and private institutions, although public
13

institutions tended to serve slightly higher proportions of black, Hispanic, and American

Indian students than did private institutions (table 2-2).

Table 2-2.—Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment in degree-granting

institutions, by student level and level and control of institution:

50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996

Student level and level and

control of institution

White,

nonHispanic

Black,

nonHispanicHispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

Nonresident

alien

All students

All institutions.......................................... 71.4 10.5 8.1 5.8 1.0 3.2

Public ...................................................... 70.8 10.6 8.9 5.9 1.1 2.7

Private ..................................................... 73.7 10.1 5.4 5.2 0.6 5.0

Nonprofit............................................ 74.6 9.5 4.8 5.3 0.6 5.3

For-profit............................................ 65.1 16.3 11.4 4.3 0.8 2.1

4-year......................................................... 73.6 9.9 5.8 5.7 0.8 4.3

Public ...................................................... 73.3 10.0 6.2 5.9 0.9 3.7

Private ..................................................... 74.2 9.7 5.0 5.4 0.5 5.3

Nonprofit............................................ 74.7 9.4 4.7 5.4 0.5 5.4

For-profit............................................ 64.0 15.5 10.6 5.3 0.8 3.7

2-year......................................................... 68.0 11.4 11.8 5.9 1.3 1.7

Public ...................................................... 68.0 11.2 11.9 6.0 1.3 1.7

Private ..................................................... 67.3 15.5 10.6 3.8 1.4 1.3

Nonprofit............................................ 70.7 12.2 7.5 4.4 2.9 2.2

For-profit............................................ 65.9 16.9 11.9 3.6 0.8 0.9

Undergraduate

All institutions.......................................... 71.1 11.0 8.8 5.8 1.0 2.2

Public ...................................................... 70.5 11.0 9.4 6.0 1.1 1.9

Private ..................................................... 73.8 11.2 5.9 4.9 0.6 3.5

Nonprofit............................................ 75.0 10.5 5.1 5.0 0.6 3.8

For-profit............................................ 64.4 16.9 11.9 4.2 0.8 1.9

4-year......................................................... 73.8 10.7 6.2 5.8 0.8 2.7

Public ...................................................... 73.4 10.7 6.6 6.1 1.0 2.2

Private ..................................................... 74.5 10.7 5.4 5.0 0.5 3.8

Nonprofit............................................ 75.2 10.4 5.1 5.0 0.5 3.8

For-profit............................................ 62.0 16.7 11.7 5.1 0.9 3.5

2-year......................................................... 68.0 11.4 11.8 5.9 1.3 1.7

Public ...................................................... 68.0 11.2 11.9 6.0 1.3 1.7

Private ..................................................... 67.3 15.5 10.6 3.8 1.4 1.3

Nonprofit............................................ 70.7 12.3 7.5 4.4 2.9 2.2

For-profit............................................ 65.9 16.9 11.9 3.6 0.8 0.9

First-professional

All institutions.......................................... 74.3 7.2 4.7 10.5 0.7 2.6

Public ...................................................... 75.1 7.2 4.9 10.5 0.9 1.4

Private ..................................................... 73.8 7.2 4.5 10.6 0.6 3.3

Nonprofit............................................ 73.8 7.2 4.5 10.6 0.6 3.3

For-profit............................................ 70.8 5.9 11.7 10.6 0.9 0.1

Graduate

All institutions.......................................... 73.0 7.2 4.2 4.5 0.5 10.5

Public ...................................................... 72.9 7.4 4.4 4.2 0.6 10.5

Private ..................................................... 73.3 6.9 3.8 5.0 0.4 10.6

Nonprofit............................................ 73.3 6.8 3.7 5.0 0.4 10.8

For-profit............................................ 72.2 10.8 5.5 6.0 0.6 4.8

NOTE: Because of rounding, percents may not add to 100.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996
14

The enrollment patterns of students in different racial/ethnic groups varied somewhat

from the undergraduate population as a whole and from each other (table 2-3). For

example, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian undergraduates were more likely to

attend public institutions (ranging from 83.7 percent for Asians to 88 percent for

American Indians) than were white and black undergraduates (79.9 percent and 80.2

percent, respectively). In addition, while the majority of white, black, and Asian

undergraduates attended 4-year institutions (ranging from 53.2 percent for blacks to 56.9

percent for whites), only 39.1 percent of Hispanic and 44.5 percent of American Indian

undergraduates attended 4-year institutions.

Table 2-3.—Percent distribution of racial/ethnic enrollment within level and control

of degree-granting institutions, by student level: 50 states and the

District of Columbia, fall 1996

Student level and level and

control of institution Total

White,

nonHispanic

Black,

nonHispanicHispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

Undergraduate

All institutions.......................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Public ...................................................... 80.6 79.9 80.2 86.9 83.7 88.0

Private ..................................................... 19.4 20.1 19.8 13.1 16.3 12.0

Nonprofit............................................ 17.1 18.1 16.3 10.1 14.7 10.2

For-profit............................................ 2.3 2.1 3.5 3.1 1.6 1.8

4-year......................................................... 54.9 56.9 53.2 39.1 54.4 44.5

Public ...................................................... 37.5 38.7 36.3 28.4 39.4 35.2

Private ..................................................... 17.4 18.2 16.9 10.7 15.0 9.3

Nonprofit............................................ 16.5 17.5 15.6 9.5 14.2 8.5

For-profit............................................ 0.9 0.7 1.3 1.1 0.8 0.7

2-year......................................................... 45.1 43.1 46.8 60.9 45.6 55.5

Public ...................................................... 43.1 41.2 44.0 58.5 44.2 52.8

Private ..................................................... 2.0 1.9 2.8 2.4 1.3 2.8

Nonprofit............................................ 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.5 1.7

For-profit............................................ 1.4 1.3 2.2 1.9 0.9 1.1

First-professional

All institutions.......................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Public ...................................................... 39.1 39.5 39.1 40.8 39.0 49.1

Private ..................................................... 60.9 60.5 60.9 59.2 61.0 50.9

Nonprofit............................................ 60.3 59.9 60.5 57.8 60.5 50.2

For-profit............................................ 0.6 0.5 0.5 1.4 0.6 0.7

Graduate

All institutions.......................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Public ...................................................... 61.3 61.2 62.8 65.2 57.1 72.3

Private ..................................................... 38.7 38.8 37.2 34.8 42.9 27.7

Nonprofit............................................ 37.3 37.5 35.2 33.0 41.1 26.2

For-profit............................................ 1.3 1.3 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.5

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996
15

Of those undergraduates attending 4-year institutions, a higher percentage of Hispanic,

Asian, and American Indian students (72.5 percent to 79.2 percent) attended public

institutions, compared to 68.0 percent of white and 68.2 percent of black undergraduates

(figure 2-3).

Figure 2-3.—Percent of undergraduates enrolled in 4-year degree-granting

institutions attending public institutions, by race/ethnicity: 50 states

and the District of Columbia, fall 1996

68.3 68.2

72.6 72.5

79.2

68.0

0

20

40

60

80

100

Total White, nonHispanicBlack, nonHispanicHispanic Asian/

Pacific

 Islander

American Indian/

Alaskan Native

Race/ethnicity

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.

Graduate students were more likely to attend public than private institutions (61.3 percent

versus 38.7 percent) (table 2-3). In contrast, first-professional students were more likely

to attend private rather than public institutions (60.9 percent versus 39.1 percent).

However, lower percentages of white and Asian graduate students (61.2 percent and 57.1

percent, respectively) attended public institutions than graduate students in other minority

groups (62.8 percent to 72.3 percent).

The attendance patterns of men and women indicate that undergraduate men were

somewhat more likely than undergraduate women to attend public institutions (80.9

percent versus 80.4 percent), and they were more likely to attend 4-year institutions (56.5

percent versus 53.6 percent) (table 2-4). At the first-professional and graduate levels,

however, women were more likely than men to attend public institutions.
16

Table 2-4.—Percent distribution of students enrolled in degree-granting institutions,

by student level, sex, and by level and control of institution: 50 states

and the District of Columbia, fall 1996

Undergraduate First-professional Graduate Level and control of institutions Men Women Men Women Men Women

All institutions.............................................. 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Public .......................................................... 80.9 80.4 36.9 42.1 60.0 62.3

Private ......................................................... 19.1 19.6 63.1 57.9 40.0 37.7

4-year............................................................. 56.5 53.6 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Public .......................................................... 39.2 36.1 36.9 42.1 60.0 62.3

Private ......................................................... 17.3 17.5 63.1 57.9 40.0 37.7

2-year............................................................. 43.5 46.4 0.0 0.0 -- --

Public .......................................................... 41.6 44.3 0.0 0.0 -- --

Private ......................................................... 1.9 2.1 0.0 0.0 -- --

-- Less than 0.05 percent

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.

III. ATTENDANCE STATUS

This section examines full- and part-time attendance at degree-granting higher education

institutions from two perspectives. First, it presents the distribution of students by

attendance status within different types of institutions to address the question of whether

certain institutions tend to serve full- or part-time students. Second, it examines the

attendance patterns of students characterized by racial/ethnic status and sex to determine

whether certain types of students are more likely to attend college full time or part time.

Attendance by Type of Institution

Overall, 59.2 percent of undergraduate students, 89.6 percent of first-professional

students, and 42.3 percent of graduate students attended school full time (table 3-1). The

percentage of full-time students varied significantly by type of institution, especially

among undergraduates. In private institutions and in 4-year institutions, over threefourths of undergraduate students attended full time. This compares with only 54.6

percent of undergraduates in public institutions and 37.3 percent of students in 2-year

institutions who attended full time. Of all types of institutions, public 2-year institutions

served the smallest percentage of full-time students—35.2 percent.

In all institutions, first-professional students overwhelmingly attended school full time,

although the percentage was somewhat lower in private institutions than in public

institutions (85.6 percent versus 95.7 percent). On the other hand, the majority of

graduate students attended school part time, except for those in private, for-profit

institutions.
17

Table 3-1.—Percent distribution of students enrolled in degree-granting institutions,

by student level and attendance status, and by level and control of

institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1996

All students Undergraduate First-professional Graduate Level and control

of institution Fulltime

ParttimeFulltimeParttimeFulltimeParttimeFulltimeParttime

All institutions.......................... 57.8 42.2 59.2 40.8 89.6 10.4 42.3 57.7

Public ..................................... 53.8 46.2 54.6 45.4 95.7 4.3 41.4 58.6

Private.................................... 71.6 28.4 78.4 21.6 85.6 14.4 43.7 56.3

Nonprofit ........................... 70.6 29.4 77.9 22.1 86.1 13.9 42.6 57.4

For-profit ........................... 81.0 19.0 81.6 18.4 39.0 61.0 75.9 24.1

4-year....................................... 70.8 29.2 77.3 22.7 89.6 10.4 42.3 57.7

Public ..................................... 70.7 29.3 76.9 23.1 95.7 4.3 41.4 58.6

Private.................................... 70.9 29.1 78.1 21.9 85.6 14.4 43.7 56.3

Nonprofit ........................... 70.5 29.5 78.1 21.9 86.1 13.9 42.6 57.4

For-profit ........................... 78.4 21.6 79.5 20.5 39.0 61.0 75.9 24.1

2-year....................................... 37.2 62.8 37.3 62.7 0.0 0.0 16.5 83.5

Public ..................................... 35.2 64.8 35.2 64.8 0.0 0.0 -- 100.0

Private.................................... 80.5 19.5 80.5 19.5 0.0 0.0 73.8 26.2

Nonprofit ........................... 74.9 25.1 74.9 25.1 0.0 0.0 73.8 26.2

For-profit ........................... 82.9 17.1 82.9 17.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

-- Less than 0.05 percent.

NOTE: Because of rounding, percents may not add to 100.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.

Attendance by Student Characteristics

Among undergraduates, Asian students were more likely to attend school full time than

were undergraduates in any other racial/ethnic category (61.1 percent versus 50.5 percent

to 59.7 percent), and Hispanic and American Indian undergraduates were less likely to

attend full time than were white or black undergraduates (table 3-2). In fact, barely half

(50.5 percent) of Hispanic undergraduates attended school full time.

Table 3-2.—Percent distribution of undergraduate students in degree-granting

institutions, by race/ethnicity, and sex and attendance status: 50 states

and the District of Columbia, fall 1996

Sex and attendance status Total

White,

nonHispanic

Black,

nonHispanic

Hispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

All students............................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Full-time ................................................. 59.2 59.7 59.3 50.5 61.1 56.5

Part-time ................................................. 40.8 40.3 40.7 49.5 38.9 43.5

Men............................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Full-time ................................................. 61.6 62.4 61.0 50.5 62.1 58.2

Part-time ................................................. 38.4 37.6 39.0 49.5 37.9 41.8

Women...................................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Full-time ................................................. 57.3 57.5 58.2 50.6 60.2 55.3

Part-time ................................................. 42.7 42.5 41.8 49.4 39.8 44.7

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.
18

Undergraduate men were more likely than undergraduate women to attend school full

time (61.6 percent versus 57.3 percent). This was true for all racial/ethnic groups except

Hispanics, among whom men and women were equally likely to attend full time.

IV. CHANGES IN ENROLLMENT: 1992-96

The change in the definition of higher education institutions from “institutions accredited

at the college level by an agency recognized the Secretary of the U.S. Department of

Education” to “degree-granting institutions eligible to participate in the Title IV federal

financial aid programs” that occurred between 1995 and 1996 clearly will confound any

observed differences in enrollment between 1995 and 1996, since it is difficult to sort out

if observed changes are due to actual enrollment increases or decreases or to changes in

the institutional universe. However, because of the importance of continuing trends in

enrollment in higher education, this chapter presents fall enrollment statistics from 1992

to 1996 based on both universe definitions. It must be noted, however, that this approach

does have some difficulties because institutions were not distinguished on the basis of

their accreditation status in 1996, and eligibility for Title IV financial aid programs was

not identified with the IPEDS universe until 1996. As a result, 1996 enrollments for

institutions of higher education based on accreditation status are the reported 1996

enrollments of those higher education institutions identified as accredited higher

education institutions in 1995; enrollments for 1992-95 are based on higher education

institutions with recognized higher education accreditation status in those years.

Enrollments for 1996 degree-granting, eligible institutions are based on degree-granting

and eligibility status in 1996. Enrollments in degree-granting institutions in 1992-95 are

based on eligibility status in 1996 and degree-granting status in 1992-95.

Between 1995 and 1996, total enrollment in all accredited institutions of higher education

increased by 0.3 percent (table 4-1a), the first increase in enrollment since 1992. This

small increase in enrollment was not sufficient to offset the declines since 1992, and total

enrollment in these institutions declined between 1992 and 1996 by 1.3 percent. In

degree-granting, eligible institutions, enrollment also decreased every year between 1992

and 1995, but increased between 1995 and 1996 by 0.6 percent (table 4-1b). The increase

in enrollment between 1995 and 1996 was observed in every institutional sector except

for public 4-year institutions and private, nonprofit 2-year institutions, regardless of

which universe definition is examined (tables 4-1a and 4-1b).

Enrollment Changes by Type of Institution

Overall, enrollment in accredited public institutions stayed the same between 1995 and

1996, while public 4-year institutions’ enrollments decreased by 0.1 percent and public 2-

year institutions’ enrollments increased by 0.1 percent (table 4-1a). Enrollment in public,

2-year degree-granting institutions increased by 0.8 percent between these 2 years (table

4-1b). Between 1992 and 1996, enrollments decreased by 3.7 percent in accredited

public 2-year institutions and by 1.6 percent in accredited public 4-year institutions (table

4-1a). In public, degree-granting 2-year institutions enrollment decreased by 2.6 percent

between 1992 and 1996, while in public, degree-granting 4-year institutions it declined

by 1.6 percent (table 4-1b).
19

Table 4-1a.—Total enrollment in accredited institutions, by level and control of

institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1992 through

fall 1996

Level and Number in thousands Percent change

control of

institution 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1992-

93

1993-

94

1994-

95

1995-

96

1992-

96

All institutions.... 14,487 14,305 14,279 14,262 14,300 -1.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.3 -1.3

Public ............... 11,385 11,189 11,134 11,092 11,090 -1.7 -0.5 -0.4 -0.0 -2.6

Private .............. 3,103 3,116 3,145 3,169 3,210 0.4 0.9 0.8 1.3 3.5

Nonprofit...... 2,873 2,889 2,910 2,929 2,941 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.4 2.4

For-profit...... 230 227 235 240 270 -1.5 3.6 2.3 12.1 17.0

4-year ................. 8,765 8,739 8,749 8,769 8,803 -0.3 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.4

Public ............... 5,900 5,852 5,825 5,815 5,807 -0.8 -0.5 -0.2 -0.1 -1.6

Private .............. 2,865 2,887 2,924 2,955 2,996 0.8 1.3 1.1 1.4 4.6

Nonprofit...... 2,789 2,803 2,825 2,854 2,872 0.5 0.8 1.0 0.6 3.0

For-profit...... 76 85 99 101 124 11.8 17.4 1.5 23.2 64.1

2-year ................. 5,722 5,566 5,530 5,493 5,497 -2.7 -0.6 -0.7 0.1 -3.9

Public ............... 5,485 5,337 5,308 5,278 5,283 -2.7 -0.5 -0.6 0.1 -3.7

Private .............. 238 229 221 215 214 -3.9 -3.2 -3.0 -0.3 -10.0

Nonprofit...... 83 86 86 75 69 3.7 -0.9 -12.2 -8.4 -17.3

For-profit...... 155 142 136 140 145 -8.0 -4.6 2.9 4.1 -6.0

NOTE: Because of rounding details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys 1992-96.

Table 4-1b.—Total enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by level and control

of institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1992

through fall 1996

Level and Number in thousands Percent change

control of

institution 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1992-

93

1993-

94

1994-

95

1995-

96

1992-

96

All institutions.... 14,453 14,319 14,280 14,279 14,368 -0.9 -0.3 -0.0 0.6 -0.6

Public ............... 11,356 11,186 11,125 11,086 11,120 -1.5 -0.5 -0.4 0.3 -2.1

Private .............. 3,097 3,134 3,155 3,194 3,247 1.2 0.7 1.2 1.7 4.9

Nonprofit...... 2,845 2,863 2,897 2,922 2,943 0.6 1.2 0.8 0.7 3.4

For-profit...... 252 271 258 272 304 7.5 -4.9 5.4 12.1 20.9

4-year ................. 8,753 8,745 8,742 8,765 8,804 -0.1 -0.0 0.3 0.4 0.6

Public ............... 5,899 5,851 5,824 5,814 5,806 -0.8 -0.5 -0.2 -0.1 -1.6

Private .............. 2,854 2,894 2,918 2,951 2,998 1.4 0.8 1.1 1.6 5.1

Nonprofit...... 2,765 2,780 2,814 2,845 2,867 0.6 1.2 1.1 0.8 3.7

For-profit...... 89 114 103 106 131 27.6 -9.1 2.5 23.4 46.9

2-year ................. 5,700 5,574 5,538 5,514 5,563 -2.2 -0.6 -0.4 0.9 -2.4

Public ............... 5,457 5,335 5,301 5,272 5,314 -2.2 -0.6 -0.5 0.8 -2.6

Private .............. 243 240 237 242 249 -1.2 -0.9 2.1 2.7 2.6

Nonprofit...... 80 83 83 77 75 3.4 0.8 -7.6 -2.0 -5.6

For-profit...... 163 157 154 165 173 -3.5 -1.8 7.3 4.9 6.6

NOTE: Because of rounding details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys 1992-96.
20

Among private institutions, there has been a steady increase in enrollment in private 4-

year institutions since 1992. Based on accredited institutions, this increase was 4.6

percent (table 4-1a); based on degree-granting institutions, this increase was 5.1 percent

(table 4-1b). Both private, nonprofit 4-year institutions and private, for-profit 4-year

institutions had these steady increases, although the rate of enrollment increases in forprofit 4-year institutions was significantly higher than in the private, nonprofit 4-year

sector, with a 64.1 percent increase for accredited private, for-profit 4-year institutions

and a 3 percent increase for accredited private nonprofit institutions over this time period

(table 4-1a). Among degree-granting private institutions, private, for-profit 4-year

institutions experienced a 46.9 percent increase in enrollment from 1992 to 1996, while

private, nonprofit 4-year institutions’ enrollments rose 3.7 percent (table 4-1b). On the

other hand, private, nonprofit 2-year institutions have seen declining enrollments every

year since 1993, for a total decline of 17.3 percent (table 4-1a) among accredited private,

nonprofit 2-year institutions and a 5.6 percent decline among degree-granting private,

nonprofit 2-year institutions (table 4-1b).

The change in universe definition from accredited higher education institutions to degreegranting higher education institutions seems to have affected enrollment data for the

private, for-profit 2-year sector significantly more than other sectors. In particular,

among accredited for-profit 2-year institutions, enrollments between 1992 and 1996

declined by 6 percent, while among eligible degree-granting, for-profit 2-year

institutions, enrollments increased between 1992 and 1996 by 6.6 percent (tables 4-1a

and 4-1b).

As with total enrollment, undergraduate enrollment increased between 1995 and 1996 by

0.2 percent, the first increase since 1992. Changes in undergraduate enrollment in the

various institutional sectors mirrored quite closely the changes in total enrollment

described above (table 4-2a and 4-2b).

Table 4-2a.—Undergraduate enrollment in accredited institutions, by level and

control of institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall 1992

through fall 1996

Level and Number in thousands Percent change

control of

institution 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1992-

93

1993-

94

1994-

95

1995-

96

1992-

96

All institutions... 12,538 12,324 12,263 12,232 12,259 -1.7 -0.5 -0.3 0.2 -2.2

Public .............. 10,216 10,012 9,945 9,904 9,905 -2.0 -0.7 -0.4 0.0 -3.0

Private............. 2,321 2,312 2,317 2,328 2,354 -0.4 0.2 0.5 1.1 1.4

Nonprofit .... 2,102 2,099 2,100 2,105 2,108 -0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.3

For-profit .... 220 213 217 223 246 -3.1 1.9 2.9 10.3 12.2

4-year................ 6,815 6,758 6,733 6,740 6,763 -0.8 -0.4 0.1 0.3 -0.8

Public .............. 4,732 4,675 4,637 4,626 4,622 -1.2 -0.8 -0.2 -0.1 -2.3

Private............. 2,084 2,084 2,096 2,113 2,140 0.0 0.6 0.8 1.3 2.7

Nonprofit .... 2,018 2,013 2,015 2,030 2,039 -0.3 0.1 0.7 0.5 1.0

For-profit .... 65 71 81 84 101 8.7 15.0 3.0 20.7 55.3

2-year................ 5,722 5,566 5,530 5,492 5,497 -2.7 -0.6 -0.7 0.1 -3.9

Public .............. 5,485 5,337 5,308 5,277 5,283 -2.7 -0.5 -0.6 0.1 -3.7

Private............. 238 229 221 215 214 -3.9 -3.2 -3.0 -0.3 -10.0

Nonprofit .... 83 86 86 75 69 3.7 -0.9 -12.2 -8.5 -17.5

For-profit .... 155 142 136 140 145 -8.0 -4.6 2.9 4.1 -6.0

NOTE: Because of rounding details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys 1992-96.
21

Table 4-2b.—Undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by level

and control of institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia, fall

1992 through fall 1996

Level and Number in thousands Percent change

control of

institution 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1992-

93

1993-

94

1994-

95

1995-

96

1992-

96

All institutions..... 12,501 12,345 12,268 12,253 12,327 -1.2 -0.6 -0.1 0.6 -1.4

Public ................ 10,188 10,008 9,936 9,897 9,935 -1.8 -0.7 -0.4 0.4 -2.5

Private............... 2,313 2,337 2,332 2,357 2,392 1.0 -0.2 1.1 1.5 3.4

Nonprofit ...... 2,084 2,083 2,093 2,103 2,112 -0.0 0.5 0.5 0.4 1.3

For-profit ...... 229 253 239 254 279 10.6 -5.8 6.4 10.0 21.9

4-year.................. 6,801 6,771 6,730 6,740 6,764 -0.4 -0.6 0.1 0.4 -0.5

Public ................ 4,731 4,674 4,636 4,625 4,621 -1.2 -0.8 -0.2 -0.1 -2.3

Private............... 2,071 2,097 2,094 2,115 2,143 1.3 -0.1 1.0 1.3 3.5

Nonprofit ...... 2,004 2,001 2,010 2,026 2,037 -0.2 0.5 0.8 0.5 1.6

For-profit ...... 66 96 84 88 106 45.2 -12.4 4.7 19.7 59.5

2-year.................. 5,700 5,574 5,538 5,514 5,563 -2.2 -0.6 -0.4 0.9 -2.4

Public ................ 5,457 5,334 5,301 5,272 5,314 -2.2 -0.6 -0.5 0.8 -2.6

Private............... 243 240 237 242 249 -1.2 -0.9 2.1 2.7 2.5

Nonprofit ...... 80 83 83 77 75 3.4 0.8 -7.6 -2.1 -5.8

For-profit ...... 163 157 154 165 173 -3.5 -1.8 7.3 4.9 6.6

NOTE: Because of rounding details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys 1992-96.

First-professional enrollment was unchanged between 1995 and 1996 when accredited

institutions are considered and increased by 0.7 percent between these 2 years in degreegranting institutions (tables 4-3a and 4-3b). Graduate student enrollment increased

between 1995 and 1996 by 0.6 percent and 0.7 percent in accredited and degree-granting

institutions, respectively. Over the period 1992 to 1996, first-professional enrollments

increased by 6.0 percent in accredited institutions and 8.4 percent in degree-granting

institutions. Graduate enrollments increased by 4.5 percent in accredited institutions and

3.9 percent in degree-granting institutions over this 5-year period.

Table 4-3a.—Percent change in first-professional and graduate enrollment in

accredited institutions, by race/ethnicity: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1992 through fall 1996

Student level and year Total

White,

nonHispanic

Black,

nonHispanicHispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

First-professional students

1992-93 ..................................................... 4.1 2.4 11.0 6.8 11.2 14.0

1993-94 ..................................................... 0.8 -0.8 2.5 4.9 10.4 10.0

1994-95 ..................................................... 1.0 -0.4 3.7 3.2 7.0 17.4

1995-96 ..................................................... -- -1.0 -0.2 0.9 6.2 0.8

1992-96 ..................................................... 6.0 0.3 17.8 16.6 39.5 48.3

Graduate students

1992-93 ..................................................... 1.2 0.5 8.6 4.7 6.0 4.7

1993-94 ..................................................... 2.0 1.0 8.2 10.3 11.2 11.0

1994-95 ..................................................... 0.6 -0.3 7.2 6.5 4.2 3.9

1995-96 ..................................................... 0.6 -0.7 5.8 6.8 4.5 5.1

1992-96 ..................................................... 4.5 0.5 33.3 31.4 28.4 26.8

--Less than 0.05 percent.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys, 1992-96.
22

Table 4-3b.—Percent change in first-professional and graduate enrollment in

degree-granting institutions, by race/ethnicity: 50 states and the

District of Columbia, fall 1992 through fall 1996

Student level and year Total

White,

nonHispanic

Black,

nonHispanicHispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

First-professional students

1992-93 ..................................................... 4.4 2.8 11.4 6.6 11.1 14.1

1993-94 ..................................................... 1.7 -- 2.8 6.7 11.5 9.8

1994-95 ..................................................... 1.4 -- 4.4 3.3 7.8 18.0

1995-96 ..................................................... 0.7 -0.3 0.0 1.5 6.8 1.3

1992-96 ..................................................... 8.4 2.6 19.4 19.3 42.7 49.8

Graduate students

1992-93 ..................................................... 0.6 -- 7.8 4.3 3.3 4.1

1993-94 ..................................................... 2.0 1.0 8.2 10.0 11.4 11.3

1994-95 ..................................................... 0.6 -0.5 7.0 6.5 4.2 3.9

1995-96 ..................................................... 0.7 -0.6 5.9 7.1 4.9 5.2

1992-96 ..................................................... 3.9 -- 32.3 30.9 25.7 26.6

--Less than 0.05 percent.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys, 1992-96.

Enrollment Changes by Race/Ethnicity

It is noteworthy that even though total undergraduate enrollment increased between 1995

and 1996 and the enrollment of minority undergraduates increased, the enrollment of

white undergraduates continued to decline (tables 4-4a and 4-4b). In fact, the number of

white undergraduates declined 0.8 percent between these 2 years and declined 7 percent

in accredited institutions in the period from 1992 to 1996 (table 4-4a). In degree-granting

institutions, white enrollment decreased 0.5 percent between 1995 and 1996 and 6.4

percent in the 5 years between 1992 and 1996 (table 4-4b). Only in the for-profit sector

did white enrollment increase between 1995 and 1996 and over the 5-year period.

Minority enrollments, on the other hand, increased in almost every institutional sector

between 1995 and 1996 and also between 1992 and 1996. The only observed decreases

in minority undergraduate enrollment occurred among blacks, Hispanics, and

Asian/Pacific Islander in accredited 2-year for-profit institutions and among American

Indian/Alaskan Natives in private, nonprofit 2-year institutions (table 4-4a). Generally,

the increases in minority undergraduate enrollments were larger in degree-granting

institutions than in accredited institutions.

From 1995 to 1996, the number of Hispanic undergraduates increased by over 5 percent

for all types of institutions, and ranged from a decrease of 14.8 percent in accredited 2-

year for-profit institutions to a 42.6 percent increase in accredited for-profit 4-year

institutions (table 4-4a). Across the 5 years from 1992 to 1996, the number of Hispanic

undergraduates increased by 20 percent in accredited institutions and by 21.4 percent in

degree-granting institutions. Over this same 5-year period, the number of Asian

undergraduates increased by 16.4 percent and 17.1 percent in accredited and degreegranting institutions, respectively, while the number of American Indian undergraduates

increased by 10.9 percent and 12.9 percent, and the number of black undergraduates

increased by 5.6 and 7.8 percent.
23

Table 4-4a.—Percent change in undergraduate enrollment in accredited institutions, by

race/ethnicity and by level and control of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1995 to 1996 and 1992 to 1996

1995 to 1996 1992 to 1996

Level and

control of

institution

White

nonHispanic

Black

nonHispanic

Hispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

White

nonHispanic

Black

nonHispanic

Hispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

All institutions........ -0.8 1.4 5.3 3.0 1.8 -7.0 5.6 20.0 16.4 10.9

Public.................... -1.2 1.3 5.4 3.0 2.0 -8.2 5.6 19.6 15.3 11.8

Private................... 0.5 2.0 4.6 3.4 0.3 -1.9 5.8 23.1 22.2 4.7

Nonprofit ......... -0.6 1.5 4.1 3.0 -1.5 -3.2 6.5 24.0 21.6 2.2

For-profit ......... 12.3 4.6 7.2 7.4 16.7 12.9 2.4 19.1 29.1 28.8

4-year...................... -0.5 1.6 4.4 3.5 1.9 -5.1 6.5 23.0 20.7 21.0

Public.................... -0.9 1.0 3.5 3.4 2.1 -6.9 5.4 20.7 19.9 20.3

Private................... 0.5 2.8 7.0 3.5 1.3 -1.1 9.0 29.4 22.7 24.2

Nonprofit ......... -0.1 1.3 3.9 2.7 0.3 -2.4 6.3 23.9 21.2 20.9

For-profit ......... 16.1 27.1 42.6 23.9 14.8 47.2 57.4 109.5 64.6 84.7

2-year...................... -1.4 1.3 5.9 2.5 1.7 -9.4 4.6 18.2 11.5 3.6

Public.................... -1.5 1.6 6.4 2.6 2.0 -9.4 5.7 19.1 11.5 6.5

Private................... 1.4 -3.9 -9.4 1.2 -3.7 -9.4 -12.7 -8.4 14.0 -39.6

Nonprofit ......... -13.2 7.8 6.9 21.4 -11.0 -23.1 10.1 26.2 43.6 -47.8

For-profit ......... 10.2 -7.6 -14.8 -7.8 19.1 -1.0 -18.8 -17.7 1.8 -5.3

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

“Fall Enrollment” surveys, 1992 and 1996.

Table 4-4b.—Percent change in undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by

race/ethnicity and by level and control of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1995 to 1996 and 1992 to 1996

1995 to 1996 1992 to 1996

Level and

control

of institution

White

nonHispanic

Black

nonHispanic

Hispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

White

nonHispanic

Black

nonHispanic

Hispanic

Asian/

Pacific

Islander

American

Indian/

Alaskan

Native

All institutions ...... -0.5 2.2 5.7 3.5 1.5 -6.4 7.8 21.4 17.1 12.9

Public.................. -0.8 1.8 5.5 3.2 1.6 -7.7 6.8 20.0 15.6 13.0

Private................. 0.4 4.1 7.3 5.0 0.7 -0.9 11.8 30.8 25.5 12.5

Nonprofit ........ -0.3 2.1 4.7 4.1 -2.0 -2.4 8.7 25.7 23.6 6.8

For-profit ........ 7.5 14.5 16.7 14.9 19.5 14.9 29.6 50.9 45.9 62.6

4-year.................... -0.5 1.7 4.4 3.5 2.0 -4.9 7.1 23.2 20.8 21.2

Public.................. -0.9 1.0 3.5 3.4 2.1 -6.9 5.4 20.7 19.9 20.3

Private................. 0.5 3.2 7.0 3.5 1.5 -0.4 10.9 30.5 23.3 24.7

Nonprofit ........ -0.1 1.7 3.9 2.7 0.3 -1.9 7.9 24.5 21.4 20.8

For-profit ........ 15.3 25.9 42.2 21.4 17.6 52.7 65.0 117.8 74.4 97.9

2-year.................... -0.7 2.9 6.6 3.6 1.2 -8.3 8.5 20.2 13.0 7.1

Public.................. -0.7 2.5 6.5 3.0 1.3 -8.4 8.0 19.7 12.0 8.6

Private................. -0.5 9.3 8.3 25.9 -1.7 -4.9 17.8 32.3 57.7 -15.2

Nonprofit ........ -8.1 11.6 20.3 73.2 -11.9 -14.9 28.8 53.5 179.8 -32.4

For-profit ........ 3.5 8.7 5.4 9.8 20.9 0.6 14.7 27.5 27.9 44.4

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

“Fall Enrollment” surveys, 1992 and 1996.
24

These percentage increases in the number of minority undergraduates are encouraging.

However, they do not reflect the increases in the number of high school graduates of

Hispanic or black origin. For example, from 1991 to 1995 the number of Hispanic high

school graduates increased from 154,000 to 288,000, or 87 percent, while the number of

black high school graduates increased from 320,000 to 356,000, or 11.2 percent. The

number of white high school graduates also increased during this period, from 1,867,000

to 2,088,000, or 12 percent.5

Postbaccalaureate enrollments increased for all racial/ethnic groups between 1995 and

1996 except for whites in both accredited and degree-granting institutions and for blacks

in accredited institutions (tables 4-3a and 4-3b).

Enrollment Changes by Attendance Status

The increase in enrollment between 1995 and 1996 occurred only among full-time

students in both accredited and degree-granting institutions (tables 4-5a and 4-5b). The

number of part-time students decreased by 0.8 percent and 0.6 percent in accredited and

degree-granting institutions, respectively, between 1995 and 1996. In accredited

institutions, the increase in full-time enrollment was evident in all sectors except for

private 2-year institutions. In degree-granting institutions, the increase in the number of

full-time students was evident in all institutional sectors. The decreases in part-time

enrollment were experienced by public 4-year and 2-year institutions and by private,

nonprofit 4- and 2-year institutions. For-profit institutions, in contrast, had an increase in

part-time enrollment of almost 19 percent (table 4-5a). Among degree-granting

institutions, part-time enrollment decreased in public and private nonprofit 4-year

institutions and private nonprofit 2-year institutions, but increased in for-profit

institutions and public 2-year institutions (table 4-5b).

Over the 5-year period from 1992 to 1996, total full-time enrollment increased less than 1

percent in accredited institutions and by 1.8 percent in degree-granting institutions. At

the same time, however, full-time enrollment decreased in accredited 2-year institutions

by 4.5 percent and by 0.8 percent in degree-granting institutions. Part-time enrollment

decreased 3.8 percent and 3.7 percent in accredited and degree-granting institutions,

respectively (tables 4-5a and 4-5b).

 

5U.S. Department of Labor, College Enrollment of High School Graduates, various years, in U.S. Department of Education, National

Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 1996, table 179, p. 187.
25

Table 4-5a.—Total enrollment in accredited institutions, by attendance status, and

by level and control of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1992 through fall 1996

Attendance Number in thousands Percent change

status and level

and control of

institution

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1992-

93

1993-

94

1994-

95

1995-

96

1992-

96

Full-time students

All institutions........ 8,162 8,128 8,138 8,129 8,213 -0.4 0.1 -0.1 1.0 0.6

Public ................... 6,011 5,963 5,951 5,925 5,964 -0.8 -0.2 -0.4 0.7 -0.8

Private.................. 2,151 2,165 2,187 2,204 2,249 0.6 1.0 0.8 2.1 4.6

Nonprofit ......... 1,986 2,006 2,022 2,043 2,075 1.0 0.8 1.1 1.5 4.5

For-profit ......... 165 159 165 160 174 -3.9 4.1 -3.1 8.9 5.6

4-year..................... 6,082 6,084 6,106 6,152 6,227 0.0 0.4 0.7 1.2 2.4

Public ................... 4,095 4,074 4,065 4,085 4,106 -0.5 -0.2 0.5 0.5 0.3

Private.................. 1,987 2,010 2,041 2,067 2,121 1.2 1.5 1.3 2.6 6.7

Nonprofit ......... 1,930 1,946 1,963 1,989 2,025 0.8 0.8 1.4 1.8 4.9

For-profit ......... 56 64 78 78 96 13.4 22.5 -0.8 23.6 70.2

2-year..................... 2,080 2,043 2,032 1,977 1,987 -1.8 -0.6 -2.7 0.5 -4.5

Public ................... 1,916 1,889 1,886 1,841 1,858 -1.4 -0.1 -2.4 1.0 -3.0

Private.................. 164 155 146 136 129 -5.9 -5.7 -6.5 -5.8 -21.8

Nonprofit ......... 56 60 59 54 50 7.7 -1.6 -8.5 -7.1 -9.9

For-profit ......... 109 95 87 82 78 -12.8 -8.3 -5.2 -5.0 -28.0

Part-time students

All institutions........ 6,325 6,177 6,141 6,133 6,087 -2.3 -0.6 -0.1 -0.8 -3.8

Public ................... 5,374 5,227 5,183 5,167 5,126 -2.7 -0.8 -0.3 -0.8 -4.6

Private.................. 952 951 958 966 961 -0.1 0.8 0.8 -0.5 1.0

Nonprofit ......... 886 883 888 886 865 -0.4 0.7 -0.3 -2.3 -2.4

For-profit ......... 65 68 70 80 95 4.5 2.5 15.1 18.6 46.2

4-year..................... 2,683 2,655 2,643 2,617 2,576 -1.1 -0.4 -1.0 -1.6 -4.0

Public ................... 1,805 1,778 1,760 1,730 1,701 -1.5 -1.0 -1.7 -1.7 -5.8

Private.................. 878 877 883 888 875 -0.1 0.7 0.5 -1.4 -0.3

Nonprofit ......... 859 856 862 864 847 -0.3 0.6 0.3 -2.0 -1.4

For-profit ......... 19 21 21 23 28 7.0 1.8 10.0 21.9 46.1

2-year..................... 3,642 3,523 3,498 3,515 3,511 -3.3 -0.7 0.5 -0.1 -3.6

Public ................... 3,569 3,449 3,423 3,437 3,425 -3.4 -0.8 0.4 -0.4 -4.0

Private.................. 73 74 75 78 86 0.5 2.1 3.9 9.4 16.6

Nonprofit ......... 28 26 27 21 19 -4.5 0.9 -20.6 -11.6 -32.4

For-profit ......... 46 47 49 57 67 3.4 2.8 17.3 17.2 46.2

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys, 1992-96.
26

Table 4-5b.—Total enrollment in degree-granting institutions, by attendance status,

and by level and control of institution: 50 states and the District of

Columbia, fall 1992 through fall 1996

Attendance Number in thousands Percent change

status and level

and control of

institution

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1992-

93

1993-

94

1994-

95

1995-

96

1992-

96

Full-time students

All institutions...... 8,153 8,158 8,168 8,180 8,303 0.1 0.1 0.1 1.5 1.8

Public ................. 5,998 5,961 5,947 5,923 5,978 -0.6 -0.2 -0.4 0.9 -0.3

Private................ 2,155 2,197 2,221 2,258 2,324 2.0 1.1 1.6 3.0 7.9

Nonprofit ....... 1,965 1,986 2,012 2,039 2,078 1.1 1.3 1.3 1.9 5.7

For-profit ....... 190 211 209 219 246 11.0 -0.9 4.8 12.8 30.0

4-year................... 6,064 6,085 6,103 6,150 6,231 0.3 0.3 0.8 1.3 2.8

Public ................. 4,096 4,074 4,065 4,085 4,106 -0.5 -0.2 0.5 0.5 0.3

Private................ 1,968 2,011 2,037 2,065 2,124 2.2 1.3 1.4 2.9 7.9

Nonprofit ....... 1,912 1,930 1,955 1,983 2,022 0.9 1.3 1.4 1.9 5.7

For-profit ....... 56 81 82 82 103 43.6 1.2 0.2 25.0 82.0

2-year................... 2,089 2,073 2,065 2,030 2,072 -0.8 -0.4 -1.7 2.1 -0.8

Public ................. 1,903 1,887 1,882 1,838 1,872 -0.8 -0.3 -2.3 1.9 -1.6

Private................ 187 186 184 192 200 -0.2 -1.3 4.7 4.2 7.4

Nonprofit ....... 53 57 57 56 56 6.2 0.8 -2.1 1.0 5.9

For-profit ....... 133 130 127 136 144 -2.7 -2.3 7.7 5.4 8.0

Part-time students

All institutions...... 6,300 6,161 6,112 6,099 6,065 -2.2 -0.8 -0.2 -0.6 -3.7

Public ................. 5,358 5,224 5,178 5,163 5,142 -2.5 -0.9 -0.3 -0.4 -4.0

Private................ 942 937 934 936 923 -0.5 -0.3 0.2 -1.4 -2.0

Nonprofit ....... 880 877 885 883 865 -0.3 1.0 -0.2 -2.1 -1.7

For-profit ....... 62 60 49 53 58 -3.3 -18.7 8.1 9.5 -6.9

4-year................... 2,689 2,660 2,639 2,615 2,574 -1.1 -0.8 -0.9 -1.6 -4.3

Public ................. 1,804 1,777 1,759 1,729 1,700 -1.5 -1.0 -1.7 -1.7 -5.8

Private................ 886 883 880 886 874 -0.3 -0.3 0.6 -1.4 -1.3

Nonprofit ....... 853 851 859 862 846 -0.3 1.0 0.4 -1.9 -0.9

For-profit ....... 33 33 22 24 28 0.1 -34.4 11.5 18.2 -13.5

2-year................... 3,611 3,501 3,473 3,484 3,491 -3.0 -0.8 0.3 0.2 -3.3

Public ................. 3,555 3,448 3,419 3,434 3,442 -3.0 -0.8 0.5 0.2 -3.2

Private................ 56 53 54 50 49 -4.7 0.5 -6.8 -2.9 -13.3

Nonprofit ....... 27 26 26 21 19 -2.2 0.7 -19.6 -10.0 -28.7

For-profit ....... 29 27 27 29 30 -7.0 0.3 5.5 2.3 0.5

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” surveys, 1992-96.
27

V. ENROLLMENT BY STATE

Enrollment by Type of Institution

IT was noted previously that over 77 percent of all students enrolled in degree-granting

institutions were enrolled in public degree-granting institutions. Of this 77.4 percent,

40.4 percent were enrolled in 4-year institutions and 37.0 percent were enrolled in 2-year

institutions (table 5-1). However, the percentage of students enrolled in public 4- and 2-

year institutions varied considerably by state. This variation probably results from a

confluence of state policies, including the following: the level of state support for public

higher education, the relative number and capacities of public 4-year and 2-year

institutions, the tuition and fees charged in states’ public institutions, and the availability

and portability of state financial aid. The distribution of public and private institutions

within each state also affects student enrollment patterns.

The distribution of undergraduate enrollment by control of institution (public or private)

provides an indicator of many of these state policies. Nationally, almost 81 percent of

undergraduates were enrolled in public institutions, 37.5 percent in 4-year public

institutions and 43.1 percent in 2-year public institutions (table 5-2). By state, the

percentage of undergraduates in public institutions ranged from a high of 97.8 percent in

Nevada to a low of 17.4 percent in the District of Columbia, with 18 states and the

District of Columbia below the national average. Additionally, although 43.1 percent of

all undergraduates in the nation attended public 2-year institutions, within states this

percentage varied from a high of 66.6 percent in California to a low of 2.8 percent in

Alaska.

Minority Enrollment

The distribution of minority6 enrollment in the individual states probably reflects to a

great extent the distribution of minority residents within each state. To illustrate, in 1996

states differed greatly in the distribution of minority and white students, both from the

national average and from each other. For example, in California fewer than half of the

students enrolled in its colleges and universities were white, while blacks, who had a 10.5

percent share of enrollment in the nation, composed only 7.7 percent of California’s

enrollment (appendix table B-1b). On the other hand, Hispanics composed 20.4 percent

of California’s enrollment, and Asians another 17.4 percent. Similarly, in Alabama, the

District of Columbia, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, and South Carolina,

blacks’ share of enrollment was more than double their share in the nation as a whole (22

to 30.5 percent). In New Mexico and Texas, Hispanics composed 32.7 and 21.3 percent

of total enrollment, respectively, compared to their 8.1 percent share of enrollment in the

nation as a whole. In Hawaii, Asian/Pacific Islanders composed almost 59.8 percent of

total enrollment, while in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota,

Oklahoma, and South Dakota, American Indians had a significant share of total

enrollment (4.0 percent to 10 percent).

 

6

 Non-resident aliens are not included in minority enrollment, but are categorized separately.
28

Table 5-1.—Percent of all students enrolled in public degree-granting institutions,

by level of institution and by state: 50 states and the District of

Columbia

State All public

institutions 4-year public 2-year public

Total........................................................................... 77.4 40.4 37.0

Alabama..................................................................... 91.5 43.3 48.2

Alaska ....................................................................... 96.6 94.0 2.6

Arizona ...................................................................... 90.0 35.6 54.4

Arkansas.................................................................... 89.7 57.2 32.5

California ................................................................... 85.5 26.6 58.9

Colorado .................................................................... 85.6 54.7 30.9

Connecticut................................................................ 62.7 36.2 26.5

Delaware.................................................................... 81.6 55.1 26.5

District of Columbia .................................................. 10.9 10.9 *

Florida........................................................................ 82.0 32.7 49.3

Georgia ...................................................................... 76.5 52.9 23.7

Hawaii ....................................................................... 75.4 34.5 40.9

Idaho.......................................................................... 82.4 68.4 14.0

Illinois........................................................................ 73.8 26.7 47.2

Indiana ....................................................................... 76.1 63.0 13.1

Iowa ........................................................................... 70.4 37.2 33.2

Kansas ...................................................................... 90.0 49.7 40.3

Kentucky.................................................................... 82.4 58.3 24.1

Louisiana ................................................................... 86.6 68.8 17.8

Maine ......................................................................... 68.3 55.3 13.0

Maryland.................................................................... 83.6 44.4 39.2

Massachusetts ........................................................... 42.2 24.7 17.5

Michigan.................................................................... 83.8 47.4 36.4

Minnesota .................................................................. 74.8 41.4 33.5

Mississippi ................................................................. 91.2 48.1 43.1

Missouri..................................................................... 64.7 39.9 24.7

Montana..................................................................... 87.3 72.8 14.5

Nebraska .................................................................... 82.6 47.4 35.2

Nevada ...................................................................... 97.2 41.9 55.3

New Hampshire ........................................................ 56.5 41.2 15.2

New Jersey................................................................. 80.6 41.9 38.7

New Mexico............................................................... 93.7 45.8 47.9

New York .................................................................. 55.9 32.3 23.6

North Carolina ........................................................... 81.2 42.0 39.3

North Dakota ............................................................. 89.4 68.2 21.2

Ohio ........................................................................... 74.8 47.5 27.3

Oklahoma................................................................... 87.1 52.9 34.2

Oregon ...................................................................... 84.9 38.6 46.2

Pennsylvania .............................................................. 57.1 39.5 17.5

Rhode Island.............................................................. 51.8 30.7 21.0

South Carolina ........................................................... 85.1 50.1 35.0

South Dakota ............................................................. 82.5 71.2 11.3

Tennessee................................................................... 78.4 46.6 31.8

Texas.......................................................................... 87.4 43.1 44.3

Utah ........................................................................... 74.7 53.4 21.3

Vermont..................................................................... 56.3 43.5 12.7

Virginia...................................................................... 82.3 47.2 35.1

Washington................................................................ 86.5 28.8 57.7

West Virginia ............................................................ 86.2 78.1 8.1

Wisconsin .................................................................. 81.8 47.1 34.8

Wyoming ................................................................... 97.4 36.5 60.8

* State does not have public 2-year degree-granting institutions.

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.
29

Table 5-2.—Percent of undergraduates enrolled in public degree-granting

institutions, by level of institution and by state: 50 states and the

District of Columbia

State All public

institutions 4-year public 2-year public

Total........................................................................... 80.6 37.5 43.1

Nevada....................................................................... 97.8 36.0 61.7

Wyoming ................................................................... 97.1 31.1 66.1

Alaska ........................................................................ 97.1 94.3 2.8

New Mexico............................................................... 94.0 38.8 55.3

Alabama..................................................................... 91.9 38.7 53.2

Mississippi ................................................................. 91.8 43.4 48.3

Arizona ...................................................................... 91.3 30.0 61.4

California ................................................................... 90.3 23.7 66.6

Kansas ....................................................................... 89.7 43.2 46.5

Washington................................................................ 89.4 26.2 63.2

Texas.......................................................................... 89.2 38.5 50.7

Maryland.................................................................... 88.9 41.1 47.8

Arkansas.................................................................... 88.9 53.2 35.7

North Dakota ............................................................. 88.9 65.9 23.0

Louisiana ................................................................... 88.7 67.9 20.8

Oklahoma................................................................... 88.4 48.6 39.7

Colorado .................................................................... 87.7 51.1 36.6

Oregon ....................................................................... 87.3 34.4 52.9

Montana..................................................................... 86.5 70.8 15.7

Delaware.................................................................... 85.4 54.7 30.7

Florida........................................................................ 84.8 29.1 55.7

West Virginia............................................................. 84.6 75.1 9.5

South Carolina ........................................................... 84.3 43.5 40.8

Michigan.................................................................... 84.2 41.5 42.6

New Jersey................................................................. 83.8 38.3 45.5

Wisconsin .................................................................. 83.6 44.5 39.1

Nebraska .................................................................... 83.4 43.0 40.4

Virginia...................................................................... 82.6 41.1 41.6

North Carolina ........................................................... 82.5 38.2 44.3

Kentucky.................................................................... 82.4 54.5 28.0

South Dakota ............................................................. 81.7 69.0 12.7

Idaho.......................................................................... 80.9 64.9 15.9

Illinois........................................................................ 79.8 23.5 56.2

Tennessee................................................................... 79.6 43.1 36.6

Minnesota .................................................................. 79.5 40.4 39.2

Georgia ...................................................................... 79.1 50.8 28.2

Ohio .......................................................................... 76.0 44.2 31.8

Indiana ....................................................................... 75.9 60.7 15.2

Hawaii........................................................................ 75.5 28.7 46.8

Utah .......................................................................... 75.1 51.8 23.3

Iowa .......................................................................... 70.9 32.8 38.2

Missouri..................................................................... 69.6 39.8 29.8

Maine ......................................................................... 69.2 54.5 14.7

Connecticut................................................................ 67.2 33.4 33.8

New York .................................................................. 61.5 32.3 29.2

New Hampshire ......................................................... 59.8 41.8 18.1

Pennsylvania .............................................................. 59.8 38.9 21.0

Vermont..................................................................... 58.9 44.2 14.7

Rhode Island.............................................................. 52.2 27.7 24.5

Massachusetts............................................................ 48.7 25.9 22.8

District of Columbia .................................................. 17.4 17.4 *

* State does not have public 2-year degree-granting institutions.

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education

Data System (IPEDS), “Fall Enrollment” survey, 1996.
30
31

APPENDIX A

NATIONAL ENROLLMENT TABLES BY RACE/ETHNICITY

IN DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTIONS
65

APPENDIX B

STATE ENROLLMENT TABLES BY

RACE/ETHNICITY AND ATTENDANCE STATUS IN

DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTIONS
115

APPENDIX C

NATIONAL TRENDS IN ENROLLMENTS OF ACCREDITED

INSTITUTIONS—FALL 1992-96
127

APPENDIX D

STATE TRENDS IN ENROLLMENTS OF

ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS—FALL 1992-96
147

APPENDIX E

TECHNICAL NOTES
148
149

APPENDIX E

TECHNICAL NOTES

Data Sources

The enrollment statistics in this report are derived from information reported by all postsecondary

institutions through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), "Fall Enrollment"

surveys 1992 through 1996. The major emphasis of this report is based on the subset of postsecondary

institutions referred to as degree-granting institutions that are eligible for Title IV funds. Institutions that

do not award degrees are referred to as “eligible postsecondary institutions.” This report includes only

those institutions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Survey Methodology 1996

Overview

The 1996 fall enrollment data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics that are

included on the public use data file represent 6,840 postsecondary institutions, of which, 6,535 are eligible to

participate in Title IV programs (financial aid) in the United States and its outlying areas. There were 305

institutions that had self-reported eligibility and were found to be ineligible based on the Office of

Postsecondary Education’s PEPS file of March 1997. The 1996 Fall Enrollment survey was sent to the

universe of institutions that were accredited at the collegiate level as of the 1995-96 academic year and to all

other eligible institutions offering a bachelor's, master's, doctor's, or first-professional degree. Enrollment

data were collected from the institutions not receiving the Fall Enrollment survey via the Consolidated

survey.7 The Consolidated survey was sent to all remaining 4-year, 2-but-less-than-4-year, and less-than-2-

year institutions eligible for Title IV funding. The enrollment data collected via the Consolidated survey

were merged into the Fall Enrollment survey data.

Students included in the Fall Enrollment survey:

• Students enrolled in courses creditable toward a degree or other formal award;

• Students enrolled in courses that are part of a vocational or occupational program, including

those enrolled in off-campus centers; and

• Students enrolled in high school taking regular college courses for credit.

 

7The Consolidated survey is designed to collect information from noncollegiate institutions on fall enrollment, finance, fall staff, completions, and

occupationally specific enrollment.
150

Students excluded from the Fall Enrollment survey:

• Students enrolled exclusively in courses not creditable toward a formal award and who are not in a

postsecondary vocational program;

• Students enrolled exclusively in remedial courses;

• Students exclusively auditing classes;

• Students studying abroad (e.g., at a foreign university) if their enrollment at the institution is only

an administrative record and the fee is only nominal;

• Students in any branch campus located in a foreign country; and

• Students earning continuing education units (CEUs) only.

There are two versions of the Fall Enrollment survey. The most extensive form, “EF1,” is sent to 4-

year institutions that are accredited at the collegiate level in academic year 1995-96 and to other eligible 4-

year institutions offering a bachelor's, master's, doctor's, or first-professional degree that are not accredited at

the collegiate level in academic year 1995-96. The other version, "EF2," is less detailed and is sent to 2-year

postsecondary institutions accredited at the collegiate level in the previous academic year. In addition,

enrollment data are collected from all remaining Title IV eligible institutions via the Consolidated (CN) form.

The enrollment data collected via the Consolidated survey are integrated into the Fall Enrollment database.

Universe, Institutions Surveyed, and Response Rates

A major subset of all postsecondary institutions are those institutions that are eligible to participate in

Title IV aid. It is this group of institutions that annually receive a fall enrollment survey. In past IPEDS

surveys, eligible institutions were self-identified and included those institutions accredited at the college level

by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education. Any other

postsecondary institution that has at least one program of 300 or more clock hours (or 8 credits) and was

established for at least 2 years was also included in the subset of eligible institutions. The latter group was

based on self-reported responses to items on the Institutional Characteristics survey.

Beginning in 1996, the subset of eligible institutions was validated by matching the IPEDS universe

with the Postsecondary Education Participation System (PEPS) file, which contains the “true” eligibility

status of postsecondary institutions. This file is maintained by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE).

OPE grants eligibility to institutions to participate in Title IV federal financial programs. Using the PEPS file

as the source for determining eligibility, 7,024 institutions were mailed Fall Enrollment survey forms.

Fall Enrollment survey forms were mailed in July 1996: (1) EF1 forms were mailed to 2,385

institutions; (2) EF2 forms to 1,523 institutions; and (3) CN forms to 3,116 institutions. The survey results

were collected from November 1996 through June 1997. During this time period a total of 184 institutions

determined to be out-of-scope were deleted from the universe. These deletions resulted from formal

notification by IPEDS state coordinators, the Department of Education eligibility notices, and from followup

telephone calls. Included in the deletions were (1) duplicates of other institutions on the file; (2) institutions

that closed or had merged with another institution, and thus were no longer a legitimate institution or branch;

(3) institutions that no longer offered postsecondary programs; or (4) schools that did not to conform to the

IPEDS definition of an institution or branch. At the conclusion of this process, 6,840 institutions represented
151

the final 1996 fall enrollment universe. The final universe was also adjusted to reflect institutions that

changed from one sector to another subsequent to survey mailout.

Table E-1 shows the number of institutions that were mailed the 1996 Fall Enrollment survey (or

the Consolidated form) by level and control of institution; the final in-scope universe of institutions

receiving either survey form; the number of in-scope institutions that responded; and the response rates.

Table E-1.—Number of institutions in the 1996 Fall Enrollment survey and survey response rates by

survey form, accreditation status, and sector of institution

Survey form and sector

of institution Mailed

Final

universe

Number

responded

Response

rate

All postsecondary............................ 7,024 6,840 6,495 95.0

 EF1 form....................................... 2,385 2,383 2,275 95.5

 EF2 form....................................... 1,523 1,484 1,423 95.9

 Consolidated form......................... 3,116 2,973 2,797 94.1

4-year ............................................. 2,427 2,435 2,323 95.4

 Public............................................ 630 631 624 98.9

 Nonprofit .................................... 1,656 1,654 1,562 94.4

 For-profit .................................... 141 150 137 91.3

2-year ............................................ 2,248 2,481 2,391 96.4

 Public............................................ 1,242 1,244 1,223 98.3

 Nonprofit .................................... 425 403 381 94.5

 For-profit .................................... 581 834 787 94.4

Less-than-2-year.............................. 2,349 1,924 1,781 92.6

 Public............................................ 225 201 197 98.0

 Nonprofit ................................... 99 88 86 97.7

 For-profit .................................... 2,025 1,635 1,498 91.6

Table notes:

1. By definition, 4-year institutions offer a bachelor's degree or postbaccalaureate award of some kind; 2-year institutions offer at least one program

of at least 2 years' duration; and less-than-2-year schools offer only programs of less than 2 years’ duration. Other postsecondary institutions are

those accredited at the occupational/vocational level (not at the college level as higher education institutions).

2. The sector of an institution at the time of mailout may differ from its sector in the final universe because a school's sector may change due to a

shift in the highest level of offering, or due to improper classification by sector the prior year. Because of this sector change, some 4-year

institutions may return an EF2 form and some 2-year institutions may return an EF1 form.

3. Response rates were calculated as the ratio of the number of completed survey forms divided by the number of schools in the final universe. Any

institution was considered a respondent if it supplied total enrollment by sex.
152

In establishing the PEPS file, ED discontinued its tradition of distinguishing between institutions

that are accredited at the college level from other postsecondary institutions. Therefore, it is not possible

for NCES to maintain an updated subset of accredited institutions at the college level, also known as

higher education institutions.

On the 1996 and subsequent IPEDS files, institutions are identified as (1) degree-granting—those

that offer either an associate's, bachelor's, master's, doctor’s, or first-professional degree; and (2) nondegree-granting (certificate only)—those institutions that offer only certificates at any level. Institutions

offering only postbaccalaureate, postmaster’s, or first-professional certificates and institutions offering

certificates of less than 4 years are included in this group.

Table E-2 provides the number of institutions and survey response rates by eligibility status and

degree-granting status by control and level of institution. The eligibility status of an institution was

updated in March 1997, and 305 institutions that were sent a Fall Enrollment survey lost eligibility status.

On the final file, there are 6,535 eligible institutions. Of these 4,034 are degree-granting. It is this group

of institutions that IPEDS will consider as higher education institutions in subsequent data collection

activities. The total enrollment of institutions by eligibility and degree-granting status, by their 1995

higher education classification, is provided in table E-3.
153

Table E-2.—Number and survey response rates of postsecondary institutions, by Title IV eligibility, and by

degree-granting status and sector of institution: 50 states, District of Columbia, and the outlying

areas, fall 1996

All institutions Eligible Not eligible

Degree-granting status and

sector of institution

Final

universe

Number

responded

Response

rate

Final

universe

Number

responded

Response

rate

Final

Universe

Number

responded

Response

rate

 All institutions..................... 6,840 6,495 95.0 6,535 6,291 96.3 305 204 66.9

4-year, public........................... 631 624 98.9 629 622 98.9 2 2 100.0

4-year, nonprofit...................... 1,654 1,562 94.4 1,563 1,494 95.6 91 68 74.7

4-year, for-profit...................... 150 137 91.3 145 132 91.0 5 5 100.0

2-year, public........................... 1,244 1,223 98.3 1,234 1,214 98.4 10 9 90.0

2-year, nonprofit...................... 403 381 94.5 367 350 95.4 36 31 86.1

2-year, for-profit...................... 834 787 94.4 804 765 95.1 30 22 73.3

Less-than-2-year, public ......... 201 197 98.0 200 196 98.0 1 1 100.0

Less-than-2-year, nonprofit .... 88 86 97.7 87 86 98.9 1 0 0

Less-than-2-year, for-profit .... 1,635 1,498 91.6 1,506 1,432 95.1 129 66 51.2

 Degree-granting .................. 4,155 3,981 95.8 4,034 3,889 96.4 121 92 76.0

4-year, public........................... 628 621 98.9 627 620 98.9 1 1 100.0

4-year, nonprofit...................... 1,613 1,526 94.6 1,532 1,466 95.7 81 60 74.1

4-year, for-profit...................... 146 133 91.1 141 128 90.8 5 5 100.0

2-year, public........................... 1,098 1,081 98.5 1,092 1,075 98.4 6 6 100.0

2-year, nonprofit...................... 199 187 94.0 185 176 95.1 14 11 78.6

2-year, for-profit...................... 471 433 91.9 457 424 92.8 14 9 64.3

 Non-degree-granting........... 2,685 2,514 93.6 2,501 2,402 96.0 184 112 60.9

4-year, public........................... 3 3 100.0 2 2 100.0 1 1 100.0

4-year, nonprofit...................... 41 36 87.8 31 28 90.3 10 8 80.0

4-year, for-profit...................... 4 4 100.0 4 4 100.0 0 0 0

2-year, public........................... 146 142 97.3 142 139 97.9 4 3 75.0

2-year, nonprofit...................... 204 194 95.1 182 174 95.6 22 20 90.9

2-year, for-profit...................... 363 354 97.5 347 341 98.3 16 13 81.3

Less-than-2-year, public ......... 201 197 98.0 200 196 98.0 1 1 100.0

Less-than-2-year, nonprofit .... 88 86 97.7 87 86 98.9 1 0 0

Less-than-2-year, for-profit .... 1,635 1,498 91.6 1,506 1,432 95.1 129 66 51.2

 50 states and D.C. ............... 6,704 6,369 95.0 6,404 6,170 96.3 300 199 66.3

Degree-granting....................... 4,072 3,905 95.9 3,956 3,818 96.5 116 87 75.0

Non-degree-granting............... 2,632 2,464 93.6 2,448 2,352 96.1 184 112 60.9

 Outlying areas..................... 136 126 92.6 131 121 92.4 5 5 100.0

Degree-granting....................... 83 76 91.6 78 71 91.0 5 5 100.0

Non-degree-granting............... 53 50 94.3 53 50 94.3 0 0 --
154

Table E-3.—Enrollment in postsecondary institutions, by Title IV eligibility and higher education status, and

by degree-granting status and sector of institution: 50 states, District of Columbia, and the

outlying areas, fall 1996*

Eligible Not eligible

Degree-granting status and

sector of institution

All institutions

Total

Higher

education

Other

postsecondary

Total

Higher

education

Other

postsecondary

 All institutions..................... 15,107,632 15,006,080 14,418,583 587,497 101,552 63,332 38,220

4-year, public ........................... 5,874,883 5,873,619 5,873,221 398 1,264 1,252 12

4-year, nonprofit...................... 2,976,722 2,958,522 2,949,943 8,579 18,200 11,565 6,635

4-year, for-profit...................... 138,279 134,458 125,909 8,549 3,821 1,363 2,458

2-year, public ........................... 5,443,211 5,433,911 5,294,282 139,629 9,300 778 8,522

2-year, nonprofit...................... 95,432 91,998 68,895 23,103 3,434 801 2,633

2-year, for-profit...................... 235,289 224,520 103,864 120,656 10,769 7,189 3,580

Less-than-2-year, public ......... 84,350 84,328 499 83,829 22 0 22

Less-than-2-year, nonprofit .... 20,123 20,119 242 19,877 4 0 4

Less-than-2-year, for-profit .... 239,343 184,605 1,728 182,877 54,738 40,384 14,354

 Degree-granting................... 14,594,330 14,550,056 14,393,518 156,538 44,274 22,448 21,826

4-year, public ........................... 5,874,857 5,873,605 5,873,221 384 1,252 1,252 0

4-year, nonprofit...................... 2,974,647 2,956,996 2,949,398 7,598 17,651 11,121 6,530

4-year, for-profit...................... 137,831 134,010 125,909 8,101 3,821 1,363 2,458

2-year, public ........................... 5,335,231 5,325,977 5,273,519 52,458 9,254 778 8,476

2-year, nonprofit...................... 80,224 77,241 67,723 9,518 2,983 745 2,238

2-year, for-profit...................... 191,540 182,227 103,748 78,479 9,313 7,189 2,124

 Non-degree-granting ........... 513,302 456,024 25,065 430,959 57,278 40,884 16,394

4-year, public ........................... 26 14 0 14 12 0 12

4-year, nonprofit...................... 2,075 1,526 545 981 549 444 105

4-year, for-profit...................... 448 448 0 448 0 0 0

2-year, public ........................... 107,980 107,934 20,763 87,171 46 0 46

2-year, nonprofit...................... 15,208 14,757 1,172 13,585 451 56 395

2-year, for-profit...................... 43,749 42,293 116 42,177 1,456 0 1,456

Less-than-2-year, public ......... 84,350 84,328 499 83,829 22 0 22

Less-than-2-year, nonprofit .... 20,123 20,119 242 19,877 4 0 4

Less-than-2-year, for-profit .... 239,343 184,605 1,728 182,877 54,738 40,384 14,354

* Higher education status was derived from the 1995-96 Institutional Characteristics file.
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Survey Conduct and Editing

The Fall Enrollment survey carries a due date of November 15. Survey forms were collected via

paper or transmitted to NCES via the Internet. Some institutions did submit data on diskette. Data for

nonresponding CN institutions were collected by the Postsecondary Education Telephone System

(PETS). All data, whether received on paper forms, diskettes, electronically via the Internet, or through

the PETS system, went through the same editing process.) Extensive followup for survey nonresponse

was conducted from November 1996 through April 1997. Initially, reminder letters were mailed,

encouraging nonresponding institutions to complete and return their forms; and subsequently, PETS was

used to collect only critical data from an institutional representative.

Survey responses were edited for internal and inter-year consistency. The following editing

procedures were used:

Part A: Enrollment by race/ethnicity

(1) All program entries (submissions by field) were checked for CIP code validity against the

1990 version of A Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) and to confirm these

were the fields requested by the Office for Civil Rights (even numbered years only).

(2) Addition checks were performed by adding down the columns and comparing generated

totals with reported totals. If the reported total differed from the generated total but was

within a designated range, the reported total was replaced by the generated total and the

cell was flagged with the proper impute code. If the difference exceeded the designated

range, institutions were contacted for verification/correction. Addition checks were also

performed by generating totals for men and women across columns in each line of data

submitted on the form. These generated totals by sex were compared to the reported totals.

If the reported totals differed from the generated totals but were within a designated range,

a balance field was created containing the difference by sex and placed on the data file.

Reported detail and totals were not altered. If the difference exceeded the designated

range, institutions were contacted for correction.

(3) Comparisons were also made with the number of students reported for selected items for

the prior year. If the differences were sufficiently large to trigger an edit flag, institutions

were contacted for verification.

Data Management and Imputation

Data for part A enrollment by race/ethnicity were imputed for nonresponding institutions. The

following imputation procedures were used:

For institutions with reported data on the prior year 1995 enrollment file: All institutions

that reported data in both 1995 and 1996 were grouped by level of offering and control

of institution. Enrollment data were then aggregated for each group and percent changes

were calculated. Then for each nonresponding institution in 1996 their 1995 enrollment

data were adjusted by the percent change of the group to which that institution belonged.

Imputations for all items for institutions with no prior year report were based on current

year group means or ratios derived for similar institutions with reported data in 1996.
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Groups were formed by combining institutions by level of offering and control of

institution.

Raking of racial/ethnic data

When data were reported by racial/ethnic categories on a detail line and the generated sum of these

enrollments did not equal the reported total enrollment and the difference between the generated total and

the reported total exceeded the designated range, the institutions were contacted for correction. If the

difference was within the designated range "balance columns" were created. The balance columns were

then distributed in the same proportions as the reported racial/ethnic data for that detail line. If there were

no racial/ethnic data reported for any detail lines, but racial/ethnic data were reported for the subtotal lines

(8=undergraduate full-time, 14=postbaccalaureate full-time, 22=undergraduate part-time, and

28=postbaccalaureate part-time), the total from columns 15 and 16 (male, female ) of each detail line

were distributed in proportions as the racial/ethnic enrollments reported on the corresponding subtotal

line. If the institution did not report racial/ethnic data on the subtotal lines, but reported racial/ethnic data

on the grand total line (29), then line 29 was used to distribute the data on the detail lines. If the

institution only reported data in columns 15 and 16 on all lines, data were distributed among racial/ethnic

categories based on the distribution of totals of the imputation group in which the institution was a

member. Groups were formed by aggregating lines 8, 14, 22, and 28 by survey form, control, and state

by sex.

Beginning in 1990, a “race/ethnicity unknown category” was incorporated into the Fall Enrollment

survey. To allow for analysis of enrollment trends by race/ethnicity, enrollment reported in the

race/ethnicity unknown category were raked across those columns that represent U.S. citizens, that is,

columns 3 through 12; race unknown was not distributed to nonresident aliens. The procedure used to

distribute the race/unknown category among the race/ethnicity categories was the same procedure used

for distributing the balance columns. Note that raking may be done on data that are imputed as well as

the reported data. Total columns 15 and 16 were not altered by this process. The original race unknown

values are kept on the file as are the original balance columns. Table E-4 contains the enrollment

numbers by “race/ethnicity unknown” and balance categories.
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Table E-4.—Total enrollment by race/ethnicity unknown and balance, by Title IV eligibility, and by

degree-granting status and sector of institution: 50 states and the District of Columbia,

fall 1996

All institutions Eligible Not eligible

Degree-granting status and

sector of institution

Total

enrollment

Percent

race/

ethnicity

unknown

Percent

balance

Total

enrollment

Percent

race/

ethnicity

unknown

Percent

balance

Total

enrollment

Percent

race/

ethnicity

unknown

Percent

balance

 All institutions..................... 15,107,632 3.9 0.1 15,006,080 3.6 0.1 101,552 55.2 0.2

4-year, public........................... 5,874,883 2.9 -- 5,873,619 2.9 -- 1,264 6.5 0.0

4-year, nonprofit...................... 2,976,722 5.4 -- 2,958,522 5.3 -- 18,200 22.4 0.0

4-year, for-profit...................... 138,279 4.4 -- 134,458 2.2 -- 3,821 81.0 0.0

2-year, public........................... 5,443,211 3.3 -- 5,433,911 3.3 -- 9,300 0.0 0.0

2-year, nonprofit...................... 95,432 3.6 -- 91,998 3.4 -- 3,434 9.4 0.0

2-year, for-profit...................... 235,289 9.6 0.1 224,520 7.2 0.1 10,769 61.2 --

Less-than-2-year, public ......... 84,350 2.6 6.2 84,328 2.6 6.2 22 0.0 0.0

Less-than-2-year, nonprofit .... 20,123 24.9 1.4 20,119 24.9 1.4 4 0.0 0.0

Less-than-2-year, for-profit .... 239,343 20.8 1.0 184,605 4.3 1.1 54,738 76.6 0.4

 Degree-granting .................. 14,594,330 3.6 -- 14,550,056 3.5 -- 44,274 31.6 0.0

4-year, public........................... 5,874,857 2.9 -- 5,873,605 2.9 -- 1,252 6.4 0.0

4-year, nonprofit...................... 2,974,647 5.4 -- 2,956,996 5.3 -- 17,651 23.1 0.0

4-year, for-profit...................... 137,831 4.4 -- 134,010 2.2 -- 3,821 81.0 0.0

2-year, public........................... 5,335,231 3.2 -- 5,325,977 3.2 -- 9,254 0.0 0.0

2-year, nonprofit...................... 80,224 3.1 -- 77,241 2.8 -- 2,983 10.7 0.0

2-year, for-profit...................... 191,540 9.2 -- 182,227 6.2 -- 9,313 68.8 0.0

 Non-degree-granting........... 513,302 13.5 1.6 456,024 6.0 1.7 57,278 73.5 0.4

4-year, public........................... 26 7.7 0.0 14 0.0 0.0 12 16.7 0.0

4-year, nonprofit...................... 2,075 0.4 0.0 1,526 0.5 0.0 549 0.0 0.0

4-year, for-profit...................... 448 2.0 0.0 448 2.0 0.0 -- -- --

2-year, public........................... 107,980 6.1 0.1 107,934 6.1 0.1 46 0.0 0.0

2-year, nonprofit...................... 15,208 6.2 0.0 14,757 6.4 0.0 451 0.4 0.0

2-year, for-profit...................... 43,749 11.3 0.2 42,293 11.3 0.2 1,456 12.5 -0.1

Less-than-2-year, public ......... 84,350 2.6 6.2 84,328 2.6 6.2 22 0.0 0.0

Less-than-2-year, nonprofit .... 20,123 24.9 1.4 20,119 24.9 1.4 4 0.0 0.0

Less-than-2-year, for-profit .... 239,343 20.8 1.0 184,605 4.3 1.1 54,738 76.6 0.4

Table notes:

1. Data in table E-4 were compiled using line 29 (total enrollment only).

2. The enrollment in the balance column represents 181 institutions, which had its enrollments by race/ethnicity not equal to the reported total.

Thirty--one of these institutions reported no race/ethnicity data and did not report data in the race/ethnicity unknown category. Enrollments

imputed from allocating the balance columns is very small, i.e., 0.1 percent.

3. The enrollment in the race/ethnicity unknown category represents 2,441 institutions. Eighty-one of these institutions reported data only in the

race/ethnicity unknown category.

4. -- Less than 0.05 percent.
158