NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

Statistical Analysis Report August 1996

A Descriptive Summary of

1992–93 Bachelor's Degree 

Recipients: 1 Year Later

With an Essay on Time to Degree

Alexander C. McCormick

Laura J. Horn

MPR Associates, Inc.

2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 800

Berkeley, CA 94704-1321

Paula Knepper

Project Officer

National Center for Education Statistics

U.S. Department of Education NCES 96–158

Office of Educational Research and Improvement
iii

Foreword

The 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:93) sampled students who

completed bachelor’s degrees in academic year 1992–93. The First Followup, conducted in 1994,

provides information on the activities of these bachelor’s degree recipients in the year after

graduation. For longitudinal analysis of postbaccalaureate outcomes, the B&B survey design

offers several advantages over previous surveys that have tracked the activities of a high school

age cohort. First, B&B begins with a nationally representative sample of bachelor’s degree

recipients, regardless of graduates’ age at degree completion. With the proliferation of part-time

attendance and the increasing number of college students who are older than the traditional 18- to

22-year-old college-going population, this affords a more representative cross-section of

bachelor’s degree completers than would be possible with a sample based on an age cohort.

Second, by sampling at degree completion, B&B avoids the problem of sample attenuation that

occurs with high school cohorts (since not all members of a high school cohort attend college;

those who attend differ in timing, intensity, and continuity of enrollment; and not all who attend

complete a bachelor’s degree).

This report presents selected findings from the B&B:93/94 First Followup survey. The

first section presents a brief profile of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients. The second section

presents an analysis of the amount of time taken to complete the degree. Finally, the

compendium provides detailed tables that supplement the information presented in the first two

sections, and also describes the employment and enrollment experiences of this population in the

year after graduation.

John H. Ralph

Acting Associate Commissioner

Data Development and Longitudinal Studies Division
iv

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank all who contributed to the production of this report. At MPR

Associates, special thanks go to Dawn Cayabyab, Don Eike, Simone Figueroa, Sanjay Kothari, Laura

Mihailoff, Lynn Sally, Mary Sukkestad, and Connie Yin who provided invaluable production

assistance. Vicky Dingler and Ellen Liebman provided vital programming support, and Andrea

Livingston and Karyn Madden provided editorial assistance.

At the National Opinion Research Center, Pam Giese, Pat Green, and Sharon Myers

deserve credit for coordinating the original B&B data collection and coding, and they also

provided useful feedback as this report was drafted.

At the National Center for Education Statistics, Paula Knepper and C. Dennis Carroll

provided guidance and constructive criticism at every stage. In addition, members of the B&B

Technical Review Panel provided valuable suggestions and feedback. Finally, we are grateful to

Nabeel Alsalam, David Bergeron, Robert Burton, Mary Frase, Peter Stowe, and Peter Syverson

for their careful review of the final report.
v

Table of Contents

Page

Foreword ................................................................... iii

Acknowledgments ........................................................... iv

List of Tables ............................................................... vi

List of Figures .............................................................. xii

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

A Profile of 1992–93 Bachelor's Degree Recipients ................................... 2

Gender and race–ethnicity ................................................. 2

Age at degree receipt ..................................................... 6

Degree-granting institution ................................................ 7

Point of entry into postsecondary education ................................... 8

Time to Degree Completion ..................................................... 11

Outcome measures and sample definition .................................... 12

Timing of entry into postsecondary education ................................. 13

Time between high school graduation and bachelor's degree completion ............ 14

Interruptions in enrollment ................................................ 15

Time between entry into postsecondary education and bachelor's degree 

 completion ............................................................ 20

Gender and race–ethnicity ................................................ 24

Timing of entry and preparation for college .................................. 24

Institutions attended ..................................................... 25

Major field of study ..................................................... 27

Debt ................................................................. 27

Conclusion .................................................................. 28

Table Compendium

Introduction to the Table Compendium ............................................ 30

Time to Degree Tables ......................................................... 31

The Employment and Enrollment Status of 1992–93 College Graduates .................. 57

Overview of employment and enrollment status .................................. 58

Employment: April 1994 .................................................... 58

Full-time salaries ........................................................... 59

Underemployment .......................................................... 60

Unemployment ............................................................ 60

Comparisons of 1993 college graduates with 1990 college

 graduates (1991 Recent College Graduates survey) ............................... 61

Enrollment in further education ............................................... 80

Graduate school application .................................................. 81

Undergraduate debt ......................................................... 81

Percentage Distributions of Row Variables ..................................... 102

Appendices

Appendix A: Glossary ...................................................... 108

Appendix B: Technical Notes and Methodology ................................. 123
vi

List of Tables

Essay Tables Page

1 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to 

gender and race–ethnicity, by selected student characteristics: 1992–93 .......... 3

2 Average cumulative and major GPAs of bachelor's degree recipients by 

gender, major field of study, and age at entry into postsecondary 

education: 1992–93 .................................................. 6

3 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to age when

received bachelor's degree, by cumulative undergraduate GPA: 1992–93 ......... 7

4 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to control and

offering of awarding institution, by entrance examination score quartile: 

1992–93 ........................................................... 7

5 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to control

and level of first institution attended, by selected student 

characteristics: 1992–93 .............................................. 10

6 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to prior attainment,

by attendance characteristics: 1992–93 ................................... 11

7 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to 

time between high school graduation and postsecondary entry, by selected 

student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 ........................... 14

8 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to 

time between high school graduation and degree completion, by first 

postsecondary institution attended: 1992–93 .............................. 15

9 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients who began

postsecondary education at a 4-year institution according to the number of

institutions attended, by type of institution first attended: 1992–93 ............. 17

10 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to 

total number of months stopped out between institutions, by selected student 

and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 ................................. 18
vii

Essay Tables Page

11 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to 

time between entry into postsecondary education and degree completion, by 

total number of months stopped out between institutions: 1992–93 ............ 20

12 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 

6 months of stopout between institutions according to time between entry into

postsecondary education and degree completion, by selected student and

enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 ..................................... 21

13 Among first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of 

stopout between institutions, average number of years between postsecondary 

entry and degree receipt according to type of degree-granting institution, by 

selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 .................... 23
viii

Compendium Tables Page

I.1 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to 

gender and race–ethnicity, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 

1992–93 .......................................................... 32

I.2 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to age when

received bachelor's degree, by selected student and enrollment characteristics:

1992–93 .......................................................... 34

I.3 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to control and

offering of awarding institution, by selected student and enrollment characteristics:

1992–93 .......................................................... 36

I.4 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to control

and level of first institution attended, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93 .............................................. 38

I.5 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time

between high school graduation and postsecondary entry, by selected student and

enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 ..................................... 40

I.6 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time

between high school graduation and degree completion, by selected student and

enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 ..................................... 42

I.7 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to total

number of months stopped out between institutions, by selected student and

enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 ..................................... 45

I.8 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6

months of stopout between institutions according to time between entry into

postsecondary education and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93 .............................................. 46

I.9 Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of stopout

between institutions, average number of years between postsecondary entry and

degree receipt according to type of degree-granting institution, by selected student

and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93 ................................. 49

I.10 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to undergraduate

major and selected characteristics: 1992–93 ............................... 52

I.11 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to highest degree 

already completed, by selected student characteristics: 1992–93 ............... 55
ix

Compendium Tables Page

I.12 Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to 

where they began postsecondary education by number of institutions attended: 

1992–93 .......................................................... 56

II.1 Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their employment

status in April 1994 and the corresponding unemployment rate ................ 62

II.2 Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who reported various job 

characteristics for primary job held in April 1994 .......................... 65

II.3 Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed

in April 1994 according to their reported occupation ........................ 68

II.4 Percentage distribution of annual salaries, and the average annual salaries, for

1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients employed full time in April 1994, by 

gender, race–ethnicity, bachelor's degree major, and April occupation .......... 71

II.5 Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed and not enrolled in

April 1994, the percentage reporting various underemployment characteristics about

their employment ................................................... 73

II.6 Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had experienced any

unemployment since graduation, the average number of consecutive months 

they were unemployed, and the unemployment rate for April 1994 ............. 76

II.7 Comparisons between 1990 and 1993 college graduates with respect to employment

status 1 year after graduation and various job characteristics .................. 79

III.1a Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to 

their enrollment status in April 1994 .................................... 82

III.1b Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their

postbaccalaureate enrollment since receiving a bachelor's degree and the 

percentage ever enrolled .............................................. 85

III.2 Among the 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had enrolled in

graduate/professional school since receiving their bachelor's degree, the percentage

distribution according to highest degree program ........................... 88

III.3 Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients enrolled in graduate/professional school

since receiving their bachelor's degree, the percentage distribution according to

graduate field of study ................................................ 91

III.4 Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who applied to 

graduate or professional school, the percentage accepted among those 

who applied, and the percentage who considered applying among those 

who did not apply ................................................... 94
x

III.5 Among the 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who did not apply to 

graduate school but had considered applying, the percentage distribution

according to various reasons for not applying ............................. 97

III.6 Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who borrowed for their

undergraduate education, the average amount borrowed, the average amount still

owed, and the average total debt among all degree recipients ................. 99

IV.1 Percentage distribution (in columns) of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients

according to selected characteristics, by gender and race–ethnicity ............ 103
xi

Appendix Tables Page

B1 Percentage distribution of eligible cases according to B&B:93/94 case 

disposition, by selected demographic characteristics ....................... 124

B2 Standard errors corresponding to table 12 ............................... 126
xii

List of Figures

Figure Page

1 Age and gender composition of bachelor's degree recipients: 1992–93 .......... 4

2 Gender composition of bachelor's degree recipients, by major: 1992–93 ......... 5

3 Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to type of awarding

institution: 1992–93 .................................................. 8

4 Percentage distribution of college graduates completing the baccalaureate 

degree within various years of graduating from high school: 1977, 1986, 

1990, and 1993 graduates ............................................. 16

5 Between-institution stopout among first-time bachelor's degree recipients: 1992–9319

6 Time from postsecondary entry to bachelor's degree for graduates with 

less than 6 months of stopout between institutions, by types of 

institutions attended: 1992–93 ......................................... 26
Digest of Education Statistics, 1995 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for 1

Education Statistics, 1995), tables 243 and 250.

1

Introduction

In academic year 1992–93, more than 1.1 million students received bachelor’s degrees

from 1,809 U.S. institutions of higher education. A nationally representative sample of that 1

population, consisting of 10,080 students attending 648 institutions, was surveyed in their last

year of college and again 1 year after graduation. This report uses those data to provide a detailed

profile of the population of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients, with particular attention to the

amount of time taken to complete the degree, an issue of intense interest to students, parents,

policymakers, and administrators.

In recent years, the amount of time required to complete a bachelor’s degree has attracted

considerable attention as rising costs have increased the financial burden of undergraduate

education on families and taxpayers (through their support of public institutions and state and

federal financial aid programs). Delays in degree completion can be problematic for the

individual, the institution, and society. For instance, individual costs involve additional tuition,

foregone income while enrolled, and reduced long-term earning potential; institutional costs

involve reduced ability to forecast future enrollment and to meet new enrollment demand,

because of fewer spaces for new students; and social costs involve reduced efficiency of public

investment in higher education, since it takes longer to realize returns on public dollars invested

in support of undergraduate education.

A Profile of 1992–93 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients

This section presents a brief sketch of the characteristics of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree

recipients, including tables and figures describing the population according to a number of key

characteristics: gender, race–ethnicity, age at degree receipt, and types of institutions attended.

This profile is included to provide the reader with a basic description of the population on which

this and subsequent B&B reports will be based.
Digest of Education Statistics, 1995 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for 2

Education Statistics, 1995), table 256.

Compendium table I.10 presents data on the distribution of majors. 3

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond 4

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System. The remaining 32 percent consists of

graduates who did not take an entrance examination (11 percent), and those who took an examination but did not

report a score or whose examination status was unknown (21 percent). Scores were drawn from institutional records

if possible, and self-reported if not available from institutional records.

Self-reported GPAs. 5

2

Gender and race–ethnicity

Since academic year 1984–85, a majority of bachelor’s degrees awarded by U.S.

institutions of higher education have been earned by women, whose share of the total has

gradually increased since then. In 1992–93, 55 percent of all bachelor’s degree recipients were 2

women (table 1 and figure 1), as were two-thirds (68 percent) of those who received the degree at

age 40 or older. Most majors in education, the health professions, and psychology were women

(79, 75, and 74 percent, respectively), while men predominated among engineering majors (86

percent) (figure 2).3

Graduates’ scores on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College

Testing Program examination (ACT) were available for about two-thirds of the B&B sample (68

percent). Scores on each exam were converted to quartile ranks among B&B participants who 4

took each test, and these were then combined into a single quartile score (see appendix A).

Among graduates who took the SAT or ACT, the top quartile contained a larger proportion of

men than did other quartiles, while the bottom quartile contained proportionally more women.

This pattern was reversed with respect to achievement in college, however: there were

proportionally more women among those with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or

above than among those with lower GPAs. The gender difference in overall college grades

persists after controlling for age at entry, and also after controlling for major (except among

majors in history, engineering, biological sciences, and mathematics and other sciences) (table

2).5
3

Table 1—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to gender and race–ethnicity,

by selected student characteristics: 1992–93

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonMale Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Total 45.3 54.7 0.6 4.9 6.1 5.1 83.3 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 44.8 55.2 0.6 4.4 6.3 4.8 84.0 

Business and management 53.8 46.2 0.6 4.6 7.6 4.4 82.8 

Education 21.4 78.6 0.6 2.0 3.8 4.4 89.2 

Engineering 86.3 13.7 0.3 9.8 4.1 4.3 81.5 

Health professions 25.3 74.7 0.7 4.2 6.4 5.6 83.1 

Public affairs/social services 40.5 59.5 0.3 2.1 10.5 8.4 78.7 

Arts and sciences 47.2 52.8 0.5 6.1 6.0 5.6 81.8 

Biological sciences 51.9 48.1 0.3 8.2 6.7 5.9 78.9 

Mathematics and other 

 sciences 59.8 40.2 0.4 10.5 6.8 4.5 77.9 

Social science 49.1 50.9 0.6 5.3 6.9 5.1 82.2 

History 60.3 39.7 0.3 3.9 2.5 1.5 91.8 

Humanities 40.6 59.4 0.7 5.4 4.6 6.4 82.9 

Psychology 26.3 73.7 0.2 1.3 7.2 8.5 82.8 

Other 42.7 57.3 0.8 4.0 6.0 4.7 84.7 

Age received bachelor's degree

Under 23 40.4 59.6 0.3 4.6 5.7 3.6 85.8 

23–24 54.9 45.1 0.3 7.1 5.4 5.7 81.5 

25–29 55.4 44.6 0.8 4.2 6.3 8.2 80.5 

30–39 41.1 58.9 1.4 4.0 8.0 6.7 79.8 

40 or older 31.9 68.1 1.6 1.6 7.7 4.8 84.2 

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 40.7 59.3 0.5 2.7 12.5 6.4 77.9 

Middle 50% 49.5 50.5 0.3 4.1 3.6 3.6 88.4 

Top 25% 56.5 43.5 0.6 6.2 1.7 2.7 88.7 

No exam taken or 37.3 62.7 0.8 6.3 8.1 7.3 77.6 

 no score reported

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 55.2 44.8 0.5 4.6 11.3 6.2 77.5 

3.0–3.49 45.7 54.3 0.6 5.7 5.0 4.9 83.9 

3.5 or higher 35.2 64.8 0.6 3.7 2.4 3.8 89.4 

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
4

Figure 1—Age and gender composition of bachelor's degree recipients: 1992–93

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
5

Figure 2—Gender composition of bachelor's degree recipients, by major: 1992–93

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Certain majors differed in their racial–ethnic composition (table 1). For example,

Asian/Pacific Islanders made up a larger share of engineering, biological science, and

math/science majors (8 to 11 percent) than education, public affairs/social services, and

psychology majors (1 to 2 percent). However, black, non-Hispanic students were more highly

represented among business and public affairs majors than among history majors (8 and 11

percent versus 3 percent). White students made up a larger share of education and history majors

than other majors (about 90 percent versus 78 to 85 percent of other majors).
A similar pattern is evident when overall grades are examined by age at entry: students in each category of age at 6

entry had higher average cumulative GPAs than younger entrants (the only exception being that those who began at

age 30 or older did not have significantly higher GPAs than those who began at 25–29 years old) (table 2).

6

Table 2—Average cumulative and major GPAs of bachelor's degree recipients by gender, major field of

study, and age at entry into postsecondary education: 1992–93

Cumulative GPA Major GPA * *

Gender Gender

Total Male Female Total Male Female

Total 3.17 3.10 3.24 3.31 3.25 3.36 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 3.19 3.10 3.26 3.31 3.23 3.38 

Business and management 3.15 3.10 3.22 3.26 3.22 3.30 

Education 3.26 3.11 3.30 3.43 3.32 3.46 

Engineering 3.10 3.08 3.18 3.20 3.19 3.26 

Health professions 3.28 3.20 3.31 3.36 3.31 3.38 

Public affairs/social services 3.12 3.02 3.18 3.33 3.25 3.39 

Arts and sciences 3.17 3.13 3.22 3.33 3.29 3.36 

Biological sciences 3.20 3.20 3.20 3.26 3.26 3.27 

Mathematics and other sciences 3.14 3.14 3.13 3.27 3.29 3.25 

Social science 3.11 3.06 3.17 3.28 3.25 3.31 

History 3.25 3.19 3.36 3.44 3.44 3.46 

Humanities 3.23 3.14 3.28 3.41 3.34 3.46 

Psychology 3.18 3.05 3.23 3.34 3.28 3.37 

Other 3.11 3.00 3.20 3.27 3.20 3.33 

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 3.16 3.09 3.22 3.30 3.25 3.35 

20–24 3.24 3.17 3.33 3.33 3.29 3.39 

25–29 3.41 3.27 3.51 3.49 3.35 3.58 

30 or older 3.41 3.22 3.47 3.46 3.28 3.52 

*Self-reported.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Age at degree receipt

About half of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients were age 22 or younger when they

received their degree, and about one-quarter were age 23 or 24. One graduate out of six

graduated at age 30 or older (table 3). Older students were more represented among those with

high grades: graduates with cumulative GPAs of 3.5 or above were more likely to be in their 30s

or older than were students with lower GPAs (17 percent were in their 30s, compared with 7 to 8

percent of those with lower grades; 11 percent were 40 or older, compared with 2 to 5 percent of

those with lower grades).6
7

Table 3—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to age when received

bachelor's degree, by cumulative undergraduate GPA: 1992–93

Under 40 or

23 23–24 25–29 30–39 older

Total 47.0 24.7 12.4 10.0 6.0 

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 42.4 33.5 15.0 7.1 2.0 

3.0–3.49 50.8 24.9 11.6 7.7 5.0 

3.5 or higher 46.6 14.5 11.3 16.7 11.0 

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Degree-granting institution

Sixty-five percent of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients graduated from public

institutions; 42 percent graduated from public doctorate-granting institutions (table 4). Graduates

who scored in the bottom quartile of the SAT or ACT were more likely than others for whom a

score was available to have received their degree from public nondoctoral institutions (32 percent

versus 12 to 20 percent of others), while those scoring in the top quartile were more likely to

have graduated from private, doctorate-granting institutions (23 percent versus 9 to 14 percent of

others with scores reported).

Table 4—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to control and offering of

awarding institution, by entrance examination score quartile: 1992–93

Private,

Public 4-year not-for-profit 4-year

Non- Nondoctorate- Doctorate- doctorate- DoctorateTotal granting granting Total granting granting Other*

Total 65.2 23.2 42.0 31.4 17.9 13.4 3.5

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 74.6 32.0 42.6 24.2 15.4 8.8 1.2 

Middle 50% 67.9 20.1 47.8 29.2 15.6 13.6 2.9 

Top 25% 60.5 12.0 48.5 37.6 14.6 23.0 1.9 

No exam taken or no score reported 60.1 27.9 32.1 34.0 23.5 10.5 5.9 

*Includes graduates of private, for-profit institutions and of institutions of unknown type (i.e., 1992–93 bachelor's degree

recipients who were sampled from an institution other than the degree-granting one).

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
4%

Public nondoctorategranting

Public doctorategranting

Private nondoctorategranting

Private doctorategranting

42%

18%

13%

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond 7

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

8

The rest of this section pertains to entry into postsecondary education and progress

toward the bachelor’s degree. A small number of 1992–93 graduates already held a bachelor’s

degree or higher level degree (6.5 percent) (compendium table I.11). Since it would not be

appropriate to include such students in the discussion of entry and progress, graduates who held a

prior bachelor’s degree or higher were excluded from the tables and figures that follow.

Figure 3—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to type of awarding

institution: 1992–93

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Point of entry into postsecondary education

Half of all 1992–93 first-time bachelor’s degree recipients (53 percent) attended more

than one institution before completing their degree. This includes students who changed 7

institutions before earning the degree, and students who temporarily enrolled elsewhere but

received the degree from the first institution attended. Table 5 presents information on how firsttime bachelor’s degree recipients began their postsecondary education.
9

Table 5—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to control and level

of first institution attended, by selected student characteristics: 1992–93

Private,

Private, not-fornot-for- Public profit

Public profit Public less-than- less-than- Private, 

4-year 4-year 2-year 2-year 4-year for-profit

Total 54.4 27.9 16.0 0.0 0.8 0.9 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 55.6 24.6 17.9 0.1 0.9 0.9 

Business and management 54.6 26.0 17.3 0.0 0.9 1.2 

Education 54.9 24.8 18.9 0.0 1.2 0.2 

Engineering 61.2 21.8 15.1 0.2 0.0 1.7 

Health professions 56.8 22.9 18.1 0.3 1.5 0.4 

Public affairs/social services 51.7 23.9 22.3 0.0 1.4 0.7 

Arts and sciences 51.9 34.3 12.7 0.0 0.4 0.7 

Biological sciences 49.8 40.2 9.2 0.0 0.6 0.3 

Mathematics and other sciences 55.6 28.2 15.3 0.0 0.1 0.8 

Social science 56.5 31.6 11.2 0.0 0.5 0.1 

History 48.6 41.0 9.9 0.0 0.5 0.0 

Humanities 44.8 39.2 13.8 0.0 0.4 1.8 

Psychology 54.6 29.6 15.4 0.0 0.3 0.2 

Other 56.1 23.6 17.5 0.0 1.2 1.7 

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 55.6 28.4 14.3 0.0 0.8 0.8 

20–24 39.8 16.1 41.9 0.3 0.5 1.6 

25–29 39.2 20.1 37.2 0.0 0.0 3.4 

30 or older 31.7 31.1 36.4 0.0 0.4 0.4 

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 53.1 21.8 23.2 0.1 1.3 0.5 

No 54.2 28.3 15.7 0.0 0.8 1.0 

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 59.6 22.9 16.2 0.0 0.7 0.6 

3.0–3.49 54.3 29.0 14.9 0.0 0.9 0.9 

3.5 or higher 47.7 31.5 18.7 0.0 0.9 1.3 

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 60.0 22.7 16.1 0.0 1.0 0.3 

Middle 50% 58.6 28.7 11.5 0.0 0.9 0.3 

Top 25% 55.0 38.3 6.1 0.0 0.3 0.3 

No exam taken or no 45.4 23.4 27.8 0.1 0.9 2.5 

 score reported

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
8These figures change little when one excludes institutions attended only during the summer after high school and those

attended only briefly (less than 3 months). For example, after implementing such a restriction, the number who began

at public 2-year institutions drops to 15 percent, and the number who began at public 4-year institutions increases to 55

percent (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System).

This remains true after controlling for major: cumulative and major GPAs did not differ significantly for those who 9

began postsecondary education in a public 2-year institution versus those who began in a 4-year institution. The one

exception was for those who majored in public affairs/social services—in which case 2-year college entrants had

higher cumulative GPAs (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993

Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System).

10

About half of first-time bachelor’s degree recipients began their postsecondary education

at a public 4-year institution (54 percent); another quarter started at a private, not-for profit 4-

year institution (28 percent); 16 percent began at a public 2-year college; and the remainder

began at other institutions (table 5). Of those who began at a public 2-year college, 30 percent 8

completed an associate’s degree before earning a bachelor’s degree

(table 6).

Older entrants into postsecondary education were more likely than other bachelor’s degree

recipients to have begun in a public 2-year college. Graduates who began postsecondary

education at age 20 or older were twice as likely as their younger counterparts to have begun at

such institutions (36 to 42 percent of those who began postsecondary education at age 20 or

older, compared with 14 percent of graduates who began at age 19 or younger) (table 5).

Institution of origin was also related to prior preparation. For example, graduates who

reported that they had taken remedial instruction in college were more likely than those with no

remedial coursework to have begun their postsecondary education in a public 2-year institution

(23 versus 16 percent). Similarly, students who scored in the bottom quartile on entrance

examinations were more likely than those scoring in the middle or upper quartiles to have begun

in a public 2-year institution, while those who scored in the top quartile were more likely to have

begun at a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution.

Despite the relationship between graduates’ prior preparation and whether they began

postsecondary education at a public 2-year institution, there was no systematic relationship

between their grades at the degree-granting institution and whether they began at a public 2-year

institution. Among students who began postsecondary education at a 4-year institution, however, 9

there was a relationship between college grades and whether they began at a public or at a

private, not-for-profit institution: students whose cumulative GPA was 3.5 or higher were less

likely than those with lower grades to have begun at a public institution, while those with GPAs

below 3.0 were less likely than others to have begun at a private, not-for-profit institution.

Students who majored in the arts and sciences were more likely than those in other majors

to have begun postsecondary education at a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution (34 percent

versus about 24 percent of other majors), and were less likely than other majors to have begun in

a public 2-year institution (13 percent versus 18 percent of other majors).
The Condition of Education, 1993 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 10

Statistics, 1993): 26. Since this measure includes nonenrolled time between high school and entry into postsecondary

education, at least some of the change is due to increased participation and completion by nontraditional students. In

the early 1980s, in response to falling numbers of high school graduates, many colleges bolstered sagging

enrollments by recruiting more adult students. Thus, it is possible that increases in the time between high school and

college graduation do not signify increases in the amount of time actually required to complete the bachelor’s degree.

A. McCormick, S. Geis, and R. Vergun, Profile of Part-Time Students in U.S. Postsecondary Education: 1989–90 11

(Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1994).

11

Table 6—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to prior attainment,

by attendance characteristics: 1992–93

Associate's

None Certificate degree

Total 76.3 13.5 10.2

Number of institutions attended

One 86.3 11.3 2.4

Two or more 67.3 15.5 17.2

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 81.1 13.8 5.1

2-year 56.2 14.4 29.5

Less-than-2-year — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 84.5 11.1 4.3

Less-than-4-year 56.8 17.4 25.8

Private, for-profit 72.1 8.5 19.4

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Time to Degree Completion

The average number of years between high school graduation and completion of the

bachelor’s degree (an indirect measure of time to degree) has been increasing. The proportion of

bachelor’s degree completers graduating within 4 years after high school declined from 45

percent to 31 percent between 1977 and 1990, and the proportion completing their degrees more

than 6 years after high school increased from 25 percent to 32 percent.10

Increases in the time to complete a bachelor’s degree have been attributed to a number of

factors. Between 1977 and 1990, the proportion of undergraduates attending part time grew from

37 percent to 42 percent. This change in the composition of the student body has directly 11

increased the average time to degree. Furthermore, as older students return to college and

complete degrees in greater numbers, time to degree as measured from high school graduation
Between 1970 and 1991, the proportion of undergraduates age 25 or older grew from 28 to 45 percent. See S. Choy 12

and M. Premo, Profile of Older Undergraduates: 1989–90 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education,

National Center for Education Statistics, 1995).

Clifford Adelman, The New College Course Map and Transcript Files (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of 13

Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1995).

“Fewer Students Get Bachelor’s Degrees in 4 Years, Study Finds,” Chronicle of Higher Education (July 15, 1992): 14

A29.

In the 1991 Recent College Graduates survey (RCG:91), respondents were asked when they began work on their 15

bachelor’s degree. These data were reported in The Condition of Education, 1993 (Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1995), p. 26. This is not strictly comparable to

the B&B measure of time from postsecondary entry to degree completion.

12

necessarily increases. A recent analysis of two high school cohorts a decade apart suggests that 12

increased time to degree is not solely due to more part-time or older students—it also reflects

increased course taking. In analyzing postsecondary transcripts from the National Longitudinal

Study of the High School Class of 1972 and the High School and Beyond Sophomore Cohort

(most of whom completed high school in 1982), Adelman found the average number of credits

earned by bachelor’s degree completers rose from 126 to 139 credits between the two cohorts.13

Other factors that have been cited as increasing time to degree include difficulty enrolling in

required courses, as institutions have reduced course offerings in response to budget cuts;

growing numbers of students who work while enrolled; increased rates of course withdrawal and

noncredit repetition; and increased participation in remedial and developmental courses.14

Outcome measures and sample definition

Time to degree is measured in two ways in this report: time elapsed between high school

graduation and bachelor’s degree completion, and time elapsed between entry into postsecondary

education and bachelor’s degree completion. As measures of elapsed time, both may include

periods of nonenrollment and should not be interpreted as direct measures of time in school. The

first measure includes two types of nonenrolled periods: those occurring between high school

graduation and entry into postsecondary education, and those occurring between postsecondary

entry and college graduation (i.e., vacations and stopout periods). This measure is useful

primarily because it affords comparisons to time series data from the Recent College Graduates

surveys. The second measure includes only enrollment gaps occurring after entry into

postsecondary education, and will be the focus for most of the analysis of time to degree.15

For the following analysis of time to degree, the sample was restricted to first-time

bachelor’s degree recipients: those graduates who did not hold any prior bachelor’s or higher

level degree. This restriction excluded about 6.6 percent of all 1992–93 bachelor’s degree

recipients. For analyses examining time between entry into postsecondary education and degree

receipt, the sample was further restricted to exclude students with substantial periods between

institutions when they were not enrolled. This restriction is explained in detail in the section

“Interruptions in enrollment.”
By contrast, 48 percent of all students attending public 2-year institutions in 1992–93 began postsecondary 16

education within a year of high school. See L. Horn and M. Premo, Profile of Undergraduates in U.S. Postsecondary

Institutions: 1992–93 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics,

1995).

L. Berkner, S. Cuccaro-Alamin, and A. McCormick, Descriptive Summary of 1989–90 Beginning Postsecondary 17

Students: Five Years Later (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education

Statistics, 1996). L. Horn, A Study of Nontraditional Undergraduates (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of

Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1996).

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond 18

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

13

Timing of entry into postsecondary education

Among 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients, 9 out of 10 began postsecondary education

within 1 year of high school graduation. The remaining 10 percent were distributed roughly

evenly over the following intervals between high school graduation and postsecondary

enrollment: 1 to 2 years (3 percent), 2 to 5 years (3 percent), and 5 or more years (4 percent)

(table 7).

Although public 2-year colleges serve a less traditional student population than 4-year

institutions, the population of bachelor’s degree recipients who began at such institutions

included a large number of traditional students with respect to timing of entry into postsecondary

education—79 percent entered college in the first year after high school. This finding highlights 16

the difference between the overall population of 2-year college students and the select group of 2-

year college beginners who transfer to a 4-year institution and complete a bachelor’s degree. 

Nontraditional students (including older students who may have delayed their entry into

postsecondary education, as well as students who return to college after an extended period out of

school) are less likely to be represented among bachelor’s degree completers for two reasons.

First, they are less likely to be working toward a bachelor’s degree at all. Second, among those

intending to complete a bachelor’s degree, nontraditional students are at greater risk for attrition,

and thus are less represented among completers. Nevertheless, those graduates who began at 17

public 2-year colleges were less likely than others to have entered postsecondary education in the

first year after high school: the comparable figure for 4-year institutions is 93 percent.

In addition to institution of origin, there were also differences in timing of postsecondary

entry according to the institutions where bachelor’s degree recipients received their degrees:

those from doctorate-granting institutions were more likely than others to have begun

postsecondary education within 1 year of high school (92 percent of graduates from doctoral

institutions versus 86 to 88 percent of those from nondoctoral institutions).

Students with highly educated parents were more likely to enroll within 1 year of high

school graduation than were students whose parents had less education. This reflects not only

socioeconomic differences but also two other factors: graduates whose parents had lower

educational attainment were more likely to be older, and older graduates were more likely to

have delayed entry.18
14

Table 7—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between high

school graduation and postsecondary entry, by selected student and enrollment characteristics:

1992–93

Less At least 1, At least 2, 5 years

than less than less than or

1 year 2 years 5 years more

Total 89.7 3.1 3.3 3.9

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 93.4 2.4 2.0 2.2

2-year 78.9 4.7 7.5 9.0

Less-than-2-year — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 93.2 2.5 1.8 2.5

Less-than-4-year 96.6 0.0 2.6 0.7

Private, for-profit 82.8 4.8 4.1 8.4

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 87.7 3.3 3.8 5.3

Doctorate-granting 91.8 2.9 2.7 2.5

Private, not-for-profit 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 85.5 3.6 4.9 6.0

Doctorate-granting 92.1 2.8 2.2 3.0

Other 88.0 3.5 4.9 3.6

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 61.8 8.4 10.1 19.7

High school or equivalency 84.4 4.4 4.5 6.7

Some postsecondary education 91.3 2.9 3.1 2.8

Bachelor's degree 94.8 2.0 2.2 1.1

Advanced degree 95.5 2.3 1.6 0.6

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Time between high school graduation and bachelor’s degree completion 

As noted at the beginning of this section, analyses of RCG data have shown a substantial

increase in time from high school graduation to bachelor’s degree receipt between 1977 and

1990. Table 8 presents comparable B&B data for 1992–93 graduates, and a time series using

both RCG and B&B data is presented in figure 4.

Thirty-one percent of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients earned the degree within 4

years of their high school graduation, and another 28 percent graduated between 4 and 5 years

after finishing high school (figure 4). At the other extreme, 30 percent received their degree more

than 6 years after finishing high school. These data are very similar to RCG figures from 1990,

the last year for which comparable data are available.
L. Berkner, S. Cuccaro-Alamin, and A. McCormick, Descriptive Summary of 1989–90 Beginning Postsecondary 19

Students: Five Years Later (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education

Statistics, 1996).

20Gaps in enrollment followed by a return to the same institutions cannot be identified because term-by-term

attendance data for each institution attended are not available.

15

As would be expected from the findings on delayed entry, time from high school

graduation to degree receipt varied substantially according to students’ point of entry into

postsecondary education. Those who started at a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution were

twice as likely as others to complete their degree within 4 years of high school graduation (57

percent versus not more than 27 percent of those who started at other types of institutions). By

contrast, students who began in public 2-year institutions were more likely than those who began

at 4-year institutions to complete their degree more than 10 years after high school. This reflects

several factors that are especially common among 2-year college entrants: delayed entry, parttime attendance, and discontinuity of enrollment.19

Table 8—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between high

school graduation and degree completion, by first postsecondary institution attended:

1992–93

More More More More

than 4, than 5, than 6, than

4 years up to up to up to 10

or less 5 years 6 years 10 years years

Total 31.1 27.6 11.2 12.7 17.4 

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 27.1 35.9 13.2 12.2 11.7 

2-year 11.9 21.6 14.8 22.3 29.4 

Less-than-2-year — — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 56.7 20.3 6.1 6.4 10.6 

Less-than-4-year 21.3 26.7 17.8 11.6 22.6 

Private, for-profit 23.5 15.3 5.4 13.9 42.0 

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Interruptions in enrollment

As previously noted, both measures of elapsed time to degree can include periods when

students were not enrolled. By focusing the analysis on time from postsecondary entry to degree

completion, the confounding effect of gaps between secondary and postsecondary education can

be eliminated. Since the B&B data set includes starting and ending dates for each undergraduate

institution attended, gaps in enrollment occurring between institutions can also be identified.20
4 years

or less

More than

 6 years

5 Years

6 Years

30%

28%

11%

16

Figure 4—Percentage distribution of college graduates completing the baccalaureate degree within various

years of graduating from high school: 1977, 1986, 1990, and 1993 graduates

SOURCE: Recent College Graduates surveys (1977, 1986, and 1990 graduates), and U.S. Department of Education, National

Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis

System.
Students with no between-institution stopout may nevertheless have gaps in enrollment that were followed by a 21

return to an institution previously attended.

This could be a single gap of at least 2 years’ duration, or a combination of shorter gaps between institutions. 22

17

For this analysis, transitions between institutions that included at least 4 consecutive

months without enrollment were identified as periods of stopout between institutions. The total

number of months of between-institution stopout was then calculated, allowing students with

substantial gaps in enrollment between institutions to be identified.21

Between-institution stopout is only possible for students who attended more than one

institution (53 percent of all first-time bachelor's degree recipients). Students who began

postsecondary education at a less-than-4-year institution necessarily attended more than one

institution before completing the bachelor’s degree. Among students who began at a 4-year

institution, 37 percent attended more than one institution before receiving their degree (table 9).

Table 9—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients who began postsecondary

education at a 4-year institution according to the number of institutions attended, by type of

institution first attended: 1992–93

Two or

One more

Total 63.1 36.9

First postsecondary institution

Public 62.4 37.6

Private, not-for-profit 64.8 35.2

Private, for-profit 53.5 46.5

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Among all first-time bachelor’s degree recipients, three-quarters had no gaps of 4 months

or longer between institutions, and an additional 8 percent had one gap of 4 or 5 months (about 1

semester) between institutions (table 10). Among the more restricted group for whom betweeninstitution stopout is possible (i.e., those who attended more than one institution), 52 percent had

no gaps between institutions, and another 16 percent had a gap of 4 or 5 months (figure 5). At the

other extreme, 19 percent of students who attended more than one institution had at least 2 years’

worth of enrollment gaps between institutions (table 10).22

Students who delayed their initial entry into postsecondary education by 1 year or more

were almost three times as likely to experience substantial interruptions in enrollment between

institutions as well: 22 percent of delayed entrants had 2 years’ worth of enrollment gaps between

institutions, compared with 8 percent of those who began postsecondary education within 1 year

of high school graduation.
18

Table 10—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to total number of

months stopped out between institutions, by selected student and enrollment characteristics:

1992–93

No stopouts 24

lasting months

4 months 4–5 6–23 or

or more months months more 1

Total 76.2 7.9 6.7 9.2 

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 78.2 7.9 6.1 7.8 

One year or more 57.5 8.1 12.3 22.1 

Number of institutions attended

One 100.0 ( ) ( ) ( ) 2 2 2

Two or more 51.7 16.0 13.6 18.7 

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 71.1 10.1 7.6 11.3 

No 76.1 7.8 6.7 9.4 

First postsecondary institution

Public 

4-year 85.0 4.4 4.0 6.7 

2-year 44.4 19.4 17.3 18.9 

Less-than-2-year — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 85.6 6.2 3.4 4.9 

Less-than-4-year 38.6 26.4 15.6 19.5 

Private, for-profit 51.3 0.9 21.6 26.3 

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

Includes all students who attended only one institution, as well as those who attended more than one institution but had no gaps 1

of 4 months or longer between institutions.

Not applicable. 2

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Students who began postsecondary education at a 4-year institution were more likely than

others to have progressed toward the degree without any periods of stopout between institutions

(about 85 percent, versus 39 to 51 percent of others). This can partially be explained by the fact

that many of those who began at a 4-year institution received their degree from the same

institution, while others necessarily made a transition between institutions. Parallel to the

findings for age at entry, students who began postsecondary education at a public 2-year

institution were nearly three times as likely as those who began at a 4-year institution to have had

at least 2 years’ worth of enrollment interruption between institutions (19 percent versus 5 to 7

percent).
0 

20 

40 

60 

80 

100 

Total Students who attended

more than one institution

16

19

8

9

Percent

2 years

or more

Between-institution stopout*

No stopouts

lasting 4 months

or more

2 years

or more

At least 6 months,

up to 2 years 4–5 months

7

14

19

Figure 5—Between-institution stopout among first-time bachelor's degree recipients: 1992–93

*Total number of months stopped out between institutions, counting only gaps of at least 4 months' duration. “No stopouts

lasting 4 months or more” includes all students who attended only one institution.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

The influence of between-institution stopout on elapsed time to degree can be seen in

table 11. In particular, note the proportions of students completing their degrees more than 6

years after beginning postsecondary education. Overall, about one-quarter of bachelor’s degree

recipients took more than 6 years to complete their degree (26 percent). This is strongly related to

between-institution stopout, however: about one out of eight students who had no substantial

between-institution stopout took more than 6 years to complete their degree, compared with

three-quarters of those whose between-institution stopout was 6 months or more. Clearly, a large

number of those who stopped out for a total of 6 months or more interrupted their enrollment for

an extended period.
20

Because between-institution stopout so strongly affects elapsed time to degree, the

remainder of the analysis of time to degree will be restricted to first-time bachelor’s degree

recipients who had less than 6 months of stopout between institutions (about 85 percent of the

total).

Table 11—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between

entry into postsecondary education and degree completion, by total number of months stopped

out between institutions: 1992–93

4 years More than 4, More than 5, 

or up to up to More than

less 5 years 6 years 6 years

Total 35.5 27.9 11.0 25.6 

Total months stopped out between institutions

No stopouts lasting 4 months or more 44.6 31.3 10.7 13.4 *

4–5 months 27.2 38.1 16.0 18.7 

6 months or more 1.8 10.6 10.6 77.0 

*Includes all students who attended only one institution, as well as those who attended more than one institution but had no gaps

of 4 months or longer between institutions.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Time between entry into postsecondary education and bachelor’s degree completion

This section examines time from postsecondary entry to degree completion for those

1992–93 first-time bachelor’s degree recipients who had less than 6 months of stopout between

institutions—that is, those for whom elapsed time to degree does not include large gaps between

institutions. For simplicity, this group will hereafter be identified as “steady-progress graduates”

or “steady-progress bachelor’s degree recipients.” Since this restriction pertains only to gaps

between institutions, however, the reader should bear in mind that the steady-progress group may

include students who had within-institution stopout periods (i.e., interruptions in enrollment

followed by a return to the same institution).

Table 12 reports time to degree as a percentage distribution, while table 13 reports the

average number of years to degree completion. This discussion is organized around the

percentage distribution figures, with occasional reference to the averages. Overall, about 43

percent of steady-progress graduates completed their degree within 4 years of beginning

postsecondary education. Another 32 percent took between 4 and 5 years to graduate, and 11

percent took from 5 to 6 years. The remaining 14 percent received their degree more than 6 years

after they began postsecondary education.
21

Table 12—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of

stopout between institutions according to time between entry into postsecondary education

and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93

More More

than 4, than 5,

4 years up to up to More than

or less 5 years 6 years 6 years

Total 43.0 31.9 11.2 13.9

Gender

Male 37.0 35.2 13.5 14.3

Female 48.1 29.1 9.2 13.6

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 38.9 31.4 8.1 21.6

Asian/Pacific Islander 38.4 38.3 11.9 11.4

Black, non-Hispanic 31.7 32.6 17.4 18.4

Hispanic 27.7 34.3 15.0 23.0

White, non-Hispanic 44.9 31.3 10.5 13.2

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 37.2 35.3 11.4 16.1

Business and management 41.4 33.9 8.5 16.2

Education 38.5 35.2 11.2 15.1

Engineering 28.1 42.3 15.6 14.1

Health professions 29.0 34.1 17.3 19.7

Public affairs/social services 38.0 32.4 12.6 17.1

Arts and sciences 51.1 26.2 10.9 11.8

Biological sciences 57.4 22.2 9.0 11.5

Mathematics and other sciences 45.6 26.7 11.4 16.3

Social science 54.2 25.9 9.8 10.1

History 51.2 25.6 18.4 4.8

Humanities 49.0 26.6 12.8 11.5

Psychology 47.2 31.4 7.3 14.0

Other 43.0 34.2 11.1 11.7

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 45.2 32.5 10.8 11.5

One year or more 17.0 24.0 16.5 42.6

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 26.9 32.0 18.1 23.1

No 44.2 32.1 10.4 13.3

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 30.0 36.8 16.5 16.7

3.0–3.49 46.5 33.1 9.2 11.2

3.5 or higher 54.4 22.6 7.6 15.5

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 47.9 30.2 10.3 11.6

Less than $1,000 32.1 34.7 13.7 19.5

$1,000–4,999 35.5 34.9 11.2 18.4

$5,000–9,999 35.6 34.0 11.9 18.6

$10,000–19,999 40.0 32.4 13.5 14.2

$20,000 or more 42.6 36.8 8.7 12.0
22

Table 12—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of

stopout between institutions according to time between entry into postsecondary education

and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

More More

than 4, than 5,

4 years up to up to More than

or less 5 years 6 years 6 years

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 35.3 39.7 13.0 12.0

Middle 50% 47.5 34.2 10.4 7.9

Top 25% 61.0 25.7 7.9 5.5

No exam taken or no 27.6 27.6 13.7 31.1

 score reported

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 33.5 37.5 13.8 15.2

Nondoctorate-granting 28.8 37.4 15.6 18.2

Doctorate-granting 35.8 37.6 12.8 13.8

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 64.8 19.1 5.2 10.9

Nondoctorate-granting 63.0 19.0 4.8 13.3

Doctorate-granting 67.0 19.1 5.8 8.0

Other 28.9 9.6 16.1 17.2

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 35.2 39.0 13.0 12.9

2-year 23.5 31.4 18.7 26.5

Less-than-2-year — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 67.0 18.9 4.6 9.6

Less-than-4-year 44.5 29.0 13.3 13.2

Private, for-profit 67.7 15.2 2.0 15.0

Number of institutions attended

One 50.7 29.6 9.0 10.8

Two or more 31.4 35.4 14.6 18.7

Transfer of credit

Began at sample institution or 

 did not transfer credits 48.9 30.2 9.2 11.7

Began elsewhere and transferred 

 credits

Transferred less than 10% 

 of credits 30.0 33.5 21.2 15.4

Transferred 10–25% of credits 27.5 46.1 14.3 12.0

Transferred 26–50% of credits 21.2 38.8 19.3 20.6

Transferred more than 50% 

 of credits 20.9 31.9 16.5 30.7

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
23

Table 13—Among first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of stopout between

institutions, average number of years between postsecondary entry and degree receipt

according to type of degree-granting institution, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93

Private,

not-forPublic profit

Total 4-year 4-year Other*

Total 5.2 5.3 5.0 5.2

Gender

Male 5.2 5.3 4.9 5.1

Female 5.2 5.3 5.1 5.2

Time between high school graduation and

 postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 5.0 5.2 4.6 5.1

One year or more 7.7 7.3 8.6 —

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 6.1 6.4 5.2 —

No 5.2 5.3 5.0 5.2

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 5.1 5.1 5.0 5.5

Less than $1,000 5.6 5.7 — —

$1,000–4,999 5.5 5.5 5.7 —

$5,000–9,999 5.5 5.4 5.7 —

$10,000–19,999 5.2 5.9 4.4 —

$20,000 or more 4.9 5.6 4.4 —

Number of institutions attended

One 5.0 5.1 4.8 5.1

Two or more 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.3

Transfer of credit

Began at sample institution or 

 did not transfer credits 5.0 5.2 4.7 5.5

Began elsewhere and transferred

 credits

Transferred less than 10% of credits 5.8 5.8 — —

Transferred 10–25% of credits 5.0 5.0 5.1 —

Transferred 26–50% of credits 5.7 5.8 5.5 —

Transferred more than 50% of credits 6.6 6.3 7.8 —

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Includes graduates of private, for-profit institutions and of institutions of unknown type (i.e., 1992–93 bachelor's degree

recipients who were sampled from an institution other than the degree-granting one).

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
This apparent contradiction is explained by the difference in average time to degree among men and women who 23

took more than 6 years to complete the degree—10.3 years for men versus 12.0 years for women (U.S. Department

of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study First

Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System).

Although the differences in 4-year completion rates among other groups reported in table 12 appear large, they are 24

not statistically significant due to the standard errors associated with the estimates. See appendix A for details about

procedures used to test for statistically significant differences.

The difference between Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indian/Alaskan Natives, though large, is not 25

statistically significant.

24

Gender and race–ethnicity

Among steady-progress graduates, women were more likely than men to have completed

their degree within 4 years (48 versus 37 percent). There was no gender difference with respect to

completion after 6 years or average time to degree, however.23

The only racial–ethnic differences in 4-year completion rates among steady-progress

graduates were between white, non-Hispanic graduates (45 percent) and both black, nonHispanic and Hispanic graduates (32 percent and 28 percent, respectively). With respect to 24

completion in more than 6 years, the only difference was between white, non-Hispanic and

Hispanic graduates (13 percent versus 23 percent).25

Timing of entry and preparation for college

Time to degree was related to both students’ preparation for college and to when they

began their postsecondary education. Steady-progress graduates who began their postsecondary

education more than 1 year after high school were less likely than others to complete their degree

within 4 years, and were almost three times as likely to take at least 6 years to do so (17 percent

of delayed entrants graduated within 4 years, compared with 45 percent of those who did not

delay; 43 percent of delayed entrants took more than 6 years to graduate, compared with 12

percent of those who did not delay). On average, delayed entrants took 7.7 years to complete

their degree, compared with 5 years for those who did not delay entry into postsecondary

education (table 13). This probably reflects both increases in part-time enrollment and in

enrollment at less-than-4-year institutions among delayed entrants. (The relationship between

institutions attended and time to degree is explored in the following section.)

Students who scored in the top quartile on college entrance examinations were much

more likely than others to complete their degree in 4 years (61 percent who scored in the top

quartile graduated in 4 years, compared with 35 to 48 percent of those who scored in the bottom

and middle quartiles, respectively). A similar relationship existed with respect to college grades:

students with higher GPAs were more likely than other students to graduate within 4 years.

Participation in remedial instruction was also related to time to degree: 23 percent of

those who took remedial courses took more than 6 years to graduate, compared with 13 percent

of those with no remedial coursework. As one might expect, an inverse pattern holds with respect

to completion within 4 years: 44 percent of those with no remediation graduated within 4 years,

compared with 27 percent of those who had done remedial or developmental work. On average,
While the average time to degree appears larger at public institutions, there is insufficient evidence that this reflects 26

systematic differences in time to degree at the two types of institutions.

See “Double Dippers,” The Chronicle of Higher Education (August 4, 1995): A27. Three-quarters of those who 27

attended more than one institution began their postsecondary education somewhere other than the sample institution

(compendium table I.12).

25

students who had taken remedial instruction took about 1 year longer than other students to

complete their degree (6.1 versus 5.2 years) (table 13). It is likely that this reflects a number of

factors: that a large number of students in need of remediation began their postsecondary

education at institutions where part-time study is more common, such as public 2-year

institutions; that some students in need of remediation may have interrupted their enrollment and

later returned to the same institution; and that remedial courses may have been noncredit courses.

Institutions attended

Steady-progress bachelor’s degree recipients who began postsecondary education at a

private, not-for-profit 4-year institution were much more likely than those who began at a public

2- or 4-year institution to complete their degree within 4 years (67 percent compared with 24

percent of public 2-year entrants and 35 percent of public 4-year entrants) (table 12). At the other

extreme, steady-progress graduates who began at public 2-year institutions were more likely than

those who started at 4-year institutions to take 6 or more years to complete their degree (27

percent of community college starters versus 10 to 13 percent of 4-year starters).

Matching the findings for institution of entry, steady-progress graduates of private, notfor-profit institutions were far more likely than graduates of public institutions to have received

their degree within 4 years of starting postsecondary education (65 percent versus 34 percent)

(table 12 and figure 6). This difference was also reflected with respect to longer completion

times: graduation after more than 6 years was more common among steady-progress graduates of

public institutions than among their counterparts from private, not-for-profit institutions. On

average, steady-progress graduates of public institutions took 5.3 years to complete their degree,

about 1 semester longer than graduates of private, not-for-profit institutions (table 13). A more

direct estimate of time to degree at public and private, not-for-profit 4-year institutions is

possible by comparing the average time to degree for graduates of each type of institution who

attended only one institution. For this group, it took students in both types of institutions about 5

years to complete their degree.26

As noted earlier, half of all 1992–93 first-time bachelor’s degree recipients attended more

than one institution before completing their degree. Those who attended more than one

institution include two groups of students: those who began at one institution and later entered

the institution where they earned their degree (with or without a transfer of credits) and those

who began at the institution where they earned a degree, but at some time enrolled elsewhere to

participate in a special program or to complete needed credits.27
26

Figure 6—Time from postsecondary entry to bachelor's degree for graduates with less than 6 months

of stopout between institutions, by types of institutions attended: 1992–93

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding. The number of bachelor's degree recipients who began at public

less-than-2-year institutions and had less than 6 months of between-institution stopout was too small to produce a reliable

estimate of time to degree.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
The comparison group includes all students who began postsecondary education at the sample institution 28

(regardless of whether they transferred any credits), plus any students who began at a different institution but did not

transfer any credits.

The B&B data do not identify students who are enrolled in 5-year programs. 29

27

One-third of those who attended more than one institution completed a subbaccalaureate

credential (16 percent completed an undergraduate certificate, and 17 percent completed an

associate’s degree) (table 6).

Attendance at more than one institution was strongly related to time to degree. Those

who attended more than one institution were far less likely than those who attended a single

institution to graduate within 4 years of postsecondary entry (31 percent versus 51 percent), and

were more likely to take over 6 years to complete their degree (table 12). Moreover, this

relationship persists after taking transfer of credit into account. Transcript data were used to

identify the amount of credits transferred by students who began postsecondary education at

some institution other than the one where they received their bachelor’s degree. Even among

steady-progress graduates, students who changed institutions and transferred credits were less

likely than others to graduate within 4 years of beginning their postsecondary education.28

Major field of study

There were also differences in time to degree according to major field of study. For

example, steady-progress graduates receiving degrees in the biological sciences were more likely

than business, education, engineering, health professions, or public affairs/social services majors

to complete their degree within 4 years (57 percent of biological science majors, compared with

28 to 41 percent of the other majors listed) (table 12). Majors in the health professions and in

engineering were less likely than arts and sciences majors to complete within 4 years (28 percent

of engineering and 29 percent of health professions majors, versus 51 percent of arts and sciences

majors). Shorter completion times for biological science majors may reflect the presence of

premedical students who may be especially motivated to advance to their professional training,

while longer times for engineering majors may reflect the presence of students in 5-year

programs.29

Debt

Time to degree may also be related to whether students borrowed to finance their

undergraduate education. For example, students with unmet financial need who are unwilling to

incur additional debt may enroll part time or interrupt their enrollment so they can work longer

hours to increase their earnings. Steady-progress graduates who accumulated between $1,000 and

$20,000 of debt were less likely than those with no debt to graduate within 4 years (35 to 40

percent versus 48 percent among those who did not borrow) (table 12). At the other extreme,

those who borrowed between $1,000 and $10,000 were more likely than nonborrowers to take

more than 6 years to complete their degree. Nonborrowers and those with lighter (less than

$1,000) or heavier (more than $20,000) debt burdens did not differ with respect to time to degree,
Although there appears to be a difference in time to degree between nonborrowers and those who borrowed less 30

than $1,000, the latter is a very small group, and there is insufficient evidence that this reflects a systematic

difference between the two groups.

Recall that the steady-progress group can include students who interrupted their enrollment but returned to the 31

same institution.

The effect of part-time attendance could not be examined directly, since B&B data do not include data on 32

enrollment status over the duration of postsecondary enrollment.

28

nor were there differences among borrowers with different amounts of debt.30

Among steady-progress graduates of private, not-for-profit institutions (where costs and

student debt burdens are highest), those who borrowed at least $10,000 averaged 4.4 years from

postsecondary entry to degree completion, compared with 5.7 years for those who borrowed

between $1,000 and $10,000 (table 13). Again, those with lower debt may have chosen to stop

out or to attend part time to increase their earnings rather than take more loans to control their

costs, lengthening the time required to complete their degree.31

Conclusion

The traditional notion of a bachelor’s degree as a 4-year degree no longer matches the

experience of the majority of bachelor’s degree completers. Only 36 percent of 1992–93

bachelor’s degree recipients completed their degree within 4 years of beginning postsecondary

education. Even when one excludes students who took time out between institutions, less than

half (45 percent) completed their degree within 4 years (table 11). A number of factors are clearly

related to time to degree. Students who delayed their entry into postsecondary education took

longer to complete their degree, as did those who began postsecondary education at a less-than-4-

year institution. Attendance at more than one institution was also associated with increased time

to degree, even after controlling for the proportion of total credits that were transferred. These

findings may reflect part-time attendance and difficulties in sustaining continuous enrollment for

students who have significant responsibilities that may conflict with their student role (e.g.,

family and career responsibilities).32
Table Compendium
30

Introduction to the Table Compendium

This table compendium contains four parts. These tables are included to enable the reader to

examine variables of interest that may not have been discussed in the essay. However, the reader

should not draw inferences from differences between estimates that are not discussed in the text,

since such differences may not be statistically significant (see appendix B).

Part I contains detailed tables corresponding to the text tables that appear in the essay section

of this report. Part II contains tables detailing labor market experiences of 1992–93 graduates in

the year after they completed their degree, and part III presents tables detailing their

postbaccalaureate enrollment. To give the reader an idea of the size of the subgroups presented as

rows in the tables, part IV provides a table containing percentage distributions for all row

variables that appear in this report. Unlike most tables in this report that present percentage

distributions, table IV.1 presents column distributions; the distributions are provided both for all

graduates and according to gender and race–ethnicity.
31

Time to Degree Tables
32

Table I.1—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to gender and race–ethnicity,

by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonMale Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Total 45.3 54.7 0.6 4.9 6.1 5.1 83.3 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 44.8 55.2 0.6 4.4 6.3 4.8 84.0 

Business and management 53.8 46.2 0.6 4.6 7.6 4.4 82.8 

Education 21.4 78.6 0.6 2.0 3.8 4.4 89.2 

Engineering 86.3 13.7 0.3 9.8 4.1 4.3 81.5 

Health professions 25.3 74.7 0.7 4.2 6.4 5.6 83.1 

Public affairs/social 

 services 40.5 59.5 0.3 2.1 10.5 8.4 78.7 

Arts and sciences 47.2 52.8 0.5 6.1 6.0 5.6 81.8 

Biological sciences 51.9 48.1 0.3 8.2 6.7 5.9 78.9 

Mathematics and other 

 sciences 59.8 40.2 0.4 10.5 6.8 4.5 77.9 

Social science 49.1 50.9 0.6 5.3 6.9 5.1 82.2 

History 60.3 39.7 0.3 3.9 2.5 1.5 91.8 

Humanities 40.6 59.4 0.7 5.4 4.6 6.4 82.9 

Psychology 26.3 73.7 0.2 1.3 7.2 8.5 82.8 

Other 42.7 57.3 0.8 4.0 6.0 4.7 84.7 

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 45.2 54.8 0.4 4.8 5.8 4.7 84.3 

20–24 57.7 42.3 1.1 9.6 7.8 9.4 72.2 

25–29 40.2 59.8 2.5 2.8 4.3 7.9 82.4 

30 or older 22.1 77.9 1.1 0.5 12.9 9.2 76.3

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 45.2 54.8 0.4 4.8 6.0 4.8 84.0 

One year or more 46.4 53.6 1.1 5.2 7.3 7.6 78.8 

Time from postsecondary entry 

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 39.4 60.6 0.4 5.0 4.3 3.3 87.0

More than 4, up to 5 years 49.5 50.5 0.4 6.1 6.1 5.2 82.2

More than 5, up to 6 years 55.2 44.8 0.3 5.8 8.4 6.0 79.5

More than 6 years 45.5 54.5 0.8 3.3 7.8 6.9 81.3

Age received bachelor's degree

Under 23 40.4 59.6 0.3 4.6 5.7 3.6 85.8 

23–24 54.9 45.1 0.3 7.1 5.4 5.7 81.5 

25–29 55.4 44.6 0.8 4.2 6.3 8.2 80.5 

30–39 41.1 58.9 1.4 4.0 8.0 6.7 79.8 

40 or older 31.9 68.1 1.6 1.6 7.7 4.8 84.2 

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 38.9 61.1 1.6 6.4 11.3 6.9 73.8 

No 46.2 53.8 0.5 4.8 5.6 4.9 84.2 

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 55.2 44.8 0.5 4.6 11.3 6.2 77.5 

3.0–3.49 45.7 54.3 0.6 5.7 5.0 4.9 83.9 

3.5 or higher 35.2 64.8 0.6 3.7 2.4 3.8 89.4 
33

Table I.1—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to gender and race–ethnicity,

by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonMale Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 38.1 61.9 2.2 5.3 15.7 25.0 51.8 

High school or equivalency 43.0 57.0 0.7 4.0 6.9 4.7 83.8 

Some postsecondary education 44.1 55.9 0.6 4.9 6.5 4.8 83.2 

Bachelor's degree 47.2 52.8 0.3 5.1 4.2 3.6 86.8 

Advanced degree 48.0 52.1 0.3 5.0 4.6 3.0 87.1 

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 40.7 59.3 0.5 2.7 12.5 6.4 77.9 

Middle 50% 49.5 50.5 0.3 4.1 3.6 3.6 88.4 

Top 25% 56.5 43.5 0.6 6.2 1.7 2.7 88.7 

No exam taken or no score 

 reported 37.3 62.7 0.8 6.3 8.1 7.3 77.6 

Degree-granting institution

Public 46.1 53.9 0.7 5.0 5.5 5.1 83.7 

Private, not-for-profit 43.6 56.4 0.2 4.0 7.3 4.9 83.6 

Private, for-profit 51.7 48.4 2.0 23.2 7.9 5.3 61.7 

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 42.4 57.7 0.6 4.3 6.3 6.3 82.6 

Enrolled not employed 52.9 47.1 0.2 8.0 4.6 4.7 82.6 

Employed not enrolled 45.5 54.5 0.5 4.6 5.9 4.7 84.4 

Neither employed nor enrolled 40.8 59.2 1.0 7.1 9.5 8.4 74.1 

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
34

Table I.2—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to age when received

bachelor's degree, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93

Under 40 or

23 23–24 25–29 30–39 older

Total 47.0 24.7 12.4 10.0 6.0 

Gender

Male 41.9 29.8 15.1 9.0 4.2 

Female 51.3 20.4 10.1 10.7 7.5 

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 27.5 12.9 18.0 24.3 17.4 

Asian/Pacific Islander 44.0 35.4 10.6 8.2 1.9 

Black, non-Hispanic 44.0 22.2 12.9 13.3 7.6 

Hispanic 33.2 27.9 19.9 13.2 5.7 

White, non-Hispanic 48.4 24.1 11.9 9.6 6.0 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 42.2 24.6 13.7 12.2 7.3 

Business and management 44.1 22.2 14.5 12.8 6.5 

Education 48.2 23.6 10.4 10.9 7.0 

Engineering 40.4 34.1 14.4 9.6 1.5 

Health professions 29.5 23.6 18.0 16.1 12.9 

Public affairs/social services 38.5 28.7 11.2 9.6 12.1

Arts and sciences 53.5 23.5 11.0 7.8 4.2 

Biological sciences 59.1 22.7 10.9 4.9 2.5 

Mathematics and other sciences 48.7 21.9 14.5 13.5 1.5 

Social science 57.9 25.2 9.3 4.6 2.9 

History 52.5 25.8 7.2 7.3 7.2 

Humanities 51.1 24.2 11.1 7.6 6.0 

Psychology 49.5 19.5 11.8 11.5 7.8 

Other 48.8 27.8 10.7 7.1 5.7 

Time between high school graduation

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 52.3 26.4 10.8 6.9 3.6 

One year or more 3.2 11.2 26.1 35.2 24.3 

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 51.5 26.6 11.1 7.2 3.7 

20–24 0.9 8.7 40.6 37.5 12.3 

25–29 0.0 0.0 7.0 62.4 30.6 

30 or older 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.7 74.3 

Time from postsecondary entry

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 95.4 2.7 1.0 0.8 0.1 

More than 4, up to 5 years 51.0 44.7 1.7 1.5 1.0 

More than 5, up to 6 years 2.2 86.1 7.9 2.5 1.3 

More than 6 years 0.2 8.2 39.4 32.4 19.8 

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 31.2 26.8 18.1 15.6 8.4 

No 48.1 24.1 11.9 9.9 6.0 

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 42.4 33.5 15.0 7.1 2.0 

3.0–3.49 50.8 24.9 11.6 7.7 5.0 

3.5 or higher 46.6 14.5 11.3 16.7 11.0 
35

Table I.2—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to age when received

bachelor's degree, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

Under 40 or

23 23–24 25–29 30–39 older

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 16.9 18.8 16.6 19.6 28.1 

High school or equivalency 35.9 25.1 15.0 14.8 9.3 

Some postsecondary education 47.4 26.4 12.6 9.8 3.9 

Bachelor's degree 53.3 27.0 9.7 7.2 2.7 

Advanced degree 59.6 21.9 10.0 6.4 2.1 

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 49.4 31.5 12.1 5.9 1.1 

Middle 50% 57.3 28.1 9.0 4.2 1.4 

Top 25% 69.2 19.3 7.1 3.3 1.2 

No exam taken or no score reported 22.7 20.3 19.1 21.9 16.0 

Degree-granting institution

Public 43.1 29.0 13.8 9.3 4.9 

Private, not-for-profit 56.0 14.9 9.4 11.3 8.3 

Private, for-profit 34.4 34.5 12.4 10.2 8.6 

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 51.7 22.1 9.8 9.6 6.9 

Enrolled not employed 65.2 17.4 3.4 8.1 5.8 

Employed not enrolled 45.2 25.9 13.4 9.9 5.6 

Neither employed nor enrolled 39.3 22.9 15.5 13.6 8.7 

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
36

Table I.3—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to control and offering of

awarding institution, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93

Private,

Public 4-year not-for-profit 4-year

Non- Nondoctorate- Doctorate- doctorate- DoctorateTotal granting granting Total granting granting Other1

Total 65.2 23.2 42.0 31.4 17.9 13.4 3.5

Gender

Male 66.2 21.0 45.2 30.1 16.1 14.0 3.6

Female 64.3 25.0 39.4 32.4 19.4 12.9 3.3

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 81.8 42.8 39.0 12.1 10.0 2.1 6.1

Asian/Pacific Islander 62.8 15.3 47.5 25.4 8.1 17.4 11.8

Black, non-Hispanic 59.3 22.7 36.7 37.6 25.5 12.1 3.1

Hispanic 66.2 26.9 39.3 30.6 15.6 15.0 3.2

White, non-Hispanic 65.6 23.3 42.4 31.4 18.2 13.2 3.0

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 66.6 24.4 42.2 30.3 18.7 11.6 3.1

Business and management 60.8 23.4 37.4 35.8 25.2 10.6 3.4

Education 71.0 32.5 38.5 27.6 17.2 10.4 1.4

Engineering 76.2 12.7 63.4 19.6 2.4 17.2 4.2

Health professions 67.8 18.3 49.5 27.5 14.8 12.6 4.8

Public affairs/social services 67.9 34.9 33.0 30.4 20.3 10.2 1.7

Arts and sciences 62.0 20.9 41.1 34.9 18.0 16.8 3.2

Biological sciences 62.4 19.0 43.4 35.5 17.4 18.1 2.1

Mathematics and other sciences 64.9 25.0 40.0 29.9 16.7 13.2 5.2

Social science 66.6 19.4 47.1 32.4 16.0 16.4 1.0

History 53.9 20.9 33.0 43.8 21.3 22.4 2.4

Humanities 54.2 18.5 35.7 40.1 20.9 19.2 5.7

Psychology 68.5 26.3 42.2 30.5 17.4 13.1 0.9

Other 67.7 24.2 43.5 26.7 14.8 11.9 5.6

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 65.7 22.6 43.1 30.9 17.1 13.9 3.3

One year or more 61.0 27.5 33.5 34.9 24.5 10.4 4.2

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 65.8 22.6 43.2 30.8 17.2 13.6 3.4

20–24 62.0 24.5 37.6 34.0 22.9 11.1 4.0

25–29 62.0 29.8 32.2 34.1 23.5 10.6 3.9

30 or older 53.5 35.8 17.6 44.4 34.7 9.7 2.2

Time from postsecondary entry 

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 51.9 14.7 37.2 46.3 24.0 22.4 1.8

More than 4, up to 5 years 77.4 26.6 50.8 19.4 10.5 8.8 3.3

More than 5, up to 6 years 80.5 30.7 49.8 15.5 8.5 7.0 4.0

More than 6 years 64.1 28.3 35.8 31.6 21.8 9.9 4.3
37

Table I.3—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to control and offering of

awarding institution, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

Private,

Public 4-year not-for-profit 4-year

Non- Nondoctorate- Doctorate- doctorate- DoctorateTotal granting granting Total granting granting Other1

Age received bachelor's degree

Under 23 60.4 17.8 42.6 37.4 19.3 18.1 2.3

23–24 76.2 27.3 49.0 19.1 10.8 8.3 4.7

25–29 71.8 29.7 42.1 23.3 14.0 9.3 4.9

30–39 60.9 25.8 35.1 35.1 25.3 9.9 4.0

40 or older 52.0 29.0 23.0 43.6 33.4 10.2 4.4

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 71.3 33.7 37.6 26.0 16.8 9.2 2.7

No 64.5 22.2 42.3 31.8 18.0 13.8 3.7

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 91.1 30.4 60.7 5.8 3.8 2.0 3.0

2-year 74.5 31.5 43.0 20.7 13.5 7.2 4.8

Less-than-2-year — — — — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 13.4 4.3 9.0 85.9 46.2 39.7 0.8

Less-than-4-year 49.5 28.9 20.5 43.4 29.9 13.5 7.2

Private, for-profit 11.3 4.4 6.9 31.3 25.2 6.2 57.4

Cumulative undergraduate GPA2

Less than 3.0 73.4 26.4 47.0 24.4 14.2 10.2 2.2

3.0–3.49 66.0 22.6 43.4 31.0 17.0 14.0 3.0

3.5 or higher 55.5 20.3 35.3 39.1 23.1 16.0 5.4

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 61.8 31.8 30.0 35.5 25.8 9.7 2.7

High school or equivalency 68.0 27.7 40.4 28.2 18.1 10.1 3.8

Some postsecondary education 66.1 24.5 41.6 27.5 17.8 9.7 6.4

Bachelor's degree 66.2 20.2 46.0 31.7 15.7 16.0 2.1

Advanced degree 61.7 18.5 43.2 35.7 17.7 18.1 2.6

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 74.6 32.0 42.6 24.2 15.4 8.8 1.2

Middle 50% 67.9 20.1 47.8 29.2 15.6 13.6 2.9

Top 25% 60.5 12.0 48.5 37.6 14.6 23.0 1.9

No exam taken or no score reported 60.1 27.9 32.1 34.0 23.5 10.5 5.9

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 67.3 23.4 43.8 30.1 16.3 13.8 2.7

Enrolled not employed 60.9 16.8 44.2 36.1 15.9 20.2 3.0

Employed not enrolled 65.5 23.8 41.7 31.0 18.3 12.7 3.5

Neither employed nor enrolled 63.5 24.1 39.4 32.2 19.0 13.2 4.3

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

Includes graduates of private, for-profit institutions and of institutions of unknown type (i.e., 1992–93 bachelor's degree 1

recipients who were sampled at a less-than-4-year institution in 1992–93).

Self-reported. 2

NOTE: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
38

Table I.4—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to control and level

of first institution attended, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93

Private,

Private, not-fornot-for- Public profit

Public profit Public less-than- less-than- Private, 

4-year 4-year 2-year 2-year 4-year for-profit

Total 54.4 27.9 16.0 0.0 0.8 0.9 

Gender

Male 56.2 27.1 15.2 0.0 0.6 0.8 

Female 52.9 28.5 16.7 0.0 0.9 1.0 

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 56.3 17.5 25.1 0.0 1.2 0.0 

Asian/Pacific Islander 58.8 24.4 15.8 0.0 0.0 1.1 

Black, non-Hispanic 55.9 31.4 11.2 0.0 0.1 1.5 

Hispanic 54.5 26.2 17.6 0.0 0.4 1.4 

White, non-Hispanic 54.1 27.9 16.2 0.0 0.9 0.9 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 55.6 24.6 17.9 0.1 0.9 0.9 

Business and management 54.6 26.0 17.3 0.0 0.9 1.2 

Education 54.9 24.8 18.9 0.0 1.2 0.2 

Engineering 61.2 21.8 15.1 0.2 0.0 1.7 

Health professions 56.8 22.9 18.1 0.3 1.5 0.4 

Public affairs/social services 51.7 23.9 22.3 0.0 1.4 0.7 

Arts and sciences 51.9 34.3 12.7 0.0 0.4 0.7 

Biological sciences 49.8 40.2 9.2 0.0 0.6 0.3 

Mathematics and other sciences 55.6 28.2 15.3 0.0 0.1 0.8 

Social science 56.5 31.6 11.2 0.0 0.5 0.1 

History 48.6 41.0 9.9 0.0 0.5 0.0 

Humanities 44.8 39.2 13.8 0.0 0.4 1.8 

Psychology 54.6 29.6 15.4 0.0 0.3 0.2 

Other 56.1 23.6 17.5 0.0 1.2 1.7 

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 55.8 28.6 13.9 0.0 0.8 0.8 

One year or more 39.5 21.0 37.3 0.1 0.3 1.7 

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 55.6 28.4 14.3 0.0 0.8 0.8 

20–24 39.8 16.1 41.9 0.3 0.5 1.6 

25–29 39.2 20.1 37.2 0.0 0.0 3.4 

30 or older 31.7 31.1 36.4 0.0 0.4 0.4 

Time from postsecondary entry

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 46.0 45.9 6.8 0.0 0.6 0.8 

More than 4, up to 5 years 67.8 17.8 13.4 0.0 0.6 0.5 

More than 5, up to 6 years 62.0 13.9 22.8 0.0 1.1 0.2 

More than 6 years 47.7 18.0 31.3 0.1 1.1 1.8 
39

Table I.4—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to control and level

of first institution attended, by selected student and enrollment characteristics:

1992–93—Continued

Private,

Private, not-fornot-for- Public profit

Public profit Public less-than- less-than- Private, 

4-year 4-year 2-year 2-year 4-year for-profit

Age received bachelor's degree

Under 23 52.8 37.5 8.2 0.0 0.8 0.8 

23–24 64.6 17.6 16.7 0.0 0.7 0.4 

25–29 50.0 15.8 32.5 0.2 0.7 1.0 

30–39 45.5 16.8 33.7 0.2 1.3 2.7 

40 or older 41.7 25.4 29.7 0.0 0.6 2.6 

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 53.1 21.8 23.2 0.1 1.3 0.5 

No 54.2 28.3 15.7 0.0 0.8 1.0 

Degree-granting institution

Public 75.5 5.4 18.3 0.0 0.6 0.2 

Nondoctorate-granting 71.8 5.0 22.1 0.0 0.9 0.2 

Doctorate-granting 77.5 5.7 16.3 0.1 0.4 0.1 

Private, not-for-profit 10.1 77.3 10.7 0.0 1.1 0.9 

Nondoctorate-granting 11.7 73.4 12.2 0.0 1.4 1.3 

Doctorate-granting 7.9 82.3 8.6 0.0 0.7 0.5 

Other 52.0 6.3 21.3 0.0 2.0 18.3 

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 59.6 22.9 16.2 0.0 0.7 0.6 

3.0–3.49 54.3 29.0 14.9 0.0 0.9 0.9 

3.5 or higher 47.7 31.5 18.7 0.0 0.9 1.3 

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 42.0 29.1 26.6 0.0 0.6 1.7 

High school or equivalency 55.2 22.1 20.4 0.1 1.1 1.2 

Some postsecondary education 55.9 22.9 19.3 0.0 0.6 1.4 

Bachelor's degree 55.5 28.7 14.2 0.0 1.0 0.7 

Advanced degree 53.9 35.8 9.3 0.0 0.6 0.4 

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 60.0 22.7 16.1 0.0 1.0 0.3 

Middle 50% 58.6 28.7 11.5 0.0 0.9 0.3 

Top 25% 55.0 38.3 6.1 0.0 0.3 0.3 

No exam taken or no score reported 45.4 23.4 27.8 0.1 0.9 2.5 

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 55.1 29.6 13.4 0.0 1.1 0.8 

Enrolled not employed 50.9 38.1 9.8 0.0 1.2 0.0 

Employed not enrolled 54.6 26.5 17.0 0.0 0.8 1.0 

Neither employed nor enrolled 52.9 30.2 15.8 0.0 0.2 0.9 

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
40

Table I.5—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between

high school graduation and postsecondary entry, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93

Less At least 1, At least 2, 5 years

than less than less than or 

1 year 2 years 5 years more

Total 89.7 3.1 3.3 3.9

Gender

Male 89.2 3.3 4.4 3.1

Female 90.0 3.0 2.5 4.5

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 81.0 0.0 6.4 12.7

Asian/Pacific Islander 89.7 3.4 5.7 1.3

Black, non-Hispanic 88.1 3.0 4.8 4.2

Hispanic 83.9 5.3 4.9 5.9

White, non-Hispanic 90.2 3.0 3.0 3.8

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 88.3 3.0 3.8 4.9

Business and management 88.1 2.8 4.7 4.4

Education 89.9 2.8 2.8 4.5

Engineering 91.4 2.9 2.5 3.2

Health professions 86.4 3.4 3.6 6.6

Public affairs/social services 82.4 4.6 3.6 9.5

Arts and sciences 91.0 3.4 2.9 2.7

Biological sciences 95.8 1.7 1.2 1.2

Mathematics and other sciences 90.2 2.8 5.3 1.7

Social science 92.7 3.1 2.4 1.9

History 90.6 3.0 3.6 2.8

Humanities 88.4 5.0 2.7 3.8

Psychology 89.0 3.6 2.2 5.2

Other 91.2 2.8 3.0 3.0

Time from postsecondary entry

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 96.9 1.1 1.0 1.1

More than 4, up to 5 years 93.6 2.0 2.0 2.5

More than 5, up to 6 years 88.4 3.6 3.5 4.6

More than 6 years 76.1 7.1 8.0 8.9

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 61.8 8.4 10.1 19.7

High school or equivalency 84.4 4.4 4.5 6.7

Some postsecondary education 91.3 2.9 3.1 2.8

Bachelor's degree 94.8 2.0 2.2 1.1

Advanced degree 95.5 2.3 1.6 0.6

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 93.7 3.1 1.9 1.2

Middle 50% 95.8 1.6 1.5 1.1

Top 25% 96.3 1.5 0.9 1.3

No exam taken or no score reported 76.9 5.8 7.5 9.8
41

Table I.5—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between

high school graduation and postsecondary entry, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

Less At least 1, At least 2, 5 years

than less than less than or 

1 year 2 years 5 years more

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 87.7 3.3 3.8 5.3

Doctorate-granting 91.8 2.9 2.7 2.5

Private, not-for-profit 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 85.5 3.6 4.9 6.0

Doctorate-granting 92.1 2.8 2.2 3.0

Other 88.0 3.5 4.9 3.6

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 93.4 2.4 2.0 2.2

2-year 78.9 4.7 7.5 9.0

Less-than-2-year — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 93.2 2.5 1.8 2.5

Less-than-4-year 96.6 0.0 2.6 0.7

Private, for-profit 82.8 4.8 4.1 8.4

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 91.6 2.4 2.5 3.6

Enrolled not employed 93.6 2.6 0.9 3.0

Employed not enrolled 89.3 3.2 3.6 3.9

Neither employed nor enrolled 86.3 4.6 4.1 5.1

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
42

Table I.6—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between

high school graduation and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93

More More More More

than 4, than 5, than 6, than

4 years up to up to up to 10

or less 5 years 6 years 10 years years

Total 31.1 27.6 11.2 12.7 17.4 

Gender

Male 26.5 29.3 13.5 15.4 15.2 

Female 34.8 26.2 9.3 10.5 19.2 

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 23.7 17.0 4.2 13.1 42.0 

Asian/Pacific Islander 31.8 31.8 15.6 10.7 10.1 

Black, non-Hispanic 21.1 27.9 13.9 14.8 22.3 

Hispanic 19.4 25.6 14.0 21.9 19.2 

White, non-Hispanic 32.4 27.6 10.6 12.1 17.2 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 25.4 29.0 11.1 13.3 21.1 

Business and management 27.5 27.2 9.4 13.3 22.6 

Education 28.0 30.9 10.5 12.1 18.5 

Engineering 21.4 35.2 16.2 13.4 13.8 

Health professions 18.0 26.2 12.7 15.1 28.1 

Public affairs/social services 24.3 28.3 11.9 14.5 21.0 

Arts and sciences 39.9 24.4 10.6 12.3 12.9 

Biological sciences 47.7 22.7 11.7 6.8 11.1 

Mathematics and other sciences 35.0 22.8 10.1 16.1 15.9 

Social science 45.1 24.7 10.1 12.7 7.4 

History 43.2 19.3 16.8 6.5 14.3 

Humanities 34.3 26.0 11.0 14.1 14.6 

Psychology 36.6 26.5 7.2 9.8 20.0 

Other 29.9 30.3 13.3 11.7 14.7 

Time between high school graduation and

 postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 34.8 30.5 11.9 11.4 11.4 

One year or more 0.1 3.3 6.0 24.1 66.5 

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 33.8 30.2 12.0 11.9 12.2 

20–24 1.9 2.4 4.2 33.7 57.8 

25–29 0.5 1.4 0.9 2.1 95.1 

30 or older 5.3 0.2 2.2 3.0 89.3 

Time from postsecondary entry

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 87.7 10.1 0.5 0.8 0.9 

More than 4, up to 5 0.0 86.5 8.6 2.4 2.5 

More than 5, up to 6 0.0 0.0 78.8 16.3 4.8 

More than 6 years 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.2 60.8 

Age received bachelor's degree

Under 22 63.1 35.2 1.4 0.3 0.0 

23–24 1.8 42.4 41.6 14.2 0.0 

25–29 0.1 0.7 1.0 75.2 23.0 

30–39 1.1 0.3 0.4 1.1 97.1 

40 or older 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.8 99.0 
43

Table I.6—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between

high school graduation and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment 

characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

More More More More

than 4, than 5, than 6, than

4 years up to up to up to 10

or less 5 years 6 years 10 years years

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 17.2 24.1 14.2 17.2 27.3 

No 32.1 27.9 10.6 12.4 17.1 

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 21.8 33.1 16.8 17.8 10.5 

3.0–3.49 35.1 29.1 9.9 11.7 14.3 

3.5 or higher 35.0 19.1 6.8 9.3 29.8 

Overall grades at NPSAS institution

Mostly A's 31.6 16.2 7.3 8.3 36.5 

A's and B's 38.1 23.4 7.6 10.1 20.8 

Mostly B's 30.3 31.3 12.3 13.9 12.3 

B's and C's 20.0 34.3 17.8 18.5 9.4 

Mostly C's 11.4 35.9 23.6 20.1 8.9 

C's and D's or below 27.1 36.3 13.8 14.0 8.9 

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 36.3 29.0 10.6 9.4 14.7 

Less than $1,000 22.0 30.3 7.3 17.7 22.8 

$1,000–4,999 24.3 27.3 12.0 15.6 20.8 

$5,000–9,999 23.1 26.5 11.8 17.7 20.9 

$10,000–19,999 28.1 24.1 12.5 17.0 18.3 

$20,000 or more 30.0 29.5 8.5 12.6 19.5 

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 11.4 13.4 9.2 16.3 49.7 

High school or equivalency 20.5 26.1 11.9 15.4 26.2 

Some postsecondary education 29.4 30.8 12.7 12.2 14.9 

Bachelor's degree 37.8 29.0 11.2 11.3 10.6 

Advanced degree 42.0 29.1 9.1 9.8 10.0 

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 27.3 36.2 14.7 13.4 8.4 

Middle 50% 37.7 32.8 12.0 11.0 6.5 

Top 25% 51.1 27.4 8.3 7.6 5.6 

No exam taken or no score reported 14.5 17.5 10.2 17.2 40.7 

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 23.7 32.5 13.7 14.5 15.5 

Nondoctorate-granting 18.3 29.9 14.6 16.5 20.7 

Doctorate-granting 26.8 34.0 13.3 13.3 12.6 

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 47.6 17.6 5.8 8.4 20.6 

Nondoctorate-granting 43.7 15.4 5.7 8.8 26.4 

Doctorate-granting 52.7 20.4 5.9 8.0 13.1 

Other 15.9 26.1 13.0 21.1 23.9 
44

Table I.6—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to time between

high school graduation and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

More More More More

than 4, than 5, than 6, than

4 years up to up to up to 10

or less 5 years 6 years 10 years years

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 27.1 35.9 13.2 12.2 11.7 

2-year 11.9 21.6 14.8 22.3 29.4 

Less-than-2-year — — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 56.7 20.3 6.1 6.4 10.6 

Less-than-4-year 21.3 26.7 17.8 11.6 22.6 

Private, for-profit 23.5 15.3 5.4 13.9 42.0 

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 37.6 25.1 10.2 9.8 17.3 

Enrolled not employed 52.2 23.5 6.5 4.5 13.3 

Employed not enrolled 28.8 28.6 11.9 13.7 17.0 

Neither employed nor enrolled 25.9 25.6 8.8 13.9 25.9 

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
45

Table I.7—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to total number of

months stopped out between institutions, by selected student and enrollment characteristics:

1992–93

No stopouts 36

lasting months

4 months 4–5 6–11 12–23 24–35 or

or more months months months months more 1

Total 76.2 7.9 3.0 3.7 1.7 7.5

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 78.2 7.9 2.6 3.5 1.4 6.4

One year or more 57.5 8.1 6.0 6.3 4.2 17.9

Time from postsecondary entry

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 93.3 5.9 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.0

More than 4, up to 5 years 83.5 10.6 3.0 2.2 0.5 0.3

More than 5, up to 6 years 73.4 11.4 6.7 6.4 1.5 0.5

More than 6 years 42.7 6.2 5.0 9.6 5.6 30.9

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 71.1 10.1 2.9 4.7 1.9 9.4

No 76.1 7.8 2.9 3.8 1.6 7.7

Number of institutions attended

One 100.0 (2) (2) (2) (2) (2)

Two or more 51.7 16.0 6.0 7.6 3.4 15.3

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 76.1 9.0 2.9 4.2 1.6 6.3

Nondoctorate-granting 69.8 9.9 3.7 5.5 2.4 8.7

Doctorate-granting 79.6 8.4 2.4 3.5 1.1 4.9

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 77.0 5.9 3.1 2.5 1.8 9.7

Nondoctorate-granting 74.1 5.6 3.8 3.0 1.9 11.6

Doctorate-granting 80.8 6.3 2.2 1.8 1.8 7.1

Other 70.5 5.8 2.7 7.0 1.3 12.7

First postsecondary institution

Public 

4-year 85.0 4.4 1.4 2.6 0.9 5.7

2-year 44.4 19.4 8.5 8.8 3.9 15.1

Less-than-2-year — — — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 85.6 6.2 1.6 1.8 1.3 3.7

Less-than-4-year 38.6 26.4 7.3 8.3 1.7 17.7

Private, for-profit 51.3 0.9 13.6 7.9 16.0 10.2

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

Includes all students who attended only one institution, as well as those who attended more than one institution but had no gaps 1

of 4 months or longer between institutions.

Not applicable. 2

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System. 
46

Table I.8—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months

of stopout between institutions according to time between entry into postsecondary education

and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93

4 years or less

More More More

than 3.5, than 4, than 5,

3.5 years up to up to up to More than

Total or less 4 years 5 years 6 years 6 years

Total 43.0 3.1 39.9 31.9 11.2 13.9

Gender

Male 37.0 2.1 34.9 35.2 13.5 14.3

Female 48.1 4.0 44.1 29.1 9.2 13.6

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 38.9 2.3 36.6 31.4 8.1 21.6

Asian/Pacific Islander 38.4 3.7 34.7 38.3 11.9 11.4

Black, non-Hispanic 31.7 2.0 29.7 32.6 17.4 18.4

Hispanic 27.7 3.2 24.5 34.3 15.0 23.0

White, non-Hispanic 44.9 3.2 41.7 31.3 10.5 13.2

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 37.2 2.6 34.6 35.3 11.4 16.1

Business and management 41.4 3.2 38.2 33.9 8.5 16.2

Education 38.5 2.3 36.2 35.2 11.2 15.1

Engineering 28.1 2.4 25.8 42.3 15.6 14.1

Health professions 29.0 1.1 27.9 34.1 17.3 19.7

Public affairs/social services 38.0 2.9 35.1 32.4 12.6 17.1

Arts and sciences 51.1 3.9 47.2 26.2 10.9 11.8

Biological sciences 57.4 3.0 54.3 22.2 9.0 11.5

Mathematics and other sciences 45.6 3.4 42.1 26.7 11.4 16.3

Social science 54.2 4.6 49.6 25.9 9.8 10.1

History 51.2 2.6 48.6 25.6 18.4 4.8

Humanities 49.0 4.0 45.1 26.6 12.8 11.5

Psychology 47.2 3.8 43.4 31.4 7.3 14.0

Other 43.0 3.2 39.8 34.2 11.1 11.7

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 45.2 3.1 42.1 32.5 10.8 11.5

One year or more 17.0 3.6 13.4 24.0 16.5 42.6

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 44.7 3.0 41.7 32.6 10.9 11.8

20–24 16.7 4.8 11.9 18.0 15.4 49.9

25–29 19.6 8.2 11.4 27.2 15.5 37.7

30 or older 13.2 0.8 12.5 30.4 15.7 40.6

Age received bachelor's degree

Under 23 71.0 4.9 66.1 28.5 0.4 0.1

23–24 4.2 0.4 3.8 53.1 36.0 6.8

25–29 5.0 1.6 3.4 6.0 10.0 78.9

30–39 5.6 1.0 4.6 8.8 5.3 80.3

40 or older 1.7 0.5 1.2 13.7 7.0 77.6
47

Table I.8—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months

of stopout between institutions according to time between entry into postsecondary education

and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

4 years or less

More More More

than 3.5, than 4, than 5,

3.5 years up to up to up to More than

Total or less 4 years 5 years 6 years 6 years

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 26.9 2.4 24.5 32.0 18.1 23.1

No 44.2 3.1 41.1 32.1 10.4 13.3

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 30.0 1.5 28.4 36.8 16.5 16.7

3.0–3.49 46.5 3.1 43.3 33.1 9.2 11.2

3.5 or higher 54.4 5.4 49.0 22.6 7.6 15.5

Overall grades at NPSAS institution

Mostly A's 52.5 4.8 47.7 20.1 7.9 19.6

A's and B's 53.0 4.7 48.2 28.0 7.5 11.6

Mostly B's 40.8 2.6 38.2 34.8 11.8 12.6

B's and C's 27.2 1.2 25.9 37.7 17.3 17.8

Mostly C's 19.4 0.0 19.4 35.6 24.1 20.9

C's and D's or below 33.2 0.0 33.2 44.5 8.8 13.5

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 47.9 3.6 44.4 30.2 10.3 11.6

Less than $1,000 32.1 3.2 28.9 34.7 13.7 19.5

$1,000–4,999 35.5 2.9 32.6 34.9 11.2 18.4

$5,000–9,999 35.6 3.7 31.9 34.0 11.9 18.6

$10,000–19,999 40.0 2.0 38.0 32.4 13.5 14.2

$20,000 or more 42.6 1.3 41.3 36.8 8.7 12.0

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 22.9 2.6 20.4 26.2 14.8 36.1

High school or equivalency 33.3 2.5 30.8 33.7 13.6 19.4

Some postsecondary education 39.7 3.5 36.2 35.5 11.7 13.1

Bachelor's degree 48.6 3.5 45.1 30.6 11.6 9.2

Advanced degree 53.3 3.2 50.0 29.5 7.6 9.6

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 35.3 2.9 32.4 39.7 13.0 12.0

Middle 50% 47.5 2.8 44.8 34.2 10.4 7.9

Top 25% 61.0 5.1 55.9 25.7 7.9 5.5

No exam taken or no 27.6 2.5 25.2 27.6 13.7 31.1

 score reported

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 33.5 3.0 30.5 37.5 13.8 15.2

Nondoctorate-granting 28.8 3.0 25.9 37.4 15.6 18.2

Doctorate-granting 35.8 3.1 32.8 37.6 12.8 13.8

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 64.8 2.8 62.1 19.1 5.2 10.9

Nondoctorate-granting 63.0 2.2 60.8 19.0 4.8 13.3

Doctorate-granting 67.0 3.4 63.6 19.1 5.8 8.0

Other 28.9 9.6 19.3 37.8 16.1 17.2
48

Table I.8—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months

of stopout between institutions according to time between entry into postsecondary education

and degree completion, by selected student and enrollment characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

4 years or less

More More More

than 3.5, than 4, than 5,

3.5 years up to up to up to More than

Total or less 4 years 5 years 6 years 6 years

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 35.2 3.1 32.0 39.0 13.0 12.9

2-year 23.5 2.3 21.2 31.4 18.7 26.5

Less-than-2-year — — — — — —

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 67.0 2.9 64.1 18.9 4.6 9.6

Less-than-4-year 44.5 0.0 44.5 29.0 13.3 13.2

Private, for-profit 67.7 46.1 21.6 15.2 2.0 15.0

Number of institutions attended

One 50.7 3.4 47.3 29.6 9.0 10.8

Two or more 31.4 2.7 28.7 35.4 14.6 18.7

Began postsecondary education at 

 sample institution

Began elsewhere 23.6 2.1 21.5 37.5 17.9 21.0

Began at sample institution 49.7 3.5 46.2 30.0 8.9 11.5

Transfer of credit

Began at sample institution or 

 did not transfer credits 48.9 3.4 45.5 30.2 9.2 11.7

Began elsewhere

Transferred less than 10% 

 of credits 30.0 2.0 28.0 33.5 21.2 15.4

Transferred 10–25% of credits 27.5 2.1 25.4 46.1 14.3 12.0

Transferred 26–50% of credits 21.2 2.0 19.2 38.8 19.3 20.6

Transferred more than 50% 

 of credits 20.9 1.9 19.0 31.9 16.5 30.7

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 49.0 4.7 44.3 29.3 10.6 11.1

Enrolled not employed 65.7 4.3 61.4 24.0 4.4 5.9

Employed not enrolled 40.4 2.7 37.6 33.1 12.1 14.5

Neither employed nor enrolled 39.0 4.6 34.4 31.9 8.8 20.3

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
49

Table I.9—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of stopout between

institutions, average number of years between postsecondary entry and degree receipt

according to type of degree-granting institution, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93

Private,

not-forPublic profit

Total 4-year 4-year Other1

Total 5.2 5.3 5.0 5.2

Gender

Male 5.2 5.3 4.9 5.1

Female 5.2 5.3 5.1 5.2

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 5.1 5.1 — —

Asian/Pacific Islander 4.9 5.3 4.2 —

Black, non-Hispanic 5.7 5.9 5.4 —

Hispanic 5.8 5.7 6.0 —

White, non-Hispanic 5.2 5.3 5.0 5.4

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 5.4 5.5 5.3 5.5

Business and management 5.3 5.2 5.7 —

Education 5.4 5.5 5.1 —

Engineering 5.2 5.5 4.3 —

Health professions 6.0 6.2 5.4 —

Public affairs/social services 5.4 5.9 4.4 —

Arts and sciences 5.0 5.1 4.7 5.3

Biological sciences 4.8 5.3 4.0 —

Mathematics and other sciences 5.3 5.6 4.7 —

Social science 4.8 5.0 4.5 —

History 4.6 4.8 4.4 —

Humanities 4.9 5.0 4.8 —

Psychology 5.3 5.0 6.0 —

Other 5.2 5.3 4.9 —

Time between high school graduation and

 postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 5.0 5.2 4.6 5.1

One year or more 7.7 7.3 8.6 —

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 5.0 5.2 4.7 5.1

20–24 8.1 7.9 8.8 —

25–29 7.6 7.3 — —

30 or older 7.2 7.2 7.4 —

Age received bachelor's degree

Under 23 3.9 4.0 3.8 3.8

23–24 5.1 5.1 5.0 4.9

25–29 7.4 7.5 7.3 —

30–39 12.3 12.4 12.2 —

40 or older 17.5 17.6 17.3 —

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 6.1 6.4 5.2 —

No 5.2 5.3 5.0 5.2
50

Table I.9—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of stopout between

institutions, average number of years between postsecondary entry and degree receipt

according to type of degree-granting institution, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

Private,

not-forPublic profit

Total 4-year 4-year Other1

Cumulative undergraduate GPA2

Less than 3.0 5.3 5.5 4.9 4.9

3.0–3.49 5.0 5.1 4.6 5.2

3.5 or higher 5.6 5.5 5.6 5.4

Overall grades at NPSAS institution

Mostly A's 6.0 5.8 6.2 —

A's and B's 5.2 5.3 5.0 5.4

Mostly B's 5.0 5.2 4.5 5.1

B's and C's 5.4 5.5 5.2 —

Mostly C's 5.5 5.9 4.7 —

C's and D's or below 5.2 — — —

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 5.1 5.1 5.0 5.5

Less than $1,000 5.6 5.7 — —

$1,000–4,999 5.5 5.5 5.7 —

$5,000–9,999 5.5 5.4 5.7 —

$10,000–19,999 5.2 5.9 4.4 —

$20,000 or more 4.9 5.6 4.4 —

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 7.7 7.2 8.6 —

High school or equivalency 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.3

Some postsecondary education 5.1 5.2 5.0 4.7

Bachelor's degree 4.9 5.0 4.5 4.9

Advanced degree 4.8 5.0 4.3 —

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 5.0 5.0 4.8 —

Middle 50% 4.6 4.7 4.2 5.1

Top 25% 4.4 4.6 4.1 —

No exam taken or no 7.0 7.1 7.1 5.3

 score reported

Degree-granting institution

Nondoctorate-granting 5.5 5.6 5.3 —

Doctorate-granting 5.1 5.2 4.7 —

Other 5.2 — — 5.2

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3

2-year 6.2 6.0 7.0 —

Less-than-2-year — — — —

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 4.9 5.8 4.8 —

Less-than-4-year 4.8 — — —

Private, for-profit 4.8 — — —
51

Table I.9—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients with less than 6 months of stopout between

institutions, average number of years between postsecondary entry and degree receipt

according to type of degree-granting institution, by selected student and enrollment

characteristics: 1992–93—Continued

Private,

not-forPublic profit

Total 4-year 4-year Other1

Number of institutions attended

One 5.0 5.1 4.8 5.1

Two or more 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.3

Began postsecondary education at sample 

 institution

Began elsewhere 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.2

Began at sample institution 5.0 5.2 4.8 5.2

Transfer of credit

Began at sample institution or 

 did not transfer credits 5.0 5.2 4.7 5.5

Began elsewhere

Transferred less than 10% of credits 5.8 5.8 — —

Transferred 10–25% of credits 5.0 5.0 5.1 —

Transferred 26–50% of credits 5.7 5.8 5.5 —

Transferred more than 50% of credits 6.6 6.3 7.8 —

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 5.0 4.9 5.1 —

Enrolled not employed 4.7 5.1 4.1 —

Employed not enrolled 5.2 5.3 5.0 5.0

Neither employed nor enrolled 6.0 6.3 5.6 —

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

Includes graduates of private, for-profit institutions and of institutions of unknown type (i.e., 1992–93 bachelor's degree 1

recipients who were sampled from an institution other than the degree-granting one).

Self-reported. 2

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
52

Table I.10—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to undergraduate major and selected characteristics: 1992–93

Public MatheBusiness affairs/ matics

and Educa- Engi- Health social Biological and other Social Psychomanagement tion neering professions services sciences sciences science History Humanities logy Other

Total 22.0 12.8 6.3 7.3 3.4 4.5 5.7 9.5 1.8 9.3 3.6 13.8

Gender

Male 26.1 6.1 11.9 4.1 3.0 5.1 7.6 10.3 2.4 8.4 2.1 13.0

Female 18.6 18.4 1.6 10.0 3.7 3.9 4.2 8.9 1.3 10.1 4.9 14.4

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 24.7 12.6 3.2 9.6 1.8 2.5 3.8 10.2 0.9 11.1 1.1 18.6

Asian/Pacific Islander 20.8 5.2 12.6 6.3 1.5 7.4 12.2 10.3 1.4 10.2 0.9 11.2

Black, non-Hispanic 27.1 8.1 4.2 7.7 5.8 4.9 6.3 10.6 0.7 7.0 4.3 13.4

Hispanic 18.8 11.3 5.3 8.1 5.6 5.2 5.1 9.6 0.5 11.7 6.1 12.8

White, non-Hispanic 21.8 13.8 6.1 7.3 3.2 4.2 5.4 9.4 2.0 9.2 3.6 14.0

Time between high school graduation

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 21.5 12.8 6.4 7.1 3.1 4.8 5.8 9.9 1.9 9.2 3.6 13.9

One year or more 25.8 12.8 5.1 9.5 5.7 1.8 5.4 6.7 1.6 10.3 3.8 11.6

Age at postsecondary entry

Under 20 21.5 12.8 6.3 7.0 3.2 4.7 5.8 9.9 1.8 9.4 3.6 14.0

20–24 28.0 10.1 7.6 11.8 3.8 1.4 7.0 7.1 1.7 8.2 2.9 10.3

25–29 29.5 15.2 5.8 9.4 5.1 1.7 2.9 3.5 0.4 11.1 6.5 8.9

30 or older 16.7 18.9 0.8 13.8 12.7 2.3 2.4 6.5 2.4 6.0 7.7 9.8

Time from postsecondary entry

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 19.9 11.4 4.4 4.0 3.1 6.6 6.5 13.5 2.1 10.6 4.1 13.7

More than 4, up to 5 years 22.5 13.9 8.5 6.2 3.6 3.3 4.8 8.7 1.4 8.1 3.6 15.2

More than 5, up to 6 years 17.2 12.7 8.8 8.2 3.7 4.2 5.5 9.3 2.8 10.6 2.4 14.7

More than 6 years 28.0 12.9 5.6 9.9 3.6 2.9 6.1 5.8 1.2 8.3 3.7 12.1

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 20.5 13.1 5.4 4.6 2.8 5.6 6.0 11.8 2.0 10.1 3.8 14.3

23–24 19.8 12.2 8.7 7.0 4.0 4.1 5.1 9.8 1.9 9.1 2.9 15.5

25–29 25.6 10.8 7.3 10.7 3.1 3.9 6.7 7.2 1.0 8.3 3.5 11.9

30–39 28.1 13.9 6.1 11.9 3.3 2.2 7.8 4.4 1.3 7.0 4.2 9.8

40 or older 23.8 14.9 1.6 15.8 6.9 1.9 1.4 4.6 2.2 9.3 4.7 13.0

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 18.0 14.9 4.3 7.4 4.7 3.3 4.4 9.0 1.8 8.5 4.4 19.3

No 23.2 12.9 6.5 7.4 3.0 4.5 6.0 9.4 1.8 8.9 3.4 13.0
53

Table I.10—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to undergraduate major and selected characteristics: 1992–93—

Continued

Public MatheBusiness affairs/ matics

and Educa- Engi- Health social Biological and other Social Psychomanagement tion neering professions services sciences sciences science History Humanities logy Other

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 24.7 9.5 7.3 5.5 4.1 4.0 6.2 11.3 1.3 6.8 3.7 15.5

3.0–3.49 21.1 13.8 6.7 7.2 3.0 4.7 5.6 9.3 1.8 9.5 3.2 14.1

3.5 or higher 21.1 14.8 4.6 9.8 3.2 4.5 5.4 8.1 2.3 11.2 4.1 10.9

Undergraduate major GPA*

Less than 3.0 28.4 8.2 8.8 6.2 3.2 5.1 5.9 10.2 1.4 5.1 3.4 14.1

3.0–3.49 22.4 10.7 7.0 6.9 3.2 4.6 6.1 10.1 1.5 8.7 3.5 15.2

3.5 or higher 20.0 16.6 4.6 8.6 3.5 4.0 5.2 8.8 2.2 11.2 3.7 11.5

Overall grades at NPSAS institution

Mostly A's 20.7 15.2 4.6 9.5 3.1 4.3 4.5 7.6 3.2 11.2 4.0 12.1

A's and B's 22.3 14.4 5.6 8.6 2.9 5.0 5.7 9.0 1.7 9.9 3.5 11.3

Mostly B's 21.4 12.6 6.3 7.5 3.4 4.3 5.9 9.7 1.6 8.8 3.4 15.1

B's and C's 25.0 9.0 9.2 3.1 4.2 3.5 6.1 11.1 1.7 6.6 3.9 16.6

Mostly C's 21.9 3.5 8.5 2.3 7.0 3.6 6.9 13.8 1.1 8.4 4.0 19.0

C's and D's or below 27.8 8.4 0.0 5.8 0.0 9.8 10.3 12.0 0.0 13.1 4.0 8.8

Overall grades in undergraduate major

Mostly A's 18.4 17.2 3.9 8.3 3.7 3.3 5.2 7.9 2.5 13.2 4.6 11.8

A's and B's 21.5 14.7 5.7 8.0 3.3 4.6 5.5 10.1 2.1 8.9 3.0 12.5

Mostly B's 22.8 10.3 7.2 7.3 3.2 4.8 6.2 9.8 1.3 7.9 3.5 15.9

B's and C's 30.6 6.1 10.6 3.6 3.3 5.3 4.7 11.2 1.6 5.6 3.0 14.3

Mostly C's 21.2 7.6 16.2 8.3 4.5 4.3 6.8 8.1 1.6 3.8 3.9 13.7

C's and D's or below 25.8 7.0 0.0 5.9 0.0 7.8 18.2 12.1 0.0 11.0 4.0 8.1

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 23.2 11.6 5.6 6.9 3.2 4.0 5.6 10.5 2.0 10.2 3.6 13.6

Less than $1,000 20.3 11.1 10.2 8.6 4.3 2.7 9.2 9.2 3.0 4.1 3.6 13.7

$1,000–4,999 22.3 12.7 6.6 6.2 4.2 5.6 6.3 7.9 1.9 7.8 4.3 14.3

$5,000–9,999 21.5 15.6 7.0 5.2 3.0 5.0 5.3 7.7 1.7 8.2 3.7 16.1

$10,000–19,999 17.3 14.4 6.8 10.0 4.2 5.3 5.7 9.4 1.6 9.3 2.8 13.1

$20,000 or more 22.0 12.2 8.9 12.8 2.4 3.3 5.1 7.9 1.1 8.8 3.7 11.8

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 26.8 13.0 4.6 9.0 6.1 3.9 4.2 9.1 2.0 9.2 4.9 7.3

High school or equivalency 26.9 14.9 4.8 8.3 4.1 3.7 5.4 7.0 1.7 6.5 3.9 12.9

Some postsecondary education 23.9 11.5 6.6 8.3 4.2 3.9 5.4 8.3 1.8 8.4 3.3 14.4

Bachelor's degree 19.7 12.7 8.1 7.1 2.5 4.2 5.4 9.9 1.2 9.8 3.4 15.8

Advanced degree 17.4 11.8 6.7 6.1 1.9 5.7 7.1 12.5 2.6 11.8 3.1 13.3
54

Table I.10—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to undergraduate major and selected characteristics: 1992–93—

Continued

Public MatheBusiness affairs/ matics

and Educa- Engi- Health social Biological and other Social Psychomanagement tion neering professions services sciences sciences science History Humanities logy Other

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 23.6 17.7 3.6 6.9 5.3 2.7 3.7 8.1 0.9 6.9 4.6 16.0

Middle 50% 22.4 12.9 6.6 6.3 2.6 4.4 5.5 10.8 1.8 9.2 3.1 14.6

Top 25% 15.9 7.8 12.1 5.3 1.1 8.8 9.7 11.6 2.5 11.7 3.2 10.4

No exam taken or 23.9 13.0 4.2 9.7 4.6 3.1 4.9 7.7 1.9 9.3 4.0 13.6

 no score reported

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 20.5 14.0 7.3 7.6 3.5 4.3 5.7 9.7 1.5 7.7 3.8 14.3

Nondoctorate-granting 22.2 18.0 3.4 5.8 5.1 3.7 6.2 8.0 1.6 7.4 4.1 14.4

Doctorate-granting 19.6 11.7 9.4 8.6 2.7 4.6 5.5 10.7 1.4 7.9 3.6 14.3

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 25.1 11.3 3.9 6.4 3.3 5.0 5.5 9.9 2.5 11.8 3.5 11.7

Nondoctorate-granting 31.0 12.3 0.9 6.1 3.8 4.3 5.3 8.5 2.1 10.8 3.5 11.4

Doctorate-granting 17.4 9.9 8.0 6.9 2.6 6.0 5.6 11.7 3.0 13.3 3.5 12.2

Other 21.5 5.3 7.7 10.1 1.6 2.7 8.6 2.8 1.2 15.2 1.0 22.2

First postsecondary institution attended

Public

4-year 22.0 13.2 7.4 6.9 3.2 4.2 6.2 10.3 1.6 7.3 3.5 14.3

2-year 24.0 15.8 5.7 7.7 4.9 2.8 5.4 6.8 1.1 7.9 3.6 14.4

Less-than-2-year — — — — — — — — — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 20.0 11.7 5.2 5.6 3.0 6.3 5.9 11.4 2.7 12.5 3.7 12.1

Less-than-4-year 22.0 17.4 0.0 12.9 5.7 2.9 0.9 7.6 1.0 4.2 1.1 24.2

Private, for-profit 29.9 2.6 12.1 3.4 2.2 1.3 4.9 2.3 0.0 18.4 0.8 22.2

Employment/enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled and employed 13.9 15.2 7.0 7.8 2.7 6.4 6.7 10.0 2.1 10.1 5.8 12.2

Enrolled not employed 8.9 11.3 8.1 6.1 2.9 13.2 10.3 10.4 2.7 10.1 5.7 10.4

Employed not enrolled 24.6 12.9 6.1 7.5 3.6 3.1 5.3 9.1 1.7 8.9 3.0 14.2

Neither employed nor enrolled 16.8 9.7 6.5 6.6 3.6 8.1 5.4 10.7 1.1 12.6 4.8 14.3

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
55

Table I.11—Percentage distribution of bachelor's degree recipients according to highest degree already

completed, by selected student characteristics: 1992–93

Less than Bachelor's

a bachelor's degree

degree or higher

Total 93.5 6.5

Gender

Male 93.9 6.1

Female 93.2 6.8

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 84.6 15.4

Asian/Pacific Islander 94.4 5.6

Black, non-Hispanic 94.4 5.6

Hispanic 93.3 6.7

White, non-Hispanic 93.4 6.6

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 92.8 7.2

Business and management 95.3 4.7

Education 92.2 7.8

Engineering 94.2 5.8

Health professions 84.8 15.2

Public affairs/social services 93.9 6.1

Arts and sciences 94.2 5.8

Biological sciences 94.2 5.8

Mathematics and other sciences 94.6 5.4

Social science 95.1 4.9

History 92.5 7.5

Humanities 93.1 6.9

Psychology 94.3 5.7

Other 94.4 5.6

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 96.1 3.9

23–24 94.2 5.8

25–29 89.1 10.9

30–39 87.0 13.0

40 or older 89.3 10.7

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
56

Table I.12—Percentage distribution of first-time bachelor's degree recipients according to where they

began postsecondary education by number of institutions attended: 1992–1993

Began

at sample Began

institution elsewhere

Total 62.9 37.1

Number of postsecondary institutions

 attended

One 100.0 ( )

*

Two or more 24.6 75.4

*Not applicable.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
57

The Employment and Enrollment Status

of 1992–93 College Graduates
58

The Employment and Enrollment Status of 1992–93 College Graduates

The tables included in this section of the compendium focus on the employment and

enrollment status and experiences of 1992–93 college graduates about 1 year after they received

their bachelor’s degrees. Unless otherwise noted, the status variables were based on 

participants’ reports of their employment and enrollment in April 1994.

Overview of Employment and Enrollment Status

In April 1994, approximately 87 percent of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients

reported being employed; 73 percent were working full time; 14 percent were working

part time; an additional 5 percent were looking for work; and 9 percent were out of the

labor force. The overall unemployment rate (excluding those out of the labor force) was

4.9 percent (table II.1).

College graduates who were either not working or working part time were more often

enrolled full time than those working full time: nearly 60 percent of college graduates

who reported being out of the labor force in April 1994 and 24 percent who were

unemployed were enrolled full time in further education. The same was true for nearly

30 percent of those who were working part time. In contrast, only 3 percent of college

graduates working full time in April 1994 were enrolled full time (table III.1a).

About 27 percent of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients had enrolled in further

education since their college graduation. Approximately 17 percent had enrolled in

graduate or professional programs; 5 percent had enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs

or lower; and 6 percent were not pursuing a formal credential (table III.1b).

Employment: April 1994

Among 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients, men and women were equally likely to be

employed (about 87 percent), but women were more likely than men to work part time

(16 percent versus 12 percent) (table II.1).

Although employment rates for 1992–93 college graduates were generally high, they

differed according to major field of study. For example, 90 percent of students who had

majored in a professional field of study were employed in April 1994, compared with 82

percent who had majored in the arts and sciences (table II.1). At the same time, those

who had majored in the arts and sciences were also more likely to be out of the labor

force in April 1994 than those who had majored in a professional field (13 percent

versus 6 percent) (table II.1), and were also more likely to have enrolled in a graduate

program (23 percent versus 14 percent) (table III.1b).
This was also true within majors with the exception of health, engineering, biology, the humanities, and psychology. 33

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Eduction Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal

Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

59

About three-fourths (75 percent) of college graduates reported that their job was related

to their degree and that it had career potential (72 percent); a little more than half (56

percent) reported that a bachelor’s degree was required to obtain their job (table II.2).

With respect to their April occupation, one-fifth of college graduates who were

employed in April 1994 had jobs in business and management, and 16 percent had jobs

in professional fields other than education, business, health, and engineering. Twelve

percent of graduates were working in education as teachers, and 18 percent had

administrative support jobs (table II.3).

Full-Time Salaries

Salaries are reported for college graduates who were employed full time in April 1994,

regardless of their enrollment status (about 73 percent of all graduates). The salaries represent the

annualized wages/salaries reported for the April job. Thus, if the respondent reported an hourly

or monthly wage, it was annualized. Yearly salaries that exceeded $500,000 or were less than

$1,000 (less than 1 percent) were removed from the analysis. 

Among 1992–93 college graduates employed full time in April 1994, men had

significantly higher average salaries than women ($26,440 versus $22,286) (table II.4).33

The average full-time salaries of college graduates who had majored in professional

fields (business, education, engineering, health, or public affairs/social services) were

higher than those who had majored in the arts and sciences ($26,029 versus $22,160,

respectively) (table II.4).

Among the professional fields of study, the average full-time salary was higher for those

who had majored in either health professions ($31,302) or engineering ($30,948) than it

was for graduates who had majored in business fields ($27,069), public affairs/social

services ($22,042), or education ($19,280) (table II.4).
Respondents were asked whether a degree was required to obtain the job, rather than to do the job. 34

Bureau of Labor Statistics Analysis Office, Bill Denning, personal interview. 35

60

Underemployment

Three job-related items were examined to assess the level of underemployment among

1992–93 college graduates. For this analysis, only graduates who were employed and not

enrolled in further education in April 1994 were included. If respondents were employed in jobs

that were part time, that did not require a college degree, or that had no career potential, they 34

were considered to be underemployed.

Among college graduates who were employed and not enrolled in April 1994:

Approximately 12 percent reported working part time (table II.5). 

About 43 percent of employed graduates reported having jobs in which a bachelor’s

degree was not required to obtain employment, and a smaller proportion (about 26

percent) reported that their job had no career potential (table II.5).

Unemployment

The unemployment rates were calculated for April 1994 (about 1 year after graduation)

and are based on all college graduates who were in the labor force, regardless of their enrollment

status. Note that a majority (58 percent) of graduates who were out of the labor force in April

1994 were enrolled full time in school at that time (see table III.1a).

In April 1994, the unemployment rate for 1992–93 college graduates was 4.9 percent

(the rate excludes those not in the labor force) (table II.6). As a point of reference, the

U.S. unemployment rate for April 1994 was 6.4 percent (for 20- to-24-year-olds, it was

10 percent, and for adults 25 and older, it was 5 percent).35

The unemployment rate for college graduates who had majored in professional fields of

study (4 percent) was lower than the rate for those who had majored in the arts and

sciences (6 percent) (table II.6).

Approximately 29 percent of 1992–93 college graduates had experienced some period of

unemployment since their graduation, with an average duration of 5 consecutive months

of unemployment (table II.6).

While Hispanic and black, non-Hispanic graduates appeared to have higher

unemployment rates (8 percent for both groups) than white, non-Hispanic graduates (4

percent), there is not enough evidence to support the conclusion that these

unemployment rates are different (the difference is not statistically significant) (table

II.6).
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Occupational and Educational Outcomes of 36

Recent College Graduates 1 Year After Graduation: 1991 (Washington, DC: 1993).

This percentage includes graduate students working as graduate or teaching assistants. 37

61

Comparisons of 1993 College Graduates With 1990 College Graduates (1991 Recent College

Graduates Survey)36

The percentage of recent college graduates who were employed in the month of April

following their graduation increased slightly between 1991 and 1994 (from 85 percent to

87 percent). However, it was slightly more common for 1993 college graduates to 37

work part time than it was for 1990 graduates (14 percent versus 11 percent), and it was

slightly less common for 1993 graduates to be out of the labor force (8 percent versus 11

percent) (table II.7).

1990 and 1993 graduates were equally likely to report that their April job following

graduation was related to their degree (76 and 75 percent, respectively) and that a

bachelor’s degree was required to obtain the job (56 percent for both groups). However,

1993 graduates were less likely to report that the job had any career potential (72 percent

versus 79 percent) (table II.7).

The average full-time salary for recent college graduates was $25,038 for 1991

graduates, and $24,195 for 1993 graduates (in 1994 dollars). There is not sufficient

evidence to support the conclusion that the salaries for the 2 years are different (the

difference is not statistically significant) (table II.7).
62

Table II.1—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their employment status in 

April 1994 and the corresponding unemployment rate

Working Not Working

Out of

Full Part Unem- labor UnemployTotal time time ployed force ment rate1

Total 87.0 73.1 13.9 4.5 8.5 4.9

Gender

Male 86.5 74.9 11.6 4.8 8.8 5.2

Female 87.4 71.6 15.8 4.3 8.3 4.7

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 87.1 73.6 13.4 4.3 8.7 4.7

Asian/Pacific Islander 80.1 66.0 14.1 6.6 13.4 7.6

Black, non-Hispanic 85.1 71.0 14.1 7.6 7.3 8.1

Hispanic 83.3 67.4 15.9 7.6 9.2 8.3

White, non-Hispanic 87.8 74.0 13.8 4.0 8.2 4.4

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 89.9 77.3 12.7 4.1 6.0 4.3

Business and management 92.4 84.7 7.7 3.6 3.9 3.8

Education 89.4 68.3 21.1 3.4 7.3 3.6

Engineering 85.0 75.8 9.2 6.2 8.8 6.8

Health professions 88.7 73.4 15.3 4.5 6.7 4.9

Public affairs/social services 87.8 74.6 13.2 4.6 7.6 4.9

Arts and sciences 82.0 66.1 15.9 5.2 12.8 6.0

Biological sciences 68.8 51.6 17.3 7.4 23.8 9.7

Mathematics and other sciences 81.6 67.8 13.9 4.9 13.5 5.7

Social science 85.5 72.5 12.9 4.8 9.8 5.3

History 86.1 71.7 14.4 5.4 8.5 5.9

Humanities 84.3 64.1 20.2 4.9 10.8 5.5

Psychology 81.4 66.9 14.5 5.1 13.6 5.8

Other 88.3 74.6 13.8 4.5 7.2 4.8

April 1994 occupation

Business and management 100.0 92.6 7.4 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

School teacher 100.0 77.7 22.3 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Engineering 100.0 98.1 1.9 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Health professions 100.0 84.2 15.8 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Other professions 100.0 86.8 13.1 ( ) ( ) ( )

3 2 2 2

Computer science, programming 100.0 92.5 7.5 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Noncomputer technician 100.0 83.7 16.3 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Administrative, clerical, support 100.0 77.5 22.5 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Mechanic, operator, laborer 100.0 80.5 19.5 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Sales 100.0 80.9 19.1 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Service 100.0 62.5 37.5 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Military, protective services 100.0 91.6 8.4 ( ) ( ) ( )

2 2 2

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 92.0 82.7 9.2 4.3 3.8 4.4

Postbaccalaureate certificate 81.0 55.8 25.2 9.8 9.3 10.8

Master's degree 90.2 77.3 13.0 4.3 5.5 4.6

First-professional degree 65.5 52.2 13.3 5.4 29.1 7.6

Doctoral degree 79.1 58.2 20.8 5.1 15.8 6.1

Other degree 85.4 71.4 14.1 4.6 9.9 5.1
63

Table II.1—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their employment status in 

April 1994 and the corresponding unemployment rate—Continued

Working Not Working

Out of

Full Part Unem- labor UnemployTotal time time ployed force ment rate1

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 92.3 81.7 10.6 4.0 3.7 4.2

Enrolled 62.6 33.4 29.1 6.9 30.5 9.9

Full time 49.8 17.2 32.6 9.0 41.2 15.3

Part time 88.7 66.5 22.1 2.6 8.7 2.9

Cumulative undergraduate GPA4

Less than 3.0 90.7 77.8 12.9 5.1 4.2 5.3

3.0–3.49 87.4 74.2 13.2 4.5 8.2 4.9

3.5 or higher 83.1 67.2 15.8 3.6 13.3 4.2

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 85.4 70.8 14.5 3.9 10.7 4.4

23–24 89.4 75.6 13.9 4.2 6.4 4.4

25–29 90.2 77.4 12.8 5.6 4.2 5.8

30–39 86.0 74.1 11.8 5.9 8.1 6.5

40 or older 84.2 69.4 14.8 6.2 9.6 6.8

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 85.8 72.7 13.1 4.2 10.0 4.7

Less than $1,000 82.6 66.9 15.6 6.3 11.2 7.1

$1,000–4,999 88.4 73.9 14.5 5.2 6.4 5.6

$5,000–9,999 88.7 74.7 14.0 4.0 7.3 4.3

$10,000–19,999 88.8 74.0 14.9 4.7 6.5 5.0

$20,000 or more 87.2 73.0 14.2 5.2 7.7 5.6

Time from postsecondary entry 

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 83.9 69.4 14.5 3.8 12.3 4.3

More than 4, up to 5 years 88.7 75.4 13.3 4.5 6.5 5.1

More than 5, up to 6 years 91.9 76.1 15.9 3.7 4.6 4.6

More than 6 years 88.2 76.1 12.1 5.6 5.2 6.6

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 83.9 69.4 14.5 3.3 12.7 3.8

More than 4, up to 5 years 88.6 75.0 13.6 4.6 6.8 4.9

More than 5, up to 6 years 91.4 76.5 14.9 3.7 4.9 3.9

More than 6, up to 7 years 91.4 78.6 12.8 3.7 5.0 3.8

More than 7, up to 10 years 90.5 78.4 12.1 5.6 3.9 5.8

10 years or more 85.7 73.1 12.5 6.1 8.2 6.7

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 85.6 72.9 12.6 8.2 6.2 8.7

High school or equivalency 89.2 75.2 14.0 4.4 6.3 4.7

Some postsecondary education 88.9 73.4 15.5 4.6 6.5 4.9

Bachelor's degree 87.4 74.4 13.0 3.8 8.8 4.2

Advanced degree 82.7 68.8 14.0 4.9 12.4 5.6
64

Table II.1—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their employment status in 

April 1994 and the corresponding unemployment rate—Continued

Working Not Working

Out of

Full Part Unem- labor UnemployTotal time time ployed force ment rate1

Marital status April 1994

Never married 86.4 71.8 14.6 4.6 8.9 5.1

Married/cohabit as married 88.6 76.1 12.4 4.0 7.4 4.3

Divorced/separated/widowed 82.7 70.5 12.2 7.6 9.8 8.4

Number of children

No children 87.4 73.5 13.9 4.4 8.2 4.8

One child 84.2 68.8 15.4 5.6 10.2 6.3

Two or more children 85.4 73.0 12.4 4.8 9.8 5.3

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 88.7 72.3 16.3 5.0 6.3 5.4

Doctorate-granting 87.0 74.3 12.7 4.7 8.3 5.1

Private, not-for-profit 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 87.4 73.1 14.3 4.6 8.0 4.9

Doctorate-granting 83.6 71.2 12.4 2.9 13.4 3.4

Other 86.4 69.4 16.9 4.6 9.0 5.1

Excluding those out of the labor force. 1

Not applicable. 2

All other professional occupations excluding business, teaching, engineering, and health. See appendix A for more detail. 3

Self-reported. 4

NOTE: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
65

Table II.2—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who reported various job characteristics

for primary job held in April 1994

Definite/ Bachelor’s

possible degree Job

career required related to

potential to obtain job bachelor's degree

Total 72.0 55.9 75.1

Gender

Male 74.2 55.6 74.2

Female 70.3 56.2 75.7

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 74.2 55.0 78.9

Asian/Pacific Islander 67.1 61.0 76.5

Black, non-Hispanic 63.1 49.3 72.3

Hispanic 76.4 58.1 75.4

White, non-Hispanic 72.7 56.0 75.2

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 77.0 61.0 83.6

Business and management 77.2 51.4 85.1

Education 75.4 65.7 78.5

Engineering 81.5 78.6 87.4

Health professions 80.0 73.0 90.5

Public affairs/social services 67.8 49.4 71.6

Arts and sciences 65.6 49.4 61.6

Biological sciences 57.4 48.8 64.3

Mathematics and other sciences 75.1 67.7 82.3

Social science 68.0 46.5 57.2

History 66.5 41.2 41.6

Humanities 65.5 44.6 58.2

Psychology 52.6 45.3 57.3

Other 67.6 51.5 73.6

April 1994 occupation 

Business and management 76.8 50.4 74.6

School teacher 83.1 84.7 94.9

Engineering 91.1 88.8 96.7

Health professions 84.5 74.4 96.6

Other professions 77.1 72.5 87.8 1

Computer science, programming 80.3 65.1 83.6

Noncomputer technician 67.5 63.9 85.5

Administrative, clerical, support 60.6 37.4 58.7

Mechanic, operator, laborer 56.4 19.3 45.0

Sales 67.1 38.7 56.2

Service 28.8 15.9 36.1

Military, protective services 75.8 45.4 77.7

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 76.4 48.3 74.4

Postbaccalaureate certificate 70.1 46.3 83.6

Master's degree 75.1 58.2 77.4

First-professional degree 56.5 50.5 62.1

Doctoral degree 61.0 58.6 71.3

Other degree 64.0 47.7 75.5
66

Table II.2—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who reported various job characteristics

for primary job held in April 1994—Continued

Definite/ Bachelor’s

possible degree Job

career required related to

potential to obtain job bachelor's degree

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 73.6 56.8 75.5

Enrolled 61.2 49.8 71.7

Full time 54.0 47.6 68.4

Part time 69.4 52.4 75.3

Employment status April 1994

Employed full time 75.5 59.7 77.6

Employed part time 53.5 36.0 61.6

Cumulative undergraduate GPA2

Less than 3.0 70.4 50.3 70.2

3.0–3.49 72.1 59.2 76.5

3.5 or higher 73.9 57.9 79.0

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 69.7 58.6 71.8

23–24 72.1 56.2 73.8

25–29 75.4 54.0 76.2

30–39 76.6 53.2 87.3

40 or older 74.5 40.9 82.4

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 71.6 54.7 73.9

Less than $1,000 71.1 54.3 80.4

$1,000–4,999 74.3 54.5 78.4

$5,000–9,999 72.1 58.1 76.8

$10,000–19,999 70.8 57.7 75.2

$20,000 or more 73.0 60.0 73.7

Time from postsecondary entry 

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 69.0 58.6 71.0

More than 4, up to 5 years 71.9 57.9 75.8

More than 5, up to 6 years 73.3 55.3 71.5

More than 6 years 75.7 50.0 79.9

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 68.5 58.8 71.0

More than 4, up to 5 years 71.9 57.8 75.1

More than 5, up to 6 years 74.4 56.1 72.1

More than 6, up to 7 years 69.8 53.5 70.4

More than 7, up to 10 years 73.5 51.6 74.6

10 years or more 76.8 49.2 84.1

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 77.0 55.2 76.3

High school or equivalency 74.1 53.9 77.7

Some postsecondary education 71.8 57.3 75.4

Bachelor's degree 72.4 56.5 75.7

Advanced degree 68.6 57.9 71.4
67

Table II.2—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who reported various job characteristics

for primary job held in April 1994—Continued

Definite/ Bachelor’s

possible degree Job

career required related to

potential to obtain job bachelor's degree

Marital status April 1994

Never married 69.4 55.3 71.6

Married/cohabit as married 77.5 58.3 81.7

Divorced/separated/widowed 74.2 46.8 79.8

Number of children

No children 71.8 56.3 73.3

One child 79.9 55.5 84.3

Two or more children 74.5 51.7 84.3

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 74.0 52.6 75.6

Doctorate-granting 72.9 59.5 75.7

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 71.3 49.7 73.9

Doctorate-granting 69.5 60.0 72.6

Other 61.0 53.3 79.1

All other professional occupations excluding business, teaching, engineering, and health. See appendix A for more detail. 1

Self-reported. 2

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
68

Table II.3—Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed in April 1994 according to their reported occupation

Computer NonBusiness/ Health Other science/ computer Admin./ Mechanic Military/

manage- School Engi- profes- profes- program- tech- clerical/ operator/ protective

ment teacher neering sion sion ming nician support laborer Sales Service services 1

Total 20.1 11.7 4.4 5.8 15.5 3.9 3.0 17.9 4.1 7.1 4.2 2.3

Gender 

Male 22.8 6.2 8.3 2.3 15.3 5.6 3.1 13.0 7.0 9.2 3.5 3.9

Female 17.9 16.2 1.2 8.7 15.7 2.5 3.0 21.9 1.7 5.4 4.8 1.1

Race–ethnicity 

American Indian/Alaskan Native 22.5 15.9 4.6 2.8 17.1 0.0 1.4 18.3 5.5 3.3 7.0 1.5

Asian/Pacific Islander 24.9 4.8 6.7 7.0 11.3 8.4 3.5 19.7 1.6 8.8 2.8 0.4

Black, non-Hispanic 17.6 10.4 2.2 5.9 12.1 3.6 3.5 29.5 3.6 6.0 2.1 3.7

Hispanic 17.2 14.7 4.0 5.9 14.5 4.6 1.8 21.8 2.3 6.7 3.5 3.1

White, non-Hispanic 20.2 12.0 4.4 5.7 15.9 3.7 3.1 16.7 4.3 7.1 4.5 2.3

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 19.3 15.2 6.8 9.0 13.0 2.9 2.5 16.1 3.1 6.5 3.2 2.4

Business and management 31.4 1.2 0.5 0.3 19.6 3.9 1.1 23.6 3.2 11.7 2.4 1.1

Education 9.2 57.1 0.2 1.5 7.0 0.8 0.7 13.3 2.4 2.5 4.5 0.7

Engineering 12.2 1.5 54.3 0.1 2.7 7.9 5.4 5.1 5.9 2.1 1.3 1.5

Health professions 7.2 2.0 1.5 60.2 5.3 0.7 7.9 7.4 1.2 2.3 3.7 0.6

Public affairs/social services 16.3 1.2 0.0 1.4 27.5 0.6 1.7 15.4 4.1 4.4 5.4 21.9

Arts and sciences 18.5 8.5 1.5 2.2 17.4 6.5 3.7 21.5 4.5 7.7 5.5 2.6

Biological sciences 9.3 7.7 0.7 6.6 14.5 3.4 15.9 16.8 8.1 9.0 6.2 2.1

Mathematics and other sciences 8.0 11.9 6.9 1.3 11.3 25.9 4.7 16.6 4.8 4.6 3.0 1.1

Social science 26.4 3.2 0.2 1.0 15.5 2.3 1.7 26.7 3.4 10.0 5.5 4.3

History 23.9 15.1 0.0 0.5 12.6 1.4 1.4 18.0 3.8 7.7 6.8 8.9

Humanities 16.7 11.3 1.0 1.3 24.5 3.4 1.1 21.3 5.1 7.8 5.4 1.2

Psychology 25.6 6.9 0.0 5.0 19.5 1.5 2.9 22.2 2.2 4.4 8.7 0.7

Other 26.9 6.0 1.7 1.9 20.2 1.7 3.4 16.2 6.7 7.9 5.4 2.1

Highest degree expected 

Bachelor's degree 24.7 4.4 4.3 5.3 14.6 3.6 3.8 15.9 8.4 9.2 3.5 2.0

Postbaccalaureate certificate 11.2 29.1 3.2 6.4 11.1 7.5 3.0 6.7 4.7 7.6 1.7 7.7

Master's degree 20.1 13.2 5.1 6.0 15.5 4.4 2.1 17.0 3.2 7.0 4.1 2.3

First-professional degree 15.5 3.9 1.8 5.7 14.5 2.3 9.4 28.6 3.1 8.9 4.0 2.5

Doctoral degree 17.1 15.8 3.0 5.6 17.3 2.8 3.5 19.5 3.3 4.4 5.5 2.2

Other degree 17.3 10.5 0.0 7.1 11.5 0.8 3.7 25.1 0.7 10.1 4.6 8.7

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 21.2 11.4 4.5 6.0 15.5 3.8 2.9 16.8 4.2 7.3 4.0 2.5

Enrolled 12.5 13.9 3.2 4.4 15.2 4.9 3.9 25.2 3.4 5.7 6.1 1.7

Full time 8.2 10.1 1.8 4.1 16.6 3.9 3.0 32.7 4.0 6.0 7.8 1.8

Part time 17.3 18.1 4.8 4.8 13.6 6.0 5.0 16.7 2.7 5.3 4.1 1.5
69

Table II.3—Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed in April 1994 according to their reported

occupation—Continued

Computer NonBusiness/ Health Other science/ computer Admin./ Mechanic Military/

manage- School Engi- profes- profes- program- tech- clerical/ operator/ protective

ment teacher neering sion sion ming nician support laborer Sales Service services 1

Employment status April 1994

Employed full time 22.2 10.8 5.1 5.8 16.0 4.3 3.0 16.4 3.9 6.8 3.2 2.6

Employed part time 9.4 16.5 0.5 5.8 12.8 1.9 3.1 25.4 5.0 8.5 10.1 1.2

Cumulative undergraduate GPA2

Less than 3.0 21.5 8.0 4.7 4.1 13.3 3.3 3.2 19.2 5.5 10.1 4.8 2.5

3.0–3.49 21.0 12.1 4.9 5.7 15.6 4.5 2.8 16.7 3.8 6.5 4.1 2.4

3.5 or higher 16.7 15.3 3.3 8.2 18.5 3.7 3.2 17.9 2.7 4.6 3.8 2.1

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 19.6 10.9 3.5 3.6 17.0 3.4 2.8 21.4 3.2 7.7 5.1 1.8

23–25 21.3 11.8 5.8 5.1 12.5 3.3 2.8 16.2 4.9 9.3 4.2 2.8

25–29 18.7 10.9 6.1 7.8 13.6 4.8 3.3 16.6 5.9 5.8 3.9 2.5

30–39 19.3 14.0 3.4 10.7 18.0 7.2 4.0 11.8 4.0 2.5 2.2 2.9

40 or older 23.9 15.2 3.3 13.5 15.9 2.6 3.5 10.8 3.3 3.0 1.7 3.1

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 20.9 10.6 3.7 5.4 16.4 3.7 2.8 18.0 3.9 7.9 4.3 2.4

Less than $1,000 18.0 12.0 4.6 8.6 9.0 1.9 1.7 20.8 7.6 8.6 2.6 4.7

$1,000–4,999 19.8 11.0 4.9 5.3 15.7 5.5 2.3 19.5 3.7 5.4 3.8 3.0

$5,000–9,999 19.7 15.5 4.3 3.9 15.4 3.6 3.1 17.9 3.7 7.4 3.6 2.0

$10,000–19,999 18.1 12.8 5.2 7.4 14.4 3.8 4.4 18.2 4.7 4.6 4.7 1.8

$20,000 or more 21.5 8.7 7.2 10.3 13.8 3.2 2.3 15.3 5.0 7.0 4.6 1.2

Time from postsecondary entry to 

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 20.7 10.5 2.2 3.3 16.8 3.7 3.2 21.4 3.4 7.6 5.6 1.7

More than 4, up to 5 years 21.2 10.9 5.8 4.7 15.2 3.3 2.1 17.5 4.3 8.4 4.3 2.4

More than 5, up to 6 years 17.9 11.9 6.5 5.2 13.1 4.6 3.9 17.1 3.8 7.8 4.8 3.4

More than 6 years 20.5 12.8 4.9 8.2 15.3 4.8 3.3 14.8 4.8 5.3 2.6 2.5

Time from high school graduation to 

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 20.9 10.4 2.2 3.2 17.2 3.5 2.9 21.4 3.5 7.7 5.6 1.6

More than 4, up to 5 years 21.0 11.1 5.2 4.7 14.9 3.2 2.5 18.4 3.7 8.5 4.3 2.4

More than 5, up to 6 years 18.3 10.8 7.5 5.0 11.6 4.4 4.0 17.1 4.7 8.3 5.2 3.1

More than 6, up to 7 years 18.0 13.8 4.7 4.4 16.2 4.0 2.6 20.2 5.6 6.0 2.5 1.9

More than 7, up to 10 years 20.4 10.8 6.4 5.6 12.2 3.7 2.5 16.1 7.1 8.3 3.5 3.0

10 years or more 21.3 13.8 4.0 9.7 17.5 5.8 3.6 12.4 3.5 3.4 2.4 2.6
70

Table II.3—Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed in April 1994 according to their reported 

occupation—Continued

Computer NonBusiness/ Health Other science/ computer Admin./ Mechanic Military/

manage- School Engi- profes- profes- program- tech- clerical/ operator/ protective

ment teacher neering sion sion ming nician support laborer Sales Service services 1

Parent's educational attainment

Less than high school 19.7 15.0 2.8 6.3 14.3 4.7 2.2 19.5 4.3 5.4 2.1 3.5

High school or equivalency 20.4 12.9 3.9 6.9 13.9 3.6 3.7 18.4 3.9 6.5 3.4 2.4

Some postsecondary education 21.6 10.5 4.5 6.0 15.5 3.4 2.8 17.2 3.5 8.4 3.5 2.9

Bachelor's degree 18.6 11.3 5.3 5.9 15.2 4.7 2.9 18.3 4.4 6.5 4.8 2.0

Advanced degree 20.3 11.3 4.6 4.4 16.8 4.0 2.8 17.2 3.9 7.4 5.7 1.6

Marital status April 1994

Never married 20.8 9.4 4.1 4.2 15.7 3.8 3.0 20.0 4.1 8.0 5.0 2.1

Married/cohabit as married 19.1 16.3 5.3 8.7 14.5 4.3 3.0 13.7 4.2 5.4 2.7 2.9

Divorced/separated/widowed 17.9 13.4 1.3 11.6 19.5 4.0 3.8 14.90 2.9 5.0 2.7 2.5

Number of children

No children 20.1 10.7 4.5 4.8 15.6 3.8 2.9 18.9 4.0 7.8 4.7 2.1

One child 19.2 15.4 4.5 9.6 15.6 4.6 4.2 13.1 3.1 4.1 3.4 3.8

Two or more children 21.4 18.4 2.8 12.5 13.4 4.0 3.6 11.7 4.5 2.7 1.3 3.7

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 20.3 16.7 2.8 4.2 13.9 3.4 2.6 18.4 4.7 6.9 3.5 2.7

Doctorate-granting 18.3 10.5 6.2 7.2 15.1 4.3 3.1 17.4 3.9 6.9 4.8 2.4

Private, not-for-profit 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 24.3 11.3 1.1 5.4 15.4 3.9 1.9 18.3 4.6 6.7 4.4 2.7

Doctorate-granting 20.4 8.9 5.5 5.3 19.1 3.5 4.1 18.0 3.1 6.6 4.0 1.5

Other 19.2 5.0 5.9 3.5 18.0 4.0 7.0 15.9 1.7 14.8 3.5 1.6

All other professional occupations excluding business, teaching, engineering, and health. See appendix A for more detail. 1

Self-reported. 2

NOTE: Percentages may not add to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis

System.
71

Table II.4—Percentage distribution of annual salaries, and the average annual salaries, for 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients employed full time in

April 1994, by gender, race–ethnicity, bachelor's degree major, and April occupation

Less $75,000 Average

than $5,000– $10,000– $15,000– $20,000– $25,000– $35,000– $50,000– or annual

$5,000 9,999 14,999 19,999 24,999 34,999 49,000 74,999 more salary1

Total 1.0 3.5 17.8 17.3 22.7 24.5 9.9 2.5 0.7 $24,195

Gender 

Male 1.1 2.7 13.8 13.8 20.4 30.2 13.2 3.8 1.1 $26,440

Female 1.0 4.3 21.1 20.3 24.6 19.7 7.1 1.5 0.4 $22,286

Race–ethnicity 

American Indian/Alaskan Native 0.0 0.0 20.6 16.6 27.3 17.0 14.9 3.6 0.0 $24,403

Asian/Pacific Islander 0.0 1.5 10.5 17.9 31.4 23.8 11.7 3.2 0.0 $24,885

Black, non-Hispanic 0.7 5.8 17.7 23.9 20.8 20.4 8.6 2.0 0.3 $23,119

Hispanic 1.2 6.5 14.1 13.7 28.5 21.6 11.9 1.9 0.6 $23,708

White, non-Hispanic 1.1 3.4 18.3 17.0 22.0 25.1 9.7 2.5 0.8 $24,246

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 0.7 2.7 15.3 14.5 21.2 28.4 13.2 3.3 0.8 $26,029

Business and management 0.4 1.7 12.5 14.9 22.5 31.1 11.8 3.9 1.1 $27,069

Education 1.3 5.8 29.8 21.3 27.5 10.9 2.0 0.9 0.4 $19,280

Engineering 0.6 0.8 3.4 4.5 12.6 46.2 30.4 1.2 0.4 $30,948

Health professions 1.0 3.1 6.3 5.5 13.6 38.1 24.1 7.8 0.6 $31,302

Public affairs/social services 0.6 1.8 24.7 24.6 21.4 16.9 7.6 2.0 0.4 $22,042

Arts and sciences 1.3 5.1 21.3 18.3 25.1 19.1 6.6 1.5 0.6 $22,160

Biological sciences 1.5 3.7 26.3 17.6 24.2 19.9 3.9 1.8 1.1 $22,763

Mathematics and other sciences 0.2 3.5 14.5 12.8 20.2 32.1 14.2 2.1 0.4 $25,414

Social science 0.7 4.8 19.3 20.2 28.1 20.1 4.2 1.7 0.9 $22,082

History 5.9 6.8 21.1 19.2 16.9 22.8 2.5 4.8 0.0 $21,047

Humanities 1.5 5.7 24.3 17.9 27.5 14.4 7.3 0.8 0.5 $21,307

Psychology 1.5 7.4 25.4 22.4 23.4 14.7 4.8 0.4 0.0 $19,463

Other 1.6 3.4 19.5 26.1 23.1 19.1 4.4 1.8 0.8 $21,619
72

Table II.4—Percentage distribution of annual salaries, and the average annual salaries, for 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients employed full time in

April 1994, by gender, race–ethnicity, bachelor's degree major, and April occupation—Continued

Less $75,000 Average

than $5,000– $10,000– $15,000– $20,000– $25,000– $35,000– $50,000– or annual

$5,000 9,999 14,999 19,999 24,999 34,999 49,000 74,999 more salary

April 1994 occupation

Business and management 1.4 2.5 12.9 18.5 24.4 25.5 9.9 4.2 0.7 $25,419

School teacher 1.1 5.1 27.5 19.3 30.7 14.2 0.9 0.6 0.6 $20,114

Engineering 0.4 0.0 0.2 1.5 10.6 48.5 35.0 2.1 1.8 $33,259

Health professions 0.3 1.4 5.8 4.0 14.3 40.3 24.9 8.9 0.2 $32,351

Other professions 1.5 2.5 15.1 17.8 26.3 26.1 9.0 1.4 0.2 $23,415 2

Computer science, programming 0.0 0.3 4.3 7.2 22.0 40.2 20.4 4.3 1.3 $29,714

Noncomputer technician 0.2 1.0 14.7 16.1 28.9 28.7 7.2 1.8 1.4 $25,982

Administrative, clerical, support 0.7 6.4 26.5 26.4 22.1 14.2 2.5 0.5 0.7 $20,215

Mechanic, operator, laborer 0.8 4.3 30.8 18.5 15.6 20.2 5.7 2.9 1.1 $21,992

Sales 0.5 4.2 16.1 17.5 18.4 26.0 14.1 2.6 0.5 $24,746

Service 3.9 8.7 44.5 17.1 14.5 6.0 5.3 0.0 0.0 $16,779

Military, protective services 0.8 3.0 15.7 13.9 23.3 31.1 6.5 3.1 2.6 $25,499

Respondents reporting salaries less than $1,000 or more than $500,000 were excluded (eight cases, unweighted). 1

All other professional occupations excluding business, teaching, engineering, and health. See appendix A for more detail. 2

NOTE: Percentages may not add to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis

System.
73

Table II.5—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed and not enrolled in April 1994,

the percentage reporting various underemployment characteristics about their employment

Bachelor’s

No degree not

career Part-time required to 

potential job obtain job

Total 26.4 11.5 43.2

Gender

Male 24.4 9.0 43.8

Female 28.1 13.6 42.7

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 24.8 7.6 42.6

Asian/Pacific Islander 33.0 11.6 40.6

Black, non-Hispanic 35.8 13.7 49.9

Hispanic 23.2 14.9 40.8

White, non-Hispanic 25.5 11.2 43.1

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 21.6 10.6 38.3

Business and management 22.7 6.2 48.6

Education 22.9 21.2 32.5

Engineering 16.2 4.7 19.7

Health professions 16.6 11.0 24.7

Public affairs/social services 29.8 11.3 48.0

Arts and sciences 32.4 13.2 49.9

Biological sciences 40.7 16.0 49.6

Mathematics and other sciences 22.4 12.3 33.0

Social science 30.0 9.5 53.3

History 31.5 11.1 57.8

Humanities 32.9 17.8 55.1

Psychology 47.0 10.8 49.9

Other 31.8 11.5 48.1

April 1994 occupation

Business and management 23.1 5.6 48.8

School teacher 15.6 20.7 14.8

Engineering 8.3 0.3 10.1

Health professions 13.8 12.4 24.6

Other professions 21.5 8.1 25.9 1

Computer science, programming 16.1 1.9 32.3

Noncomputer technician 32.7 8.9 33.7

Administrative, clerical, support 38.1 13.9 64.8

Mechanic, operator, laborer 40.7 16.4 80.1

Sales 29.3 14.8 58.6

Service 70.1 31.1 81.9

Military, protective services 24.8 8.4 53.0

Highest degree expected 

Bachelor's degree 23.3 9.3 51.5

Postbaccalaureate certificate 27.7 28.9 53.5

Master's degree 23.7 11.2 40.5

First-professional degree 40.3 9.1 47.6

Doctoral degree 38.0 15.5 40.5

Other degree 35.9 12.7 52.7

Employment status April 1994

Employed full time 24.3 ( ) 40.1 2

Employed part time 42.7 100.0 67.1
74
75

Table II.5—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed and not enrolled in April 1994,

the percentage reporting various underemployment characteristics about their employment—

Continued

Bachelor’s

No degree not 

career Part-time required to

potential job obtain job

Cumulative undergraduate GPA3

Less than 3.0 28.4 11.0 48.7

3.0–3.49 26.6 10.3 39.5

3.5 or higher 23.5 13.2 41.8

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 27.7 11.1 40.5

23–24 26.7 11.4 42.9

25–29 24.0 11.4 46.0

30–39 24.0 11.5 45.3

40 or older 24.8 15.4 56.9

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 26.3 10.6 44.5

Less than $1,000 25.5 13.8 42.4

$1,000–4,999 24.2 10.8 44.5

$5,000–9,999 27.6 11.3 41.2

$10,000–19,999 27.7 12.8 41.1

$20,000 or more 25.7 12.4 40.4

Time from postsecondary entry 

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 28.8 10.9 41.2

More than 4, up to 5 years 26.5 10.8 41.0

More than 5, up to 6 years 25.2 14.6 42.5

More than 6 years 24.0 11.1 49.2

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 29.4 10.9 41.1

More than 4, up to 5 years 26.3 10.8 41.0

More than 5, up to 6 years 24.2 13.4 42.3

More than 6, up to 7 years 28.7 12.1 45.4

More than 7, up to 10 years 25.8 10.3 48.8

10 years or more 22.9 11.9 48.8

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 22.8 12.1 43.6

High school or equivalency 24.8 12.2 44.2

Some postsecondary education 27.0 13.8 42.2

Bachelor's degree 26.0 10.2 43.0

Advanced degree 28.5 9.9 41.3

Marital status April 1994

Never married 28.6 11.2 44.2

Married/cohabit as married 22.1 12.2 40.9

Divorced/separated/widowed 24.7 10.3 49.3

Number of children

No children 27.1 10.9 44.7

One child 20.2 16.6 43.8

Two or more children 25.6 12.7 46.7
76

Table II.5—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who were employed and not enrolled in April 1994,

the percentage reporting various underemployment characteristics about their employment—

Continued

Bachelor’s

No degree not

career Part-time required to

potential job obtain job

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 24.7 15.1 45.8

Doctorate-granting 25.0 9.3 39.3

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 27.5 12.5 50.4

Doctorate-granting 29.0 9.4 40.2

Other 39.5 16.4 45.8

All other professional occupations excluding business, teaching, engineering, and health. See appendix A for more detail. 1

Not applicable. 2

Self-reported. 3

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal

Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
77

Table II.6—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had experienced any unemployment

since graduation, the average number of consecutive months they were unemployed, and the 

unemployment rate for April 1994

Average

Experienced number of April 1994

any consecutive months unemployment

unemployment unemployed rate1

Total 28.7 5.1 4.9

Gender

Male 29.7 5.2 5.2

Female 27.8 5.1 4.7

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 33.2 — 4.7

Asian/Pacific Islander 31.0 6.3 7.6

Black, non-Hispanic 31.8 6.6 8.1

Hispanic 30.3 6.2 8.3

White, non-Hispanic 28.3 4.8 4.4

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 28.4 5.2 4.3

Business and management 27.2 5.4 3.8

Education 34.0 4.6 3.6

Engineering 33.1 5.7 6.8

Health professions 19.1 5.1 4.9

Public affairs/social services 26.8 5.1 4.9

Arts and sciences 29.0 5.2 6.0

Biological sciences 28.3 5.7 9.7

Mathematics and other sciences 25.7 5.8 5.7

Social science 31.3 5.1 5.3

History 34.8 5.0 5.9

Humanities 30.0 4.8 5.5

Psychology 23.8 5.8 5.8

Other 28.8 4.6 4.8

April 1994 occupation

Business and management 23.9 4.0 ( )

2

School teacher 37.8 3.8 ( )

2

Engineering 26.3 3.9 ( )

2

Health professions 14.3 3.8 ( )

2

Other professions 29.0 3.9 ( )

3 2

Computer science, programming 23.2 4.2 ( )

2

Noncomputer technician 21.7 4.1 ( )

2

Administrative, clerical, support 31.0 3.9 ( )

2

Mechanic, operator, laborer 28.8 4.2 ( )

2

Sales 32.3 4.1 ( )

2

Service 28.1 3.0 ( )

2

Military, protective services 17.3 3.4 ( )

2

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 27.7 5.3 4.4

Postbaccalaureate certificate 25.8 — 10.8

Master's degree 30.2 4.9 4.6

First-professional degree 20.1 6.5 7.6

Doctoral degree 27.2 5.2 6.1

Other degree 26.6 — 5.1
78

Table II.6—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had experienced any unemployment

since graduation, the average number of consecutive months they were unemployed, and the

unemployment rate for April 1994—Continued

Average

Experienced number of April 1994

any consecutive months unemployment

unemployment unemployed rate1

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 30.9 4.8 4.2

Enrolled 18.8 7.1 9.9

Full time 17.5 8.3 15.3

Part time 21.5 5.1 2.9

Cumulative undergraduate GPA4

Less than 3.0 33.4 4.9 5.3

3.0–3.49 27.8 5.2 4.9

3.5 or higher 25.5 5.3 4.2

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 30.0 4.6 4.4

23–24 30.7 4.9 4.4

25–29 28.2 5.4 5.8

30–39 24.0 6.6 6.5

40 or older 21.2 8.1 6.8

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 27.4 5.3 4.7

Less than $1,000 30.6 6.0 7.1

$1,000–4,999 29.2 4.9 5.6

$5,000–9,999 30.0 5.1 4.3

$10,000–19,999 31.4 4.3 5.0

$20,000 or more 31.9 5.2 5.6

Time from postsecondary entry to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 28.8 4.6 4.3

More than 4, up to 5 years 31.5 4.9 5.1

More than 5, up to 6 years 32.0 4.7 4.6

More than 6 years 24.1 6.1 6.6

Time from high school graduation to bachelor's

 degree

4 years or less 28.1 4.3 3.8

More than 4, up to 5 years 32.0 4.9 4.9

More than 5, up to 6 years 33.3 4.9 3.9

More than 6, up to 7 years 26.1 4.9 3.8

More than 7, up to 10 years 26.3 5.7 5.8

10 years or more 23.3 6.9 6.7

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 26.7 7.2 8.7

High school or equivalency 29.9 5.3 4.7

Some postsecondary education 26.9 5.5 4.9

Bachelor's degree 27.5 4.6 4.2

Advanced degree 30.0 4.9 5.6

Marital status April 1994

Never married 30.7 5.0 5.1

Married/cohabit as married 25.9 5.3 4.3

Divorced/separated/widowed 23.4 7.0 8.4
79

Table II.6—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had experienced any unemployment

since graduation, the average number of consecutive months they were unemployed, and the

unemployment rate for April 1994—Continued

Average

Experienced number of April 1994

any consecutive months unemployment

unemployment unemployed rate1

Number of children

No children 29.2 4.9 4.8

One child 28.1 6.6 6.3

Two or more children 23.4 6.2 5.3

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 30.0 5.2 5.4

Doctorate-granting 29.0 5.1 5.1

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 27.3 5.1 4.9

Doctorate-granting 28.4 4.6 3.4

Other 22.2 6.7 5.1

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

Excluding those out of the labor force. 1

Not applicable. 2

All other professional occupations excluding business, teaching, engineering, and health. See appendix A for more detail. 3

Self-reported. 4

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
80

Table II.7—Comparisons between 1990 and 1993 college graduates with respect to employment status 1

year after graduation and various job characteristics

1990 1993

graduates graduates

(RCG:91) (B&B:93/94)

Percentage (column) distribution by employment status

Total 100 100

Employed 85 87

Full time 74 73

Part time 11 14

Unemployed 4 5

Out of labor force 11 8

Percent reporting job characteristic

April job related to bachelor's degree 76 75

Bachelor's degree required to obtain job 56 56

April job had career potential 79 72

Average annual salary for full-time employed

 in 1994 dollars $25,038 $24,195

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System. 1991 Recent College Graduates survey (RCG:91), 

published in U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Occupational and Educational Outcomes

of Recent College Graduates 1 Year After Graduation: 1991 (Washington, DC: 1993).
Note that the proportion enrolled in further education is less than that reported for 1991 using the RCG data (35 percent).

38

However, for the previous RCG surveys (1978 to 1987), the percentage enrolled ranged from 23 to 27 percent. It is not

clear why there was such an increase in enrollment in 1991; it is possibly related to the relatively high unemployment

rate for that year. (See U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Occupational and Educational

Outcomes of Recent College Graduates 1 Year After Graduation: 1991 (Washington, DC: 1993).

See NCES report on newly qualified teachers (forthcoming), for a detailed examination of college graduates intending 39

to enter the teaching profession.

81

Enrollment in Further Education

In April 1994, approximately 12 percent of 1992–93 college graduates were enrolled full

time in further education, and 6 percent were enrolled part time (table III.1a).

College graduates who had majored in the arts and sciences (18 percent), especially

biology majors (27 percent), were more likely to be enrolled in further education full

time than those who had majored in professional fields (9 percent) (table III.1a).

Overall, 27 percent of 1992–93 college graduates had enrolled in any further education

since receiving their bachelor’s degree. Approximately 17 percent had enrolled in 38

graduate or professional programs; 1 percent had pursued a second bachelor’s degree; 3

percent had pursued an associate’s degree or vocational certificate/license; and about 6

percent had taken courses outside of a formal degree program (table III.1b).

Among 1992–93 college graduates who had enrolled in graduate or professional

programs, about two-thirds (71 percent) were pursuing a master’s degree; 15 percent

were in professional programs; 8 percent were in doctoral programs; and 5 percent were

working toward a postbaccalaureate certificate (primarily teaching) (table III.2).39

The distribution of 1992–93 college graduates pursuing graduate- or professional-level

education was 21 percent in education, 15 percent in business and management, and 6

percent to 10 percent in other fields (table III.3).

Among 1992–93 college graduates enrolled in graduate or professional programs,

women were about four times more likely than men to be in education programs, while

men were about three times more likely than women to be in fields related to

engineering, mathematics, or computer science (table III.3).
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Characteristics of Students Who Borrow to 40

Finance Their Education (Washington, DC: 1994).

82

Graduate School Application

About 29 percent of 1992–93 college graduates had applied to graduate or professional

school as of their interview date (between July and December 1994); among those who

applied, about 88 percent had been accepted into at least one school. Among college

graduates who did not apply, nearly three-quarters (73 percent) had considered applying

(table III.4).

Among those who reported applying to graduate or professional school, black, nonHispanic applicants were less likely to report being accepted (80 percent) than were

either Asian/Pacific Islander (92 percent) or white, non-Hispanic applicants (89 percent).

Hispanic and white, non-Hispanic applicants had the same rate of acceptance (89

percent) (table III.4).

Men were somewhat more likely than women to apply to graduate or professional school

(30 percent versus 27 percent). However, women and men had similar rates of graduate

school acceptance (88 percent of both men and women were accepted into at least one

school) (table III.4).

Among 1992–93 college graduates who had ever considered applying to graduate or

professional school but who did not apply, the reason they cited most often for not

applying was their desire to work or to obtain work experience before applying (33

percent). Approximately 10 percent of graduates reported that they had too large a debt

to apply, and an additional 14 percent reported that they could not afford to go to

graduate school (table III.5).

Undergraduate Debt

About one-half (49 percent) of 1992–93 college graduates had borrowed for their

undergraduate education, and among those who did, the average total amount borrowed

was about $10,000. One year after graduation, the average amount they still owed on the

debt was about $9,000 (table III.6). As a point of comparison, 4th- and 5th-year

undergraduates in the 1989–90 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:90)

reported a cumulative education debt of $7,500.40

Among all college graduates who had enrolled in graduate school since receiving their

bachelor’s degree, their total cumulative debt did not differ significantly by field of

graduate study: the total debt of those who had enrolled in graduate or professional

school was about $4,400. While it appears as though the debt of those enrolled in law

school (about $6,300) was greater than the debt of those enrolled in education ($4,900),

there is not sufficient evidence to support the conclusion that they are different (the

difference is not statistically significant) (table III.6).
83

Table III.1a—Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their

enrollment status in April 1994

Enrolled Enrolled

full part Not

time time enrolled

Total 12.0 5.8 82.2

Gender

Male 13.4 4.8 81.8

Female 10.8 6.7 82.5

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 8.8 5.6 85.6

Asian/Pacific Islander 14.1 6.1 79.8

Black, non-Hispanic 10.5 5.9 83.7

Hispanic 13.6 6.6 79.8

White, non-Hispanic 11.9 5.8 82.3

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 8.6 6.1 85.2

Business and management 5.0 4.7 90.3

Education 10.9 8.2 80.9

Engineering 14.6 6.6 78.8

Health professions 10.5 6.8 82.7

Public affairs/social services 8.7 5.4 85.9

Arts and sciences 17.5 5.9 76.5

Biological sciences 26.6 8.6 64.9

Mathematics and other sciences 20.5 4.5 75.1

Social science 14.4 4.9 80.7

History 18.2 5.3 76.6

Humanities 14.2 5.1 80.7

Psychology 18.4 9.9 71.7

Other 10.5 4.5 85.0

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 1.1 2.0 96.9

Postbaccalaureate certificate 5.3 0.8 93.9

Master's degree 7.4 6.0 86.5

First-professional degree 34.8 6.3 59.0

Doctoral degree 29.5 8.6 61.8

Other degree 11.9 8.7 79.4

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled ( ) ( ) 100.0 1 1

Enrolled 67.2 32.8 ( )

1

Full time 100.0 ( ) ( )

1 1

Part time ( ) 100.0 ( )

1 1

Employment status April 1994

Employed 6.9 6.0 87.1

Full time 2.8 5.3 91.8

Part time 28.0 9.3 62.6

Unemployed 23.7 3.4 72.9

Out of labor force 58.3 6.0 35.6
84

Table III.1a—Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their

enrollment status in April 1994—Continued

Enrolled Enrolled

full part Not

time time enrolled

Cumulative undergraduate GPA2

Less than 3.0 7.6 5.8 86.6

3.0–3.49 11.8 5.8 82.4

3.5 or higher 17.5 6.0 76.5

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 16.0 5.6 78.4

23–25 9.5 5.2 85.3

25–29 6.6 4.2 89.2

30–39 8.1 7.9 84.0

40 or older 8.7 10.6 80.6

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 13.3 6.3 80.4

Less than $1,000 9.3 4.4 86.3

$1,000–4,999 10.8 6.1 83.1

$5,000–9,999 10.7 6.0 83.2

$10,000–19,999 10.9 4.3 84.8

$20,000 or more 11.9 4.6 83.5

Time from postsecondary entry 

 to bachelor’s degree

4 years or less 17.7 5.4 76.9

More than 4, up to 5 years 9.6 5.5 85.0

More than 5, up to 6 years 8.3 4.9 86.8

More than 6 years 7.3 5.9 86.8

Time from high school graduation to bachelor's 

 degree

4 years or less 18.1 5.8 76.1

More than 4, up to 5 years 10.5 4.9 84.7

More than 5, up to 6 years 8.5 4.9 86.6

More than 6, up to 7 years 5.4 4.8 89.8

More than 7, up to 10 years 7.2 3.8 89.0

10 years or more 8.1 7.5 84.3

Parents’ educational attainment

Less than high school 8.5 5.5 86.0

High school or equivalency 8.7 5.2 86.1

Some postsecondary education 10.6 6.4 83.0

Bachelor’s degree 12.4 5.0 82.6

Advanced degree 17.6 6.8 75.7

Marital status April 1994

Never married 14.3 5.7 80.0

Married/cohabit as married 6.8 6.0 87.2

Divorced/separated/widowed 12.6 6.9 80.5

Number of children

No children 12.9 5.6 81.5

One child 6.9 6.0 87.1

Two or more children 6.8 8.7 84.5
85

Table III.1a—Percentage distribution of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to their

enrollment status in April 1994—Continued

Enrolled Enrolled

full part Not

time time enrolled

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 9.3 6.8 83.9

Doctorate-granting 12.9 5.7 81.4

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 10.6 5.5 83.9

Doctorate-granting 15.9 5.6 78.5

Other 10.6 3.8 85.6

Not applicable. 1

Self-reported. 2

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

NOTE: Details may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
86

Table III.1b—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients according to their postbaccalaureate

enrollment since receiving a bachelor's degree and the percentage ever enrolled

Highest degree program after bachelor's degree

Graduate/ Associate's/

professional Second cert./ Nondegree Ever

program bachelor's license program enrolled

Total 17.0 1.3 3.3 5.5 27.3

Gender

Male 18.0 1.3 2.9 5.0 27.3

Female 16.2 1.4 3.7 6.0 27.4

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 10.9 0.8 10.0 2.3 24.0

Asian/Pacific Islander 18.6 0.7 3.5 6.3 29.2

Black, non-Hispanic 16.1 0.6 3.5 4.0 24.4

Hispanic 17.0 1.7 5.4 5.3 29.4

White, non-Hispanic 17.1 1.4 3.1 5.6 27.3

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 14.2 1.2 2.9 5.2 23.5

Business and management 8.8 1.0 2.1 3.7 15.7

Education 19.9 1.6 4.8 7.5 33.9

Engineering 20.8 0.9 1.3 5.3 28.3

Health professions 14.7 1.7 2.3 5.1 23.9

Public affairs/social services 13.8 0.9 4.6 5.4 24.7

Arts and sciences 22.5 1.6 4.0 6.3 34.5

Biological sciences 32.6 1.8 4.1 11.5 50.0

Mathematics and other sciences 25.0 2.5 4.7 3.8 36.0

Social science 19.6 1.0 4.0 6.5 31.2

History 28.8 1.8 2.0 5.4 38.4

Humanities 17.5 1.1 3.4 5.5 27.5

Psychology 24.0 2.7 4.8 6.2 38.0

Other 14.0 1.1 3.5 4.9 23.6

Highest degree expected 

Bachelor's degree 0.5 1.3 2.6 4.1 8.5

Postbaccalaureate certificate 11.5 1.1 14.6 3.6 31.7

Master's degree 12.8 1.3 3.3 5.5 22.9

First-professional degree 41.7 1.5 2.5 6.5 52.3

Doctoral degree 38.6 1.6 3.7 6.5 50.5

Other degree 15.1 0.5 12.1 3.3 31.0

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 4.6 0.6 2.1 3.9 11.2 1

Enrolled 74.4 4.4 8.9 12.3 100.0

Full time 87.0 3.1 6.8 3.1 100.0

Part time 48.4 7.2 13.2 31.2 100.0

Employment status April 1994

Employed 12.8 1.2 3.0 5.7 22.8

Full time 8.9 1.0 2.7 5.7 18.4

Part time 32.9 2.2 5.0 5.7 46.0

Unemployed 24.1 2.6 5.2 4.1 36.0

Out of labor force 57.1 2.3 5.1 4.7 69.3

Cumulative undergraduate GPA2

Less than 3.0 10.7 1.8 3.5 5.8 21.9

3.0–3.49 16.7 1.3 3.7 5.6 27.4

3.5 or higher 25.0 1.0 2.4 5.3 33.9
87

Table III.1b—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients according to their postbaccalaureate

enrollment since receiving a bachelor's degree and the percentage ever enrolled—Continued

Highest degree program after bachelor's degree

Graduate/ Associate's/

professional Second cert./ Nondegree Ever

program bachelor's license program enrolled

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 21.2 1.1 2.5 5.9 30.9

23–24 12.8 1.7 3.6 5.3 23.5

25–29 11.6 1.7 4.1 4.3 21.7

30–39 14.8 1.1 4.1 5.4 25.5

40 or older 17.6 1.2 5.6 5.9 30.5

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 18.4 1.3 3.0 6.4 29.1

Less than $1,000 10.4 1.6 2.7 5.0 19.7

$1,000–4,999 16.8 1.8 3.4 5.9 27.9

$5,000–9,999 16.3 1.6 3.0 4.5 25.5

$10,000–19,999 14.4 1.5 3.8 4.7 24.4

$20,000 or more 17.3 0.4 3.5 2.5 23.8

Time from postsecondary entry to 

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 22.5 0.8 2.3 5.7 31.5

More than 4, up to 5 years 13.3 1.5 3.2 5.6 23.7

More than 5, up to 6 years 12.1 2.5 3.7 5.6 24.0

More than 6 years 12.8 1.4 4.2 5.1 23.5

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 23.4 0.8 2.3 6.0 32.6

More than 4, up to 5 years 14.0 1.4 3.2 5.5 24.1

More than 5, up to 6 years 12.4 2.5 3.3 5.5 23.8

More than 6, up to 7 years 10.3 1.1 2.7 5.4 19.5

More than 7, up to 10 years 9.5 2.4 3.9 4.0 19.9

10 years or more 15.4 1.1 4.8 5.1 26.3

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 12.2 1.4 4.2 5.3 23.2

High school or equivalency 13.4 1.6 3.4 4.6 23.0

Some postsecondary education 17.5 0.9 3.5 5.6 27.6

Bachelor's degree 16.0 1.5 2.7 5.6 25.8

Advanced degree 22.8 1.4 3.3 6.5 34.2

Marital status April 1994

Never married 19.0 1.3 3.1 5.9 29.3

Married/cohabit as married 12.7 1.3 3.2 4.9 22.2

Divorced/separated/widowed 17.6 2.7 6.4 4.8 31.4

Number of children

No children 17.7 1.4 3.2 5.7 28.1

One child 11.5 1.3 3.5 4.7 21.1

Two or more children 15.0 0.8 4.6 4.4 24.9
88

Table III.1b—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients according to their postbaccalaureate

enrollment since receiving a bachelor's degree and the percentage ever enrolled—Continued

Highest degree program after bachelor's degree

Graduate/ Associate's/

professional Second cert./ Nondegree Ever

program bachelor's license program enrolled

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 13.6 2.0 4.8 5.8 26.3

Doctorate-granting 18.0 1.5 2.8 5.9 28.3

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 15.0 0.8 3.2 5.1 24.3

Doctorate-granting 21.3 0.3 2.2 5.7 29.5

Other 21.7 1.7 4.2 1.8 29.4

Some respondents who were not enrolled in April 1994 may have been enrolled at some other time since receiving their 1

bachelor's degree.

Self-reported. 2

NOTE: Percentages may not add to total (i.e., “ever enrolled”) because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
89

Table III.2—Among the 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had enrolled in graduate/professional

school since receiving their bachelor's degree, the percentage distribution according to

highest degree program

Post- Firstbaccalaureate Master's Doctoral professional

certificate degree degree degree

Total 5.4 71.4 8.0 15.2

Gender

Male 4.5 65.7 9.8 20.1

Female 6.2 76.7 6.4 10.8

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native — — — —

Asian/Pacific Islander 5.5 61.4 7.3 25.8

Black, non-Hispanic 3.8 78.4 4.9 12.9

Hispanic 3.5 70.7 13.1 12.7

White, non-Hispanic 5.6 71.4 8.1 14.9

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 4.1 84.7 3.3 7.9

Business and management 0.9 88.5 0.3 10.2

Education 7.2 83.7 3.3 5.8

Engineering 0.9 86.2 7.8 5.2

Health professions 7.2 73.3 4.8 14.7

Public affairs/social services 1.7 97.0 0.0 1.3

Arts and sciences 4.9 60.4 14.0 20.8

Biological sciences 7.7 32.0 17.7 42.6

Mathematics and other sciences 1.9 54.3 32.8 11.0

Social science 3.8 62.8 7.4 26.1

History 6.2 72.9 4.3 16.6

Humanities 5.0 79.0 5.4 10.6

Psychology 6.5 70.3 12.7 10.4

Other 12.1 64.9 2.2 20.9

Highest degree expected1

Bachelor's degree — — — —

Postbaccalaureate certificate — — — —

Master's degree 7.3 89.7 1.4 1.5

First-professional degree 2.4 17.8 1.9 78.0

Doctoral degree 3.4 72.4 18.0 6.3

Other degree — — — —

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 11.9 75.3 4.5 8.4 2

Enrolled 3.5 70.2 9.1 17.2

Full time 2.9 64.9 11.4 20.8

Part time 5.9 89.8 0.2 4.0

Employment status April 1994

Employed 7.1 80.1 6.2 6.6

Full time 6.8 83.3 4.6 5.3

Part time 7.5 75.6 8.5 8.4

Unemployed 1.9 74.9 3.0 20.2

Out of labor force 2.2 50.7 13.6 33.6
90

Table III.2—Among the 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had enrolled in graduate/professional

school since receiving their bachelor's degree, the percentage distribution according to

highest degree program—Continued

Post- Firstbaccalaureate Master's Doctoral professional

certificate degree degree degree

Cumulative undergraduate GPA3

Less than 3.0 9.9 78.1 3.2 8.8

3.0–3.49 6.6 72.2 7.0 14.2

3.5 or higher 2.2 67.8 11.4 18.6

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 4.8 66.9 9.5 18.8

23–24 5.5 70.3 9.1 15.1

25–29 8.1 78.4 6.6 6.9

30–39 6.3 82.5 1.4 9.8

40 or older 6.1 88.9 2.9 2.0

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 4.9 69.8 8.5 16.8

Less than $1,000 — — — —

$1,000–4,999 8.0 70.0 8.1 13.9

$5,000–9,999 7.2 75.5 8.4 9.0

$10,000–19,999 3.2 73.9 6.5 16.4

$20,000 or more 2.9 78.0 6.8 12.3

Time from postsecondary entry to bachelor's 

 degree

4 years or less 3.8 63.6 11.1 21.6

More than 4, up to 5 years 6.3 74.3 6.1 13.4

More than 5, up to 6 years 6.7 73.6 10.7 9.0

More than 6 years 6.9 80.7 4.2 8.2

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 3.5 63.9 11.0 21.6

More than 4, up to 5 years 6.4 70.6 8.1 14.9

More than 5, up to 6 years 8.3 71.9 8.4 11.4

More than 6, up to 7 years 3.3 85.9 4.3 6.5

More than 7, up to 10 years 7.9 69.3 11.6 11.1

10 years or more 5.7 85.3 2.4 6.6

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 1.5 83.2 5.5 9.8

High school or equivalency 3.2 80.4 4.8 11.6

Some postsecondary education 6.5 78.0 5.5 10.0

Bachelor's degree 4.0 68.9 9.7 17.5

Advanced degree 6.6 63.0 11.1 19.3

Marital status April 1994

Never married 5.5 67.6 9.2 17.7

Married/cohabit as married 4.8 80.2 5.6 9.4

Divorced/separated/widowed 5.2 86.8 2.2 5.9

Number of children

No children 5.6 69.6 8.9 15.9

One child 3.2 81.9 1.5 13.5

Two or more children 3.7 85.3 2.9 8.1
91

Table III.2—Among the 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who had enrolled in graduate/professional

school since receiving their bachelor's degree, the percentage distribution according to 

highest degree program—Continued

Post- Firstbaccalaureate Master's Doctoral professional

certificate degree degree degree

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 6.3 81.1 4.7 7.9

Doctorate-granting 5.6 69.0 9.1 16.3

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 6.2 72.1 7.1 14.6

Doctorate-granting 3.1 63.4 11.3 22.2

Other 4.8 82.1 3.4 9.7

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

While it appears as though there are some inconsistencies between expectations and enrollment behavior, many can be explained 1

by timing issues. For example, the 72 percent of students with doctoral degree expectations who had enrolled in master's degree

programs may not have advanced to candidacy yet. The 1.4 and 1.5 percent with master's degree expectations who had enrolled

in doctoral or professional programs may have changed their minds since enrolling.

Respondent was not enrolled in April 1994 but had been enrolled at some other time since receiving a bachelor's degree. 2

Self-reported. 3

NOTE: Percentages may not add to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
91

Table III.3—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients enrolled in graduate/professional school since receiving their bachelor's degree, the 

percentage distribution according to graduate field of study

Engineering/ Business

Arts Social/ Life/ math/ and

and behavioral physical computer manage- Medicine/ Other

humanities sciences sciences science Education ment dentistry health Law Other

Total 9.3 9.3 6.9 9.5 20.7 14.5 5.9 9.1 8.4 6.3

Gender

Male 9.5 7.1 9.1 15.0 8.3 17.0 8.2 8.1 10.8 6.9

Female 9.0 11.3 4.9 4.5 32.0 12.2 3.8 10.1 6.3 5.8

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native — — — — — — — — — —

Asian/Pacific Islander 9.6 2.2 5.5 23.7 10.6 16.4 9.6 4.7 10.1 7.5

Black, non-Hispanic 7.5 7.7 6.3 9.9 24.4 24.5 5.1 5.0 7.0 2.7

Hispanic 5.9 14.4 7.0 12.8 22.1 6.7 7.1 6.4 7.8 9.8

White, non-Hispanic 9.6 9.4 7.0 8.4 20.8 14.3 5.7 9.9 8.5 6.4

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 5.9 7.1 1.9 15.2 26.0 20.3 3.2 11.6 4.4 4.5

Business and management 4.4 1.1 1.0 4.4 9.5 56.7 0.6 8.2 11.4 2.8

Education 11.4 7.4 1.8 0.9 61.6 5.2 0.6 3.0 2.8 5.2

Engineering 0.8 1.9 3.3 76.0 1.3 10.0 4.1 0.0 1.2 1.3

Health professions 4.3 3.0 2.7 1.5 7.5 1.7 14.0 57.1 0.0 8.2

Public affairs/social services 0.0 53.8 0.0 0.0 11.0 23.9 0.0 0.0 3.4 7.9

Arts and sciences 13.4 12.1 12.1 6.1 15.3 9.9 9.6 6.0 10.3 5.2

Biological sciences 0.4 3.0 26.4 0.9 4.2 7.3 37.8 17.2 0.9 1.9

Mathematics and other sciences 3.5 1.1 34.0 31.2 8.3 4.1 5.5 3.3 2.8 6.1

Social science 5.8 22.7 1.5 0.7 14.7 20.4 0.9 2.9 26.9 3.5

History 20.2 15.4 1.3 0.0 26.8 17.0 3.7 0.0 12.8 2.7

Humanities 45.3 6.1 1.6 0.7 16.9 6.6 2.0 5.5 8.0 7.3

Psychology 2.3 31.5 2.3 0.0 36.3 3.4 5.0 2.8 5.5 10.8

Other 5.6 6.4 5.2 1.5 22.1 11.0 1.9 12.3 16.5 17.5

Enrollment status April 1994

Enrolled full time 10.7 9.4 8.9 10.0 15.1 10.4 8.1 9.0 11.8 6.6

Enrolled part time 6.7 9.7 4.4 11.0 25.6 23.1 0.0 11.5 2.3 5.9

Employment status April 1994

Employed 9.7 9.6 5.7 8.7 24.6 19.3 2.0 9.8 4.1 6.4

Full time 7.1 9.2 4.6 8.6 27.3 23.2 1.8 9.4 3.3 5.5

Part time 13.4 10.1 7.3 8.7 20.9 13.9 2.3 10.4 5.2 7.8

Unemployed 12.9 5.5 5.0 9.1 24.6 11.3 1.0 4.4 17.8 8.4

Out of labor force 7.5 9.8 10.5 11.4 9.9 4.3 15.6 9.1 16.5 5.5
92

Table III.3—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients enrolled in graduate school since receiving their bachelor's degree, the percentage

distribution according to graduate field of study—Continued

Engineering/ Business

Arts Social/ Life/ math/ and

and behavioral physical computer manage- Medicine/ Other

humanities sciences sciences science Education ment dentistry health Law Other

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 9.4 5.7 6.4 9.7 27.5 15.3 1.8 11.3 5.6 7.3

3.0–3.49 8.8 9.0 7.1 8.3 21.5 14.7 5.0 9.4 8.5 7.7

3.5 or higher 9.8 11.5 6.9 10.6 16.5 14.4 8.6 7.9 9.4 4.4

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 8.6 9.1 7.1 9.2 19.9 13.1 7.6 9.2 11.3 4.8

23–24 10.6 7.4 8.9 13.4 17.8 13.0 6.0 8.4 5.5 9.1

25–29 8.6 9.1 6.2 9.4 21.1 19.6 2.1 9.8 3.4 10.6

30–39 8.4 11.0 4.3 9.2 26.0 18.9 2.3 7.5 7.6 4.9

40 or older 13.5 15.1 3.3 2.5 27.6 17.6 0.6 10.4 0.0 9.5

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 9.9 9.6 6.7 9.2 17.9 14.8 5.9 10.4 8.6 7.1

Less than $1,000 — — — — — — — — — —

$1,000–4,999 11.6 5.6 7.1 8.6 23.5 14.4 7.7 8.4 7.2 5.8

$5,000–9,999 6.1 7.8 7.5 9.6 26.0 16.0 5.2 11.7 4.3 5.8

$10,000–19,999 7.4 9.8 8.1 9.6 25.8 12.6 6.1 5.3 9.9 5.4

$20,000 or more 12.6 14.9 5.7 16.0 16.5 12.5 1.3 3.5 12.4 4.7

Time from postsecondary entry to 

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 9.0 8.9 7.8 8.8 18.2 10.9 8.5 9.7 13.3 4.9

More than 4, up to 5 years 9.4 9.8 7.1 11.8 19.1 18.9 5.6 8.3 5.1 4.9

More than 5, up to 6 years 10.4 9.5 9.4 5.8 21.7 13.1 3.3 12.1 2.5 12.2

More than 6 years 10.1 9.6 4.1 7.3 27.4 19.8 2.3 7.8 5.3 6.3

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 9.1 9.1 7.8 9.0 17.8 11.8 8.7 9.0 12.9 4.7

More than 4, up to 5 years 8.9 7.8 7.6 11.4 18.7 18.3 6.5 10.1 6.2 4.4

More than 5, up to 6 years 12.2 8.5 8.2 7.3 21.4 10.6 3.2 8.3 5.0 15.4

More than 6, up to 7 years 4.7 10.2 4.4 6.8 35.3 20.0 0.0 10.5 5.6 2.7

More than 7, up to 10 years 7.8 8.1 7.3 9.4 19.9 11.1 4.4 15.0 4.8 12.3

10 years or more 10.5 12.9 4.2 6.0 26.1 21.5 1.6 6.5 4.7 6.1
93

Table III.3—Among 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients enrolled in graduate school since receiving their bachelor's degree, the percentage

distribution according to graduate field of study—Continued

Engineering/ Business

Arts Social/ Life/ math/ and

and behavioral physical computer manage- Medicine/ Other

humanities sciences sciences science Education ment dentistry health Law Other

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 11.1 6.3 8.9 10.1 29.0 9.8 2.6 9.9 5.4 6.9

High school or equivalency 7.8 10.3 4.9 7.9 23.7 16.4 3.0 11.1 7.8 7.2

Some postsecondary education 10.6 12.4 5.7 5.5 20.6 20.9 4.7 9.1 5.4 5.2

Bachelor's degree 10.1 7.9 5.8 12.6 21.3 10.4 7.3 8.9 8.4 7.3

Advanced degree 9.4 8.0 9.6 11.1 16.6 13.6 7.6 8.5 10.6 5.0

Marital status April 1994

Never married 9.0 8.6 8.2 9.4 18.8 14.1 7.4 9.1 9.4 6.0

Married/cohabit as married 10.9 9.2 4.0 10.9 23.8 14.8 2.3 10.0 6.4 7.7

Divorced/separated/widowed 6.7 21.8 2.0 2.8 30.5 18.5 0.9 7.2 2.9 6.7

Number of children

No children 9.2 8.8 7.4 9.7 19.9 14.6 6.4 9.1 8.8 6.1

One child 14.7 10.2 3.7 9.5 26.1 10.3 3.7 6.2 7.9 7.6

Two or more children 6.1 13.9 3.6 7.6 27.8 16.8 1.6 11.4 5.0 8.3

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 7.8 10.5 5.1 4.8 34.5 17.3 4.3 6.2 3.2 6.5

Doctorate-granting 8.0 7.7 6.8 11.5 17.9 15.2 5.2 11.2 9.6 7.1

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 13.8 10.3 9.5 4.4 20.9 11.1 5.7 7.1 10.1 6.9

Doctorate-granting 11.8 12.3 5.8 14.1 12.6 11.4 9.8 7.6 11.1 3.6

Other 2.6 5.7 11.3 10.9 18.7 20.7 5.6 14.6 4.1 5.8

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Percentages may not add to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data

Analysis System. 
95

Table III.4—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who applied to graduate or professional

school, the percentage accepted among those who applied, and the percentage who

considered applying among those who did not apply

Considered

graduate/

Applied to professional

graduate/ education among

professional Accepted those who did

school if applied not apply

Total 28.7 88.0 73.0

Gender

Male 30.3 88.0 72.1

Female 27.4 88.0 73.8

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 28.6 — 88.9

Asian/Pacific Islander 40.2 91.7 70.0

Black, non-Hispanic 36.0 79.7 82.4

Hispanic 29.5 88.7 77.8

White, non-Hispanic 27.4 88.6 72.2

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 23.1 89.8 71.1

Business and management 16.0 84.0 70.1

Education 28.4 93.0 74.1

Engineering 31.6 96.8 66.8

Health professions 25.4 86.5 68.4

Public affairs/social services 28.4 89.6 81.1

Arts and sciences 38.6 86.8 77.3

Biological sciences 58.0 81.4 78.6

Mathematics and other sciences 37.4 90.5 70.8

Social science 34.8 86.7 80.3

History 47.1 92.2 84.5

Humanities 31.1 89.6 72.9

Psychology 41.6 82.9 88.9

Other 25.0 86.3 71.6

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 4.5 63.2 32.6

Postbaccalaureate certificate 15.6 — 50.8

Master's degree 22.2 87.0 83.3

First-professional degree 63.6 86.4 88.3

Doctoral degree 61.9 91.3 93.8

Other degree 27.8 87.9 67.0

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 17.7 80.7 72.7

Enrolled 79.7 95.1 80.2

Full time 89.7 97.6 79.2

Part time 59.2 87.2 80.7

Employment status April 1994

Employed 24.2 85.6 73.2

Full time 20.2 82.6 73.5

Part time 45.3 92.4 70.8

Unemployed 38.2 92.9 78.6

Out of labor force 70.6 95.2 66.9
96

Table III.4—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who applied to graduate or professional

school, the percentage accepted among those who applied, and the percentage who

considered applying among those who did not apply—Continued

Considered

graduate/

Applied to professional

graduate/ education among

professional Accepted those who did

school if applied not apply

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 20.0 82.6 71.6

3.0–3.49 29.9 87.8 73.3

3.5 or higher 37.3 91.3 75.2

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 34.3 87.6 73.2

23–25 22.9 89.6 72.0

25–29 21.5 84.2 71.2

30–39 27.9 88.8 77.3

40 or older 26.8 90.5 74.9

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 30.5 88.7 71.1

Less than $1,000 28.1 92.4 80.0

$1,000–4,999 27.8 86.7 76.4

$5,000–9,999 28.5 85.5 74.7

$10,000–19,999 25.0 88.0 74.9

$20,000 or more 29.0 90.4 74.0

Time from postsecondary entry 

 to bachelor's degree

4 years or less 36.8 88.2 72.9

More than 4, up to 5 years 24.5 85.2 73.7

More than 5, up to 6 years 21.1 90.1 73.0

More than 6 years 21.4 88.0 73.2

Time from high school graduation to 

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 38.0 87.9 72.9

More than 4, up to 5 years 25.0 87.0 73.5

More than 5, up to 6 years 22.3 88.0 72.3

More than 6, up to 7 years 20.2 88.8 71.7

More than 7, up to 10 years 15.8 79.6 69.1

10 years or more 25.0 88.9 75.8

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 23.6 85.5 71.0

High school or equivalency 22.7 88.0 72.4

Some postsecondary education 28.3 88.6 74.4

Bachelor's degree 28.0 89.8 70.0

Advanced degree 37.1 88.1 77.8

Marital status April 1994

Never married 31.8 87.3 74.1

Married/cohabit as married 22.0 89.8 70.5

Divorced/separated/widowed 29.4 88.9 76.8
97

Table III.4—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who applied to graduate or professional

school, the percentage accepted among those who applied, and the percentage who

considered applying among those who did not apply—Continued

Considered

graduate/

Applied to professional

graduate/ education among

professional Accepted those who did

school if applied not apply

Number of children

No children 29.6 87.7 73.0

One child 21.7 85.9 70.4

Two or more children 25.7 93.0 76.1

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 24.5 86.0 72.6

Doctorate-granting 28.7 88.6 72.8

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 27.1 86.0 76.9

Doctorate-granting 35.8 88.3 72.2

Other 36.0 98.6 61.3

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Self-reported.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
98

Table III.5—Among the 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who did not apply to graduate school but

had considered applying, the percentage distribution according to various reasons for not

applying

Debt/ Costs Personal Work Academic Other

aid too high reasons reasons reasons reasons

Total 10.0 13.8 21.1 33.3 4.9 16.9

Gender

Male 9.4 12.9 18.4 38.7 4.1 16.5

Female 10.5 14.5 23.3 29.1 5.5 17.1

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 2.5 19.1 28.6 24.0 0.8 24.9

Asian/Pacific Islander 6.1 14.0 15.7 41.0 6.5 16.7

Black, non-Hispanic 12.5 16.0 16.7 37.2 2.4 15.2

Hispanic 14.8 14.9 20.4 33.5 3.6 12.8

White, non-Hispanic 9.8 13.5 21.7 32.6 5.2 17.2

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 9.7 13.0 21.3 35.7 3.5 16.7

Business and management 8.7 14.6 23.5 36.8 2.7 13.7

Education 12.1 13.7 20.7 30.7 4.1 18.8

Engineering 7.9 11.6 16.5 42.9 2.2 18.9

Health professions 8.0 7.6 22.8 36.5 4.3 20.9

Public affairs/social services 14.1 12.7 12.7 33.6 7.8 19.0

Arts and sciences 10.0 13.6 22.1 29.5 7.4 17.4

Biological sciences 8.5 11.1 26.4 27.3 7.5 19.2

Mathematics and other sciences 9.3 10.3 26.5 33.6 3.9 16.5

Social science 9.5 16.2 17.6 33.1 6.6 17.0

History 3.6 10.2 21.0 27.2 15.0 22.9

Humanities 11.4 15.6 20.7 26.2 8.8 17.5

Psychology 12.4 9.9 29.1 25.4 7.0 16.1

Other 11.0 17.0 18.3 32.5 4.8 16.4

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 7.3 21.6 22.6 26.3 5.1 17.0

Postbaccalaureate certificate — — — — — —

Master's degree 9.9 12.5 21.5 35.2 4.3 16.5

First-professional degree 8.9 16.5 15.3 34.5 5.2 19.5

Doctoral degree 13.1 14.6 18.3 29.1 6.7 18.0

Other degree 3.3 16.9 22.6 17.5 16.5 23.3

Employment status April 1994

Employed 10.1 14.3 20.0 34.7 4.6 16.4

Full time 9.9 13.9 20.0 36.1 4.5 15.6

Part time 11.9 16.9 20.2 23.5 5.2 22.3

Unemployed 9.5 11.6 28.8 21.7 7.8 20.7

Out of labor force 7.5 3.5 40.2 11.1 9.3 28.5

Cumulative undergraduate GPA*

Less than 3.0 11.4 15.6 20.7 32.3 4.6 15.4

3.0–3.49 9.3 13.0 18.9 36.0 5.2 17.5

3.5 or higher 8.6 12.9 24.2 31.9 4.4 18.1

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 9.9 12.6 16.6 38.5 6.4 16.0

23–24 10.4 13.9 19.5 35.8 5.2 15.3

25–29 9.1 16.5 24.0 29.4 3.9 17.0

30–39 9.8 13.8 35.8 22.0 1.5 17.0

40 or older 11.1 16.0 27.2 16.3 0.9 28.5
99

Table III.5—Among the 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who did not apply to graduate school but

had considered applying, the percentage distribution according to various reasons for not

applying—Continued

Debt/ Costs Personal Work Academic Other

aid too high reasons reasons reasons reasons

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 4.3 12.3 22.8 37.4 5.9 17.4

Less than $1,000 7.2 18.3 20.6 35.7 1.1 17.2

$1,000–4,999 10.7 13.6 18.8 33.0 4.1 19.8

$5,000–9,999 13.4 17.4 20.5 27.9 4.4 16.4

$10,000–19,999 19.3 13.4 19.2 29.9 3.6 14.5

$20,000 or more 25.2 16.6 16.4 26.0 2.6 13.2

Time from postsecondary entry to 

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 8.8 12.3 16.8 38.6 6.9 16.7

More than 4, up to 5 years 11.4 14.5 18.4 35.1 5.4 15.2

More than 5, up to 6 years 10.6 12.8 20.4 35.6 5.4 15.2

More than 6 years 9.0 15.8 29.2 24.6 2.3 19.2

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 8.6 12.0 15.5 40.3 6.8 16.8

More than 4, up to 5 years 10.9 13.9 18.6 36.1 5.8 14.8

More than 5, up to 6 years 9.9 13.8 21.7 34.2 5.3 15.1

More than 6, up to 7 years 11.4 16.2 17.6 32.7 5.0 17.1

More than 7, up to 10 years 11.4 16.5 24.2 28.9 2.8 16.3

10 years or more 8.7 15.1 32.6 20.7 1.9 21.1

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 13.1 18.7 22.7 26.4 1.9 17.1

High school or equivalency 11.3 14.7 23.9 30.8 4.3 15.1

Some postsecondary education 9.7 15.0 19.6 33.6 3.8 18.4

Bachelor's degree 8.5 13.3 20.7 34.5 5.7 17.3

Advanced degree 8.9 10.8 20.0 36.5 6.1 17.7

Marital status April 1994

Never married 9.8 13.5 17.0 37.7 6.0 16.0

Married/cohabit as married 9.5 13.5 28.9 27.2 2.8 18.2

Divorced/separated/widowed 16.1 22.8 22.9 13.2 3.2 21.9

Number of children

No children 10.1 13.4 18.1 36.3 5.5 16.5

One child 9.6 16.4 37.8 14.7 2.0 19.5

Two or more children 9.4 14.9 34.8 21.4 1.5 17.9

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 9.0 15.8 21.5 31.6 3.7 18.4

Doctorate-granting 10.0 12.5 20.9 34.3 6.3 16.0

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 10.7 15.5 23.1 29.2 3.5 18.1

Doctorate-granting 10.3 10.6 18.1 40.2 5.7 15.1

Other 11.0 16.9 21.5 33.6 0.5 16.5

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

*Self-reported.

NOTE: Percentages may not add to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
100

Table III.6—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who borrowed for their undergraduate

education, the average amount borrowed, the average amount still owed, and the average

total debt among all degree recipients1

Total Total

Total undergraduate undergraduate

Percent undergraduate debt still debt among

who debt among owed among all B.A.

borrowed borrowers borrowers recipients 2

Total 49.3 $10,167 $9,068 $5,012 

Gender

Male 49.7 10,428 9,148 5,182 

Female 49.0 9,945 9,001 4,870 

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 66.2 11,204 10,151 7,421 

Asian/Pacific Islander 42.7 11,377 10,808 4,857 

Black, non-Hispanic 64.1 9,570 9,035 6,132 

Hispanic 60.7 7,966 6,988 4,832 

White, non-Hispanic 47.8 10,321 9,132 4,933 

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 50.5 10,546 9,341 5,331 

Business and management 46.0 10,251 8,686 4,721 

Education 54.0 9,959 9,049 5,373 

Engineering 55.6 10,672 9,527 5,937 

Health professions 52.7 12,820 11,620 6,751 

Public affairs/social services 52.6 9,246 8,804 4,861 

Arts and sciences 47.0 9,734 8,907 4,577 

Biological sciences 55.0 9,563 9,285 5,257 

Mathematics and other sciences 49.9 9,436 9,002 4,711 

Social science 43.5 9,734 8,939 4,237 

History 45.2 8,627 8,512 3,898 

Humanities 44.5 10,572 8,721 4,710 

Psychology 49.0 9,004 8,780 4,414 

Other 50.2 9,732 8,446 4,885 

Graduate field of study

All graduate/professional students 44.9 9,852 9,201 4,423 

Arts and humanities 39.8 9,690 8,664 3,857 

Social and behavioral sciences 42.6 11,714 11,508 4,989 

Life and physical sciences 45.5 9,709 10,018 4,417 

Engineering, math, computer science 52.5 10,462 8,547 5,491 

Education 52.0 9,443 9,086 4,913 

Business and management 46.8 8,855 8,134 4,145 

Medicine or dentistry 45.7 8,489 9,757 3,876 

Other health 41.5 8,553 7,626 3,546 

Law 44.3 14,145 11,043 6,265 

Other programs 41.5 8,356 7,668 3,467 

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 43.9 9,907 9,296 4,350 

Postbaccalaureate certificate 42.8 — — 3,716 

Master's degree 50.0 9,984 8,735 4,988 

First-professional degree 47.0 11,070 9,416 5,206 

Doctoral degree 52.8 10,615 9,696 5,608 

Other degree 44.7 11,971 11,120 5,351 
101

Table III.6—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who borrowed for their undergraduate

education, the average amount borrowed, the average amount still owed, and the average

total debt among all degree recipients—Continued 1

Total Total

Total undergraduate undergraduate

Percent undergraduate debt still debt among

who debt among owed among all B.A.

borrowed borrowers borrowers recipients 2

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 50.4 $10,184 $9,004 $5,132 

Enrolled 44.6 10,016 9,341 4,464 

Full time 44.4 10,366 10,107 4,598 

Part time 45.0 9,300 7,627 4,187 

Employment status April 1994

Employed 50.0 10,141 8,936 5,074 

Full time 49.7 10,118 8,702 5,029 

Part time 51.8 10,254 10,074 5,316 

Unemployed 52.2 9,727 9,646 5,074 

Out of labor force 40.4 10,223 10,262 4,131 

Cumulative undergraduate GPA3

Less than 3.0 51.3 10,407 8,826 5,337 

3.0–3.49 49.6 10,368 9,147 5,139 

3.5 or higher 46.5 9,620 9,098 4,478 

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 42.0 10,740 9,162 4,511 

23–24 51.7 9,769 8,475 5,046 

25–29 65.2 9,626 8,900 6,277 

30–39 61.5 9,442 9,404 5,805 

40 or older 44.3 10,391 11,602 4,600 

Time from postsecondary entry to 

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 41.4 11,064 9,633 4,584 

More than 4, up to 5 years 49.5 10,284 8,606 5,093 

More than 5, up to 6 years 51.6 9,733 8,427 5,018 

More than 6 years 59.4 9,270 9,144 5,508 

Time from high school graduation to

 bachelor's degree

4 years or less 40.8 11,184 9,790 4,562 

More than 4, up to 5 years 46.9 10,399 8,613 4,877 

More than 5, up to 6 years 51.5 9,572 7,789 4,935 

More than 6, up to 7 years 56.1 8,975 8,426 5,037 

More than 7, up to 10 years 67.9 9,627 8,460 6,533 

10 years or more 56.8 9,428 10,003 5,354 

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 56.5 8,061 7,794 4,553 

High school or equivalency 58.1 10,216 9,301 5,936 

Some postsecondary education 57.9 9,415 8,612 5,448 

Bachelor's degree 44.2 10,538 9,072 4,662 

Advanced degree 38.1 10,533 9,384 4,014 

Marital status April 1994

Never married 46.7 10,530 9,050 4,921 

Married/cohabit as married 52.3 9,474 8,634 4,955 

Divorced/separated/widowed 67.5 10,184 11,957 6,871 
102

Table III.6—Percentage of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients who borrowed for their undergraduate

education, the average amount borrowed, the average amount still owed, and the average

total debt among all degree recipients—Continued 1

Total Total

Total undergraduate undergraduate

Percent undergraduate debt still debt among

who debt among owed among all B.A.

borrowed borrowers borrowers recipients 2

Number of children

No children 47.3 $10,339 $8,993 $4,891 

One child 60.0 9,301 9,110 5,578 

Two or more children 59.7 9,583 9,662 5,722 

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 48.0 8,252 7,315 3,965 

Doctorate-granting 45.5 8,952 8,034 4,069 

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 

Nondoctorate-granting 57.5 11,876 10,646 6,833 

Doctorate-granting 49.5 14,147 12,423 7,008 

Other 61.5 10,261 8,753 6,308 

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

These figures represent the patterns of undergraduate debt before the reauthorization of the Higher Education Amendments of 1

1992 when the loan limit for Stafford loans was $2,625 per year for first- and second-year students and up to $4,000 per year for

third-year or higher students, with the total loan not to exceed $17,250.

This is the amount owed by those who still owed on their loan. It does not include those who paid off their loan, so it is possible 2

for this number to be higher than the total debt. See age 40 and older group, for example.

Self-reported. 3

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
103

Percentage Distributions of Row Variables
104

Table IV.1—Percentage distribution (in columns) of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to

selected characteristics, by gender and race–ethnicity

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonTotal Male Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 51.8 51.2 52.3 51.8 46.3 52.9 49.1 52.3

Business and management 22.0 26.1 18.6 24.7 20.8 27.1 18.8 21.8

Education 12.8 6.1 18.4 12.6 5.2 8.1 11.3 13.8

Engineering 6.3 11.9 1.6 3.2 12.6 4.2 5.3 6.1

Health professions 7.3 4.1 10.0 9.6 6.3 7.7 8.1 7.3

Public affairs/social services 3.4 3.0 3.7 1.8 1.5 5.8 5.6 3.2

Arts and sciences 34.4 35.8 33.3 29.7 42.5 33.8 38.2 33.7

Biological sciences 4.5 5.1 3.9 2.5 7.5 4.9 5.2 4.2

Mathematics and other sciences 5.7 7.6 4.2 3.8 12.2 6.3 5.1 5.4

Social science 9.5 10.3 8.9 10.2 10.3 10.6 9.6 9.4

History 1.8 2.4 1.3 0.9 1.4 0.7 0.5 2.0

Humanities 9.3 8.4 10.1 11.1 10.2 7.0 11.7 9.2

Psychology 3.6 2.1 4.9 1.1 0.9 4.3 6.1 3.6

Other 13.8 13.0 14.4 18.6 11.2 13.4 12.8 14.0

April 1994 occupation1

Business and management 20.1 22.8 17.9 22.5 24.9 17.6 17.2 20.2

School teacher 11.7 6.2 16.2 15.9 4.8 10.4 14.7 12.0

Engineering 4.4 8.3 1.2 4.6 6.7 2.2 4.0 4.4

Health professions 5.8 2.3 8.7 2.8 7.0 5.9 5.9 5.7

Other professions 15.5 15.3 15.7 17.1 11.3 12.1 14.5 15.9 2

Computer science, programming 3.9 5.6 2.5 0.0 8.4 3.6 4.6 3.7

Noncomputer technician 3.0 3.1 3.0 1.4 3.5 3.5 1.8 3.1

Administrative, clerical, support 17.9 13.0 21.9 18.3 19.7 29.5 21.8 16.7

Mechanic, operator, laborer 4.1 7.0 1.7 5.5 1.6 3.6 2.3 4.3

Sales 7.1 9.2 5.4 3.3 8.8 6.0 6.7 7.1

Service 4.2 3.5 4.8 7.0 2.8 2.1 3.5 4.5

Military, protective 

 services 2.3 3.9 1.1 1.5 0.4 3.7 3.1 2.3

Highest degree expected

Bachelor's degree 16.0 17.8 14.5 18.3 10.3 6.7 13.0 17.2

Postbaccalaureate certificate 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.0 1.1 0.1 0.6 0.6

Master's degree 58.7 55.5 61.4 48.9 53.2 54.6 58.0 59.6

First-professional degree 6.3 7.4 5.3 1.5 12.4 10.0 6.5 5.7

Doctoral degree 17.4 18.0 16.9 27.2 21.8 28.0 20.3 16.0

Other degree 1.0 0.9 1.1 4.1 1.2 0.7 1.6 1.0

Enrollment status April 1994

Not enrolled 82.2 81.8 82.5 85.6 79.8 83.7 79.9 82.3

Enrolled 17.8 18.2 17.5 14.4 20.3 16.3 20.2 17.7

Full time 12.0 13.4 10.8 8.8 14.1 10.5 13.6 11.9

Part time 5.8 4.8 6.7 5.6 6.1 5.9 6.6 5.8
105

Table IV.1—Percentage distribution (in columns) of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to

selected characteristics, by gender and race–ethnicity—Continued

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonTotal Male Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Employment status April 1994

Employed 87.0 86.5 87.4 87.1 80.1 85.1 83.3 87.8

Full time 73.1 74.9 71.6 73.6 66.0 71.0 67.4 74.0

Part time 13.9 11.6 15.8 13.4 14.1 14.1 15.9 13.8

Unemployed 4.5 4.8 4.3 4.3 6.6 7.6 7.6 4.0

Out of labor force 8.5 8.8 8.3 8.7 13.4 7.3 9.2 8.2

Employment/enrollment status 

 April 1994

Enrolled and employed 10.2 10.5 11.8 12.6 9.7 11.7 13.8 11.1

Enrolled and not employed 6.7 7.8 5.8 2.2 10.9 5.1 6.1 6.6

Employed and not enrolled 75.8 76.1 75.6 74.3 70.4 73.4 69.8 10.4

Neither employed nor enrolled 6.3 6.7 6.9 10.9 9.1 9.9 10.4 5.6

Cumulative undergraduate GPA3

Less than 3.0 29.9 36.2 24.6 26.0 28.7 54.8 37.2 27.8

3.0–3.49 42.1 42.2 42.0 44.2 49.6 34.1 41.2 42.3

3.5 or higher 28.0 21.6 33.4 29.8 21.8 11.1 21.6 30.0

Time between high school graduation

 and postsecondary education

Less than one year 89.6 89.3 89.8 77.0 89.0 87.6 84.3 90.2

One year or more 10.4 10.7 10.2 23.0 11.0 12.4 15.7 9.8

Age at postsecondary entry

22 or younger 91.5 91.2 91.8 78.6 88.8 88.5 84.9 92.4

23–24 5.2 6.6 4.0 10.6 10.2 6.7 9.6 4.5

25–29 1.5 1.3 1.6 7.3 0.9 1.1 2.3 1.5

30 or older 1.7 0.9 2.5 3.5 0.2 3.7 3.1 1.6

Age received bachelor's degree

22 or younger 47.0 41.9 51.3 27.5 44.0 44.0 33.2 48.4

23–24 24.7 29.8 20.4 12.9 35.4 22.2 27.9 24.1

25–29 12.4 15.1 10.1 18.0 10.6 12.9 19.9 11.9

30–39 10.0 9.0 10.7 24.3 8.2 13.3 13.2 9.6

40 or older 6.0 4.2 7.5 17.4 1.9 7.6 5.7 6.0

Time from postsecondary entry to 

 bachelor's degree4

4 years or less 35.5 30.7 39.4 27.4 35.6 24.9 23.3 36.9

More than 4, up to 5 years 27.9 30.3 25.9 22.1 34.5 27.7 28.7 27.5

More than 5, up to 6 years 11.0 13.4 9.1 7.5 12.9 15.2 13.1 10.5

More than 6 years 25.6 25.6 25.7 43.0 17.1 32.2 35.0 25.0

Time from high school graduation to 

 bachelor's degree4

4 years or less 31.1 26.5 34.8 23.7 31.8 21.1 19.4 32.4

More than 4, up to 5 years 27.6 29.3 26.2 17.0 31.8 27.9 25.6 27.6

More than 5, up to 6 years 11.2 13.5 9.3 4.2 15.6 13.9 14.0 10.6

More than 6, up to 7 years 5.3 6.6 4.2 2.4 5.6 6.9 7.0 5.0

More than 7, up to 10 years 7.4 8.8 6.3 10.8 5.2 7.8 14.9 7.1

10 years or more 17.4 15.2 19.2 42.0 10.1 22.3 19.1 17.2
106

Table IV.1—Percentage distribution (in columns) of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to

selected characteristics, by gender and race–ethnicity—Continued

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonTotal Male Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 50.7 50.3 51.0 33.8 57.3 35.9 39.3 52.2

Less than $1,000 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.5 3.4 3.3 1.1

$1,000–4,999 12.8 12.6 12.9 18.4 9.8 18.2 21.9 12.0

$5,000–9,999 14.0 14.4 13.7 14.7 14.6 14.4 16.0 13.8

$10,000–19,999 15.5 15.5 15.4 18.3 11.4 21.4 14.5 15.3

$20,000 or more 5.7 5.8 5.6 13.5 5.5 6.8 5.0 5.6

Parents' educational attainment

Less than high school 4.5 3.8 5.1 17.9 5.0 11.8 22.9 2.8

High school or equivalency 26.9 25.5 28.0 32.5 22.4 31.2 25.5 26.9

Some postsecondary education 19.2 18.7 19.7 21.0 19.9 20.9 18.7 19.2

Bachelor's degree 23.7 24.7 22.9 14.5 25.5 16.5 17.3 24.5

Advanced degree 25.7 27.2 24.4 14.2 27.1 19.7 15.6 26.7

Marital status April 1994

Never married 66.2 71.0 62.2 40.8 84.0 71.7 62.8 65.1

Married/cohabit as married 29.8 26.9 32.2 37.7 15.7 21.0 32.6 31.1

Divorced/separated/widowed 4.0 2.1 5.6 21.6 0.3 7.3 4.7 3.8

Number of children

No children 84.3 86.9 82.1 68.9 91.8 75.0 76.7 85.0

One child 7.7 6.2 9.0 16.0 4.0 13.7 10.3 7.3

Two or more children 8.0 7.0 8.9 15.1 4.2 11.3 13.0 7.7

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 23.1 21.0 25.0 42.8 15.3 22.6 26.9 23.3

Doctorate-granting 42.0 45.2 39.4 39.0 47.5 36.7 39.3 42.3

Private, not-for-profit 4-year

Nondoctorate-granting 17.9 16.1 19.4 10.0 8.1 25.5 15.6 18.2

Doctorate-granting 13.4 14.0 12.9 2.1 17.4 12.1 15.0 13.1

Other 3.5 3.6 3.3 6.1 11.8 3.1 3.2 3.0

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 54.4 56.3 52.7 54.3 59.1 56.2 53.5 54.1

2-year 16.3 15.4 17.0 30.0 15.4 11.1 17.9 16.5

Less-than-2-year 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 27.5 26.8 28.1 14.8 24.4 30.9 27.0 27.5

Less-than-4-year 0.8 0.6 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.9

Private, for-profit 1.0 0.8 1.1 0.0 1.0 1.8 1.3 0.9

Number of institutions attended

One 46.3 47.6 45.1 26.8 53.5 52.0 47.5 45.5

Two or more 53.8 52.4 54.9 73.2 46.5 48.0 52.5 54.5
107

Table IV.1—Percentage distribution (in columns) of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to

selected characteristics, by gender and race–ethnicity—Continued

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonTotal Male Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Began postsecondary education

 at sample institution

Began elsewhere 38.2 38.1 38.2 63.1 30.3 31.7 38.4 39.0

Began at sample institution 61.8 61.9 61.8 36.9 69.7 68.3 61.6 61.0

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 15.8 14.2 17.2 13.1 8.7 32.5 20.1 14.9

Middle 50% 35.0 38.2 32.4 21.2 29.0 20.7 25.0 37.3

Top 25% 16.9 21.0 13.4 19.2 21.3 4.8 9.1 18.0

No exam taken or no 32.3 26.5 37.0 46.5 41.0 42.0 45.8 29.8

 score reported

Transfer of credit

Began at sample institution or 

 did not transfer credits 65.6 66.1 65.2 39.4 73.9 71.0 65.6 64.9

Began elsewhere and transferred 

 credits

Transferred less than 10% of

 credits 2.2 2.2 2.3 10.6 2.3 1.5 1.3 2.3

Transferred 10–25% of credits 6.2 7.0 5.5 8.0 10.1 5.7 4.7 6.1

Transferred 26–50% of credits 15.5 15.0 15.9 24.3 8.1 13.1 13.9 16.1

Transferred more than 50% of

 credits 10.5 9.7 11.1 17.6 5.7 8.8 14.5 10.6

Total months stopped out between

 institutions

No between-institution stopout 75.4 75.8 75.1 63.0 86.4 76.7 76.5 74.6 5

Less than 6 months 8.0 7.9 8.1 7.8 3.5 4.7 7.1 8.6

6–11 months 2.9 2.8 3.0 1.3 1.8 3.1 2.7 3.0

12–23 months 3.8 4.1 3.6 6.3 3.2 4.4 2.5 3.9

24–35 months 1.8 2.3 1.4 0.0 0.8 2.9 2.1 1.8

36 months or more 8.1 7.2 8.8 21.7 4.3 8.2 9.1 8.1

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 9.9 8.4 11.1 26.4 12.8 18.0 13.3 8.8

No 90.1 91.6 88.9 73.6 87.2 81.9 86.7 91.2

Overall grades at NPSAS institution

Mostly A's 13.1 9.6 16.0 15.8 8.6 4.2 6.9 14.4

A's and B's 29.9 26.0 33.2 25.0 31.0 13.5 26.6 31.3

Mostly B's 41.0 44.3 38.2 44.2 42.3 50.5 45.0 39.9

B's and C's 13.7 17.1 10.8 11.9 17.1 29.2 18.4 12.1

Mostly C's 1.9 2.7 1.3 1.5 1.0 2.0 2.8 1.9

C's and D's or below 0.4 0.3 0.5 1.5 0.0 0.5 0.3 0.4
108

Table IV.1—Percentage distribution (in columns) of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients according to

selected characteristics, by gender and race–ethnicity—Continued

Gender Race–ethnicity

American

Indian/ Asian/ Black, White,

Alaskan Pacific non- nonTotal Male Female Native Islander Hispanic Hispanic Hispanic

Overall grades in undergraduate

 major

Mostly A's 23.4 18.3 27.6 25.9 16.1 9.0 16.5 25.3

A's and B's 28.0 26.7 29.0 22.0 25.6 16.8 23.3 29.2

Mostly B's 40.0 44.5 36.2 40.4 47.9 54.6 48.9 37.8

B's and C's 7.1 8.9 5.6 8.7 9.4 16.1 9.7 6.1

Mostly C's 1.2 1.4 1.0 1.5 0.9 3.1 1.3 1.1

C's and D's or below 0.4 0.3 0.5 1.5 — 1.1 0.3 0.5

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

Limited to those who were employed in April 1994. 1

All other professional occupations excluding business, teaching, engineering, and health. See appendix A for more detail. 2

Self-reported. 3

Limited to first-time bachelor's degree recipients. 4

Includes all students who attended only one institution, as well as those who attended more than one institution but had no gaps 5

of 4 months or longer between institutions.

NOTE: Cells contain column percentages. Details may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.
109

Appendix A

Glossary

This glossary describes the variables used in this report. The variables were taken directly from the NCES

B&B:93/94 Data Analysis System (DAS), an NCES software application that generates tables from the

B&B data. A description of the DAS software can be found in appendix B. The labels in parentheses

correspond to the names of the variables in the DAS.

The glossary is organized into five sections: time to bachelor's degree, undergraduate education,

employment, postbaccalaureate enrollment, and student characteristics. The following is a list of variables

that appear in this report and the glossary page where they can be found.

Time to Bachelor's Degree

Time between high school graduation

and postsecondary education ... 109

Time from postsecondary entry to

bachelor's degree ............ 109

Time from high school graduation 

to bachelor's degree .......... 109

Undergraduate Education

Attainment prior to bachelor's

degree ..................... 109

Baccalaureate degree major ....... 109

Began postsecondary education at 

sample institution ............ 111

Cumulative undergraduate GPA ... 111

Degree-granting institution ....... 111

Ever taken remedial instruction .... 111

First postsecondary institution ..... 111

GPA in undergraduate major ..... 112

Number of institutions attended ... 112

Overall grades at NPSAS 

institution .................. 112

Overall grades in undergraduate

major ..................... 113

Total months stopped out between 

institutions ................. 113

Total undergraduate debt ......... 113

Total undergraduate debt 

still owed .................. 113

Transfer of credit ............... 113

Employment

Annual salary at April job ........ 114

April job required a bachelor's

degree ..................... 114

April 1994 occupation ........... 114

Degree of career potential

at April job ................. 116

Employment status April 1994 .... 116

Employment/enrollment status 

April 1994 ................. 117

Experienced any unemployment ... 117

Number of consecutive months

unemployed ................ 117

Number of jobs in April 1994 ..... 117

Relationship between April job

and degree ................. 117

Unemployment rate ............. 117

Postbaccalaureate Enrollment

Considered attending graduate

school ..................... 117

Enrollment status April 1994 ..... 118

Graduate field of study .......... 118

Highest degree expected ......... 119

Highest degree program after

bachelor's degree ............ 120

Number of schools accepted ...... 120

Primary reason for not applying 

to graduate school ........... 120

Respondent applied to graduate

school ..................... 121

Taken courses since graduation .... 121

Student Characteristics

Age at postsecondary entry ....... 121

Age received bachelor's degree .... 121

Entrance examination score 

quartile .................... 121

Gender ....................... 121

Marital status April 1994 ........ 121

Number of children ............. 122

Parents' educational attainment .... 122

Race–ethnicity ................. 122
110

Time to Bachelor's Degree

Time between high school graduation and postsecondary education (HSTOPSE)

Represents the number of months between the date of high school graduation and the date respondent

began postsecondary education. If a respondent was missing either date, HSTOPSE was set to missing.

HSTOPSE was calculated for only those students receiving their first bachelor's degree in 1992–93. That

is, if they held a previous bachelor's degree or higher degree they were not included.

Time from postsecondary entry to bachelor's degree (BATIME2)

Represents the number of months between the date the respondent began postsecondary education and the

date of bachelor's degree receipt. If a respondent was missing either date, BATIME2 was set to missing. In

a few cases, the value for BATIME2 was less than 30 months; these cases were excluded. BATIME2 was

calculated for only those students receiving their first bachelor's degree in 1992–93.

Time from high school graduation to bachelor's degree (BATIME1)

Represents the number of months between the date of high school graduation and the date the respondent

received the bachelor's degree. If a respondent was missing either date, BATIME1 was set to missing. In a

few cases the value for BATIME1 was less than 30 months; these cases were excluded. BATIME1 was

calculated for only those students receiving their first bachelor's degree in 1992–93.

Undergraduate Education

Attainment prior to bachelor's degree (HIOTHDEG)

Highest degree held by respondent before completing the B&B bachelor's degree

None

Certificate

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree or higher

Baccalaureate degree major (BAMAJOR)

A respondent's undergraduate major field of study was coded during the interview with an on-line program

developed by NCES. In this report major fields were collapsed into categories equivalent to the Recent

College Graduate Surveys for comparison purposes (numbers in parentheses are codes from the on-line

program). If respondents reported more than one major, this variable represents the first one mentioned.

Business and management

Accounting (10)

Business fields (11–16) 

Includes finance, business/management systems, business/management administration, business

support, and marketing/distribution.
111

Education

Includes early childhood (25), elementary (26), secondary (27), special (28), physical education

(29), and all others (30).

Engineering

Includes electrical (31), chemical (32), civil (33), mechanical (34), engineering technology (36), and

all others (35).

Health professions

Allied Health (40–41)

Includes dental/medical technician, community/mental health, nurse assisting, and all others.

Health/Physical Education/Recreation (42)

Health (45–54)

Includes audiology, clinical health science, dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing,

health/hospital administration, public health, dietetics, and all others.

Public affairs/social services

Protective services (89)

Social work (90)

Public administration (not social work) (91)

Biological sciences

Includes zoology (66), botany (67), biochemistry (68), biophysics (69), and all others (70).

Mathematics and other sciences

Mathematics (71–72)

Includes statistics and other mathematics (not statistics).

Computer sciences (20-22)

Includes computer programming, data processing technology, and computer and information

sciences.

Physical sciences (84-87)

Includes chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and all others (not chemistry/physics/earth science)

Social science

Anthropology/archaeology (92)

Economics (93)

Geography (94)

Sociology (96)

Political science (97)

International relations (98)

History (95)

Humanities

Foreign languages (37–39)

Includes non-European and European/general.

Letters (61–63)

Includes English/American literature, creative/technical writing, and all others.

Philosophy/theology (81–83)

Design (108)

Speech/drama (109)
112

Film arts (110)

Music (111)

Art history/fine arts (112)

Fine and performing arts (all others) (113)

Psychology (88)

Other (all others)

Began postsecondary education at sample institution (FNCNPS)

Indicates whether a student began postsecondary education at the degree-granting institution.

Began at sample institution

Began elsewhere

Cumulative undergraduate GPA (GPACUM)

Cumulative grade point average as reported by respondent. If respondent indicated a grading scale other

than a 4-point scale, grades were converted to a 4-point scale.

Degree-granting institution (SECTOR_B)

Identifies the type of institution that awarded the bachelor's degree.

Public institution

4-year, nondoctorate-granting (institution that grants up to master's degrees)

4-year, doctorate-granting

Private, not-for-profit (independent) institution

4-year, nondoctorate-granting (institution that grants up to master's degrees)

4-year, doctorate-granting

Other 

Private, for-profit institutions and institutions whose type could not be determined (a small number

of 1992–93 bachelor's degree recipients were sampled at an institution other than the one where they

received the degree).

These categories may be combined in some tables.

Ever taken remedial instruction (REMEVER)

Based on students' responses (yes/no) to the base year survey question, “Since you started your

postsecondary education, have you ever taken any remedial or developmental instruction to improve your

reading, writing, math, or study skills?”

First postsecondary institution (FSCTYPE)

Identifies the type of postsecondary institution first attended after high school.

Public institutions

A publicly controlled institution operated by publicly elected or appointed officials who control the

institution's programs and activities.

Less-than-2-year (primarily vocational/technical institutions that offer programs lasting from 3

months to less than 2 years)

2-year (primarily community colleges, programs at least 2 years in length awarding certificates and

associates' degrees but not bachelor's degrees)
113

4-year (institutions that grant bachelor's degrees, including doctorate- and nondoctorate-granting

institutions) 

Private, not-for-profit (independent) institutions

An institution controlled by an independent governing board and incorporated under section 501(C)(3)

of the Internal Revenue Code.

Less-than-4-year

4-year

Private, for-profit institutions

An institution that is neither public nor incorporated as not-for-profit.

GPA in undergraduate major (GPAMAJ)

Self-reported grade point average in courses required for the major. If a respondent indicated a grading

scale other than a 4-point scale, grades were converted to a 4-point scale.

Number of institutions attended (NUMINST)

Total number of postsecondary institutions attended prior to completing the B&B bachelor's degree.

One

Two or more

Overall grades at NPSAS institution (GRADECUM)

Combines student-reported grade point average (GRADECUM) with categorical responses to the survey

item asked only of students who were unable to supply an exact GPA (CUMGRADES). Exact GPAs were

mapped as follows:

GRADECUM GPACUM

Mostly A's 3.74 or higher

A's and B's 3.25–3.74

Mostly B's 2.75–3.24

B's and C's 2.25–2.74

Mostly C's 1.75–2.24

C's and D's 1.25–1.74

Mostly D's or below 1.25 or below
114

Overall grades in undergraduate major (GRADEMAJ)

Combines student-reported grade point average in the major (GPAMAJ) with categorical responses to the

survey item asked only of students who were unable to supply an exact GPA (GRDSMAJ). Exact GPAs

were mapped as follows:

GRADEMAJ GPAMAJ

Mostly A's 3.74 or higher

A's and B's 3.25–3.74

Mostly B's 2.75–3.24

B's and C's 2.25–2.74

Mostly C's 1.75–2.24

C's and D's 1.25–1.74

Mostly D's or below 1.25 or below

Total months stopped out between institutions (STOPTOT)

Examining start and end dates for all postsecondary institutions attended prior to bachelor's degree receipt,

nonenrolled spells between institutions of at least 4 months' duration were identified. The total duration of

all such nonenrolled spells of 4 months or more was then calculated. Note that interruptions in enrollment

followed by a return to the original institution could not be identified. For tables examining time from

postsecondary entry to degree completion, students with 6 or more months of between-institution stopout

were excluded to reduce the confounding effect of extended nonenrollment.

None (includes all students who attended 1 institution)

Less than 6 months

6–11 months 

12–23 months 

24–35 months 

36 months or more 

Total undergraduate debt (TOTDEBT)

Respondents were asked to confirm the total debt reported in the 1992-93 NPSAS survey. If they had not

provided the information, they were asked to provide it in this survey. Sources include federal, state, and

institutional loans, as well as loans from family, friends, relatives, banks, savings and loans, and credit

unions, and loans that have been repaid.

Total undergraduate debt still owed (UNDGROWE)

Amount of undergraduate debt still owed as of interview date.

Transfer of credit (CREDTRAN)

For students who began postsecondary education at an institution other than the sample institution, this

variable identifies the proportion of total credits that were earned elsewhere. Note that transferred credits

may include credits earned after enrolling at the sample institution.
115

Began at sample institution or did not transfer credits 

Began elsewhere and transferred credits

Transferred less than 10% of credits

Transferred up to 10–25% of credits 

Transferred up to 26–50% of credits 

Transferred more than 50% of credits

Employment

Annual salary at April job (APRANSAL)

This variable was constructed by annualizing the wages/salary reported by respondents for their April 1994

job. If respondent worked more than one job, the wages for all jobs were summed. Thus, APRANSAL was

computed by rounding the sum of the wages reported per pay period by the number of pay periods in a

year. Tables reporting salaries were restricted to respondents employed full time in April 1994. In addition,

graduates reporting salaries of less than $1,000 or more than $500,000 were removed from the analysis.

April job required a bachelor's degree (AJOBDEGR)

Respondents were asked whether or not a bachelor's degree was required to obtain their April job (yes/no).

April 1994 occupation (AJOBOCC)

Occupation code for respondents' primary (i.e., most hours) April job. The occupation was coded during

the interview with an on-line coding program developed by NCES. This report aggregated the coded

occupations as follows (the numbers in parentheses are the codes from the on-line coding program):

Business and management

Manager/administrator, sales/purchasing (8)

Includes sales managers, buyers, advertising agents, insurance brokers, and underwriters.

Manager/administrator, government (9)

Includes local, state, and federal government managers, supervisors, administrators, treasurers,

assessors, controllers, inspectors, and school administrators and principals.

Manager/administrator, retail/hospitality (10)

Stores, hotels, restaurants, bars, or other retail establishments.

Manager/administrator, manufacturing/construction (11)

Quality control and line supervisors.

Manager/administrator, other (12)

Proprietor/owner, retail/hospitality (21)

Proprietor/owner, manufacturing/construction (22)

Proprietor/owner, other (23)

School teacher

Elementary/secondary school teacher (26)

Includes substitute and pre-school teachers.

Engineering

All professional engineers (17)

Includes mechanical, electrical, agricultural aeronautical, chemical, mining, materials, and

petroleum.
116

Health professions

Nonphysician (16)

Includes registered nurses, therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, and clinical psychologists.

Physician (17)

Includes physicians, dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, chiropractors, and podiatrists.

Other professions

Professions other than business, education, engineering, health, and computer science

Arts and entertainment occupations (15)

Includes actors, artists, writers, athletes, dancers, designers, editors, reporters, musicians, composers,

photographers, public relations, radio/television announcers, and other entertainers.

Legal professions (lawyer, judge) (19)

All other professions (20)

Includes clergies, social workers, professors, scientists, architects, librarians, and accountants.

Computer science, programming (28)

Includes computer technicians, systems analysts/specialists, and computer engineering assistants.

Noncomputer technician (29)

Includes drafters, medical/dental technicians, hygienists, pilots, radiology technicians, clinical lab

technicians, and engineering assistants.

Administrative, clerical, support

Secretarial (01)

Includes typists, receptionists, computer/machine operators, payroll/time-keepers, shipping/receiving

clerks, and stenographers.

Financial clerical (02)

Includes bookkeepers, bank tellers, billing clerks, cashiers, bill collectors, real estate appraisers, and

insurance adjusters.

Other clerical (03)

Includes ticket/travel agents, mail carriers/handlers, postal clerks, messengers, meter readers,

enumerators, interviewers, dispatchers, library assistants, teacher aides, and stock clerks.

Mechanic, operator, laborer

Crafts, precision production/repair (04)

Includes bakers, mechanics, painters, carpenters, jewelers, machinists, repairers, excavators, 

inspectors, electricians, millers, sign painters, tailors, telephone lineworkers, upholsterers, opticians,

plasterers, paper hangers, and plumbers.

Agriculture, fishing (05)

Includes farmers, horticulturists, gardeners/groundskeepers, trappers, foremen, and fish farmers.

Laborer (07)

Includes apprentices, construction workers, sanitation workers, longshoremen, stevedores, teamsters,

vehicle washers, miscellaneous laborers, freight/material handlers, and carpenter's helpers.

Skilled operative, machinery/equipment (14) 

Includes assemblers, drivers, machine operators, cutters, graders, meat cutters, sailors, fire fighters,

welders, textile carders/loopers/knitters, stitchers/sewers, riveters, punchers, mine operatives, and

bottlers.

Sales (25)

Includes all sales positions, advertisers, auctioneers, insurance agents, real estate agents, and

brokers.
117

Service (27)

Includes domestics, barbers, janitors, waiters/waitresses, attendants, nursing aides, baggage porters,

bellhops, orderlies, house-keepers, hairdressers, paper carriers, child care workers, launderers,

bootblacks, and lifeguards.

Other

Military personnel (13)

Protective services (24)

Degree of career potential at April job (AJOBPOTN)

Indication of the degree of career potential respondents reported for their primary (i.e., most hours) April

job.

Definite career potential

Possible career potential

Not much career potential

Employment status April 1994 (EMPLOY22)

Respondents were asked to provide information for all their jobs since graduating from college, including

the beginning and ending dates. Based on these dates, monthly indicators were constructed characterizing

the employment status of each respondent. Respondents were asked to provide additional information for

their April job. A job was considered full-time if respondent reported working 35 or more hours. For

respondents with more than one job, the status variable characterizes the job they reported as their primary

employment, i.e., the job they worked the most hours. Thus if they were employed in a full time job and a

part-time job, they were coded as full time. If they worked 2 or more part-time jobs, they were coded as

part time even if their hours totaled 35 or more per week.

Full time

Part time

Unemployed

Out of the labor force

Note: Unemployment implies that the respondent reported looking for work. This differs from being out of

the labor force, which implies the respondent was not available for work and not looking for work. Most

respondents who were out of the labor force were enrolled in further schooling.
118

Employment/enrollment status April 1994 (ENREMP22)

Indicates the respondent's enrollment and employment status in April 1994.

Enrolled and employed

Enrolled not employed

Employed not enrolled

Neither employed nor enrolled

Experienced any unemployment (UNEMPLSP)

Variable identifies respondents with any unemployment spells since graduation. A spell was defined as one

or more contiguous months of unemployment since college graduation. The variable was created using the

monthly employment indicators. If respondent was unemployed during the month, an unemployment spell

was constructed. Note, this does not include those who were not in the labor force. The maximum number

of spells detected was four.

Number of consecutive months unemployed (UNEMPPRD)

Indicates the longest period of continuous unemployment (in months) since respondent received the 

bachelor's degree.

Number of jobs in April 1994 (AJOBNUM)

Number of jobs reported by respondents who were employed in April 1994. This was calculated using the

start and end dates for all jobs recorded in the job section.

Relationship between April job and degree (AJOBRELT)

Indication of how closely related respondents' primary (i.e., most hours) April job was to their field of

study.

Closely related

Somewhat related

Not at all related

Unemployment rate (EMPLOY22)

Based on April 1994 enrollment status indicator with those who were out of the labor force removed from

the base.

Postbaccalaureate Enrollment

Considered attending graduate school (WANTAPP)

Indicates whether or not a respondent ever considered attending graduate or professional school (yes/no). It

was asked only of respondents who had not applied to graduate school.
119

Enrollment status April 1994 (ENROL22)

Respondents were asked about enrollment in any education after their bachelor's degree and the dates of

enrollment. Based on these dates, monthly enrollment indicators were constructed.

Not enrolled

Enrolled full time

Enrolled part time

Graduate field of study (GRMAMOR1)

This variable identifies the field of study for respondents who enrolled in post-baccalaureate education

using the same on-line coding program as that used for undergraduate major. It represents the highest

program in which respondents enrolled if they enrolled in more than one. In the tables where graduate field

of study is presented, only respondents who were in graduate programs (i.e., post-baccalaureate certificate,

master's, doctoral, or professional degrees) were included. The major codes were collapsed to make them

comparable to those found in the NPSAS survey graduate major.

Arts and Humanities

Area studies (7-9)

Foreign languages (37–39)

Includes non-European and European/general.

Letters (61–64, 74)

Includes English/American literature, creative/technical writing, liberal and women's studies and all

others.

Philosophy/theology (81–83)

Commercial art (104)

Design (108)

Speech/drama (109)

Film arts (110)

Music (111)

Art history/fine arts (112)

Fine and performing arts (all others) (113)

Social and behavioral sciences

American civilization (6)

Psychology (88)

Social work (90)

Anthropology/archaeology (92)

Economics (93)

Geography (94)

History (95)

Sociology (96)

Political science (97)

Life and physical sciences

Includes natural resources (3), forestry (4) zoology (66), botany (67), biochemistry (68), biophysics

(69), and all others (70)

Interdisciplinary sciences (75-78)

 Physical sciences (84-87)

Includes chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and all others (not chemistry/physics/earth science)
120

Engineering, mathematics, and computer science

Engineering (31-36)

 Includes electrical, chemical, civil, mechanical, engineering technology, and all others.

Electronics (102)

Mathematics (71–72)

Includes statistics and other mathematics (not statistics).

Computer sciences (20, 22)

Includes computer programming, and computer and information sciences

Education

Includes early childhood (25), elementary (26), secondary (27), special (28), physical education

(29), and all others (30); and library and archival sciences (65).

Business and management

Accounting (10)

Business fields (11–16) 

Includes finance, business/management systems, business/management administration, business

support, and marketing/distribution.

Data processing technology (21)

Public administration (not social work) (91)

International relations (98)

Medicine and dentistry (47-49)

Includes medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry

Other health

Allied Health (40–44)

Includes dental/medical technician, community/mental health, nurse assisting, and all others.

Health (45, 50-54)

Includes audiology, clinical health science, health/hospital administration, public health, dietetics,

and all others.

Law

(60)

Other (all others)

Highest degree expected (HIGHDEG)

Respondents' educational expectations approximately one year after their graduation.

Bachelor's degree (respondent will not pursue any additional credentials)

Postbaccalaureate certificate (e.g., teaching credential)

Master's degree

First-professional degree (law, medicine, dentistry, theology)

Doctoral degree

Other degree
121

Highest degree program after bachelor's degree (GRPROG)

Identifies the highest degree program in which respondents had enrolled at any time after receiving the

bachelor's degree.

Nondegree program (respondent has taken courses not leading to a degree)

Associate's degree or vocational certificate or license

Bachelor's degree

Postbaccalaureate certificate (enrolled in a postbaccalaureate certificate program; most are

pursuing teaching credentials)

Master's degree

Doctoral degree

First-professional (enrolled in a program leading to a professional degree including law, medicine,

dentistry, veterinary medicine, and theology)

Note in some tables doctoral and first-professional degrees are aggregated. In addition, when students are

identified as being in graduate or professional programs; this includes those in baccalaureate certificate,

master's degree, doctoral, and professional programs.

Number of schools accepted (ACCEPT)

Among respondents who applied to graduate school, the number of schools at which they reported being

accepted.

Primary reason for not applying to graduate school (REASNAP)

If respondent did not apply to graduate or professional school, and had considered it, the primary reason

for not applying from among the following choices:

Debt or aid reasons

Undergraduate education debt too high

Too much other debt

Not enough financial aid or assistance

Costs too high

Personal reasons

Wanted to take time off

Family responsibilities too demanding

Don't like school

Location, no school nearby

Work reasons

Not necessary for career

Working and happy with current job

Want work experience before attending

Need to work and save money for graduate school

Job responsibilities too demanding
122

Academic reasons

Undecided about what to study

Need better grades, scores

Missed application or test deadline

Graduate school too difficult

Other reasons

Respondent applied to graduate school (EVERAPP)

Indicates whether a respondent ever applied to a graduate school (yes/no).

Taken courses since graduation (PBACHED)

Respondents were asked if they had taken any courses since receiving their bachelor's degree (yes/no).

Courses had to be taken for credit and offered by a college, university, technical, or vocational school.

Student Characteristics

Age at postsecondary entry (AGECOLL)

Students' age as of the date they began postsecondary education.

Age received bachelor's degree (AGEATBA)

Identifies the respondent's age upon bachelor's degree receipt at the NPSAS school. 

Entrance examination score quartile (SATACTQ)

Students' scores on the SAT and ACT college entrance examinations were drawn from institutional records

where possible, and otherwise from the student survey. Survey participants with SAT or ACT test scores

were assigned a quartile rank relative to the B&B sample. Because some students took only one of the two

tests, the two quartile ranks were combined into a single variable. If an SAT score was available, the SAT

quartile rank was used because a larger percentage of the sample reported SAT scores. Otherwise, the ACT

quartile rank was used. Those with no score available were reported separately. This group includes those

who did not take either test, those who may have taken one or both tests but did not report scores, and

those whose test status was unknown.

Gender (RSEX)

Male

Female

Marital status April 1994 (MARSTAT)

Never married

Married/cohabit as married

Divorced/separated/widowed 
123

Number of children (DEPENDEN)

The number of children for whom respondent was financially responsible (at least half the children's

support) at the time of their interview. Note, only respondents who indicated they had children were asked

this question, all others were considered a legitimate skip. In the tables, the legitimate skip codes were

combined with the zero codes (i.e., had children but were not financially responsible for at least half their

support) to form the “no children” category.

No children

One child

Two or more children

Parents' educational attainment (PAREDUC)

The highest level of education completed by either parent.

Less than high school

High school or equivalency

Some postsecondary education (including associate's degree)

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree

Race–ethnicity (RETHNIC)

Created by combining two items respondents reported, their race (American Indian, Asian, black, white,

other) and whether or not they were of Hispanic origin.

American Indian/Alaskan Native

Asian/Pacific Islander

Black, non-Hispanic

Hispanic

White, non-Hispanic
The text in this section is based on excerpts from Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study: 1993/94 Methodology

41

Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1996).

The NPSAS universe excludes institutions offering only correspondence courses, institutions enrolling only their own 42

employees, and U.S. service academies.

124

Appendix B

Technical Notes and Methodology

Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study41

The Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:93) tracks the experiences of a

cohort of college graduates who received a bachelor’s degree during the 1992–93 academic year.

This group’s experiences in the areas of further education and degree completion, employment,

public service, family formation, and other adult decisions will be followed for 12 years. B&B:93

will provide data to assess the outcomes of postsecondary education, including graduate and

professional program access, labor market experience, and rates of return on investment in

education.

Participants in the 1993 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:93) who

received their bachelor’s degree between July 1992 and June 1993 form the base sample for the

B&B study. Approximately 12,500 NPSAS:93 respondents were identified as eligible for the first

followup survey, which was conducted between July 1993 and December 1994 (roughly one year

after participants’ graduation). Approximately 1,500 members of this initial sample were

determined to be ineligible at the time of the followup interview, and about 900 others were not

interviewed (usually because they could not be located or refused to participate), generating a

final sample of 10,080 college graduates. Table B1 shows the case disposition for the survey

according to gender, race, and age at degree receipt. An overall response rate of 92 percent was

achieved for the first followup survey.

The NPSAS:93 sample, while representative and statistically accurate, was not a simple

random sample. Instead, the survey sample was selected using a more complex three-step

procedure with stratified samples and differential probabilities of selection at each level. First,

postsecondary institutions were initially selected within geographic strata. Once institutions were

organized by zip code and state, they were further stratified by control (i.e., public; private, notfor-profit; or private, for-profit) and degree offering (less-than-2-year, 2- to 3-year, 4-year

nondoctorate-granting, and 4-year doctorate-granting). For more detailed information about the 42

NPSAS:93 survey, refer to the Methodology Report for the National Postsecondary Student Aid

Study, 1992–93 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education

Statistics, 1995). For more information on procedures for the Baccalaureate and Beyond First

Followup Study (B&B:93/94), consult the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study:

1993/94 Methodology Report (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center

for Education Statistics, forthcoming).
125

Table B1—Percentage distribution of eligible cases according to B&B: 93/94 case disposition, by selected

demographic characteristics

Other

Complete Refused Unlocatable noninterview

Total 92.0 5.8 0.9 1.3

Age

Under 23 99.3 0.4 0.1 0.1

23–29 90.1 7.2 1.0 1.7

30 or over 91.3 6.5 1.0 1.1

Missing 29.5 53.3 8.6 8.6

Gender

Male 92.7 4.9 1.1 1.4

Female 91.5 6.5 0.7 1.3

Missing 0 100.0 0 0

Race

American Indian 93.3 4.0 0.0 2.7

Asian/Pacific Islander 89.7 4.9 3.1 2.3

Black 93.0 4.1 1.3 1.5

White 92.7 5.6 0.7 1.0

Other/Missing 71.9 18.0 2.8 7.3

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Accuracy of Estimates

The statistics in this report are estimates derived from a sample. Two broad categories of

error occur in such estimates: sampling and non sampling errors. Sampling errors occur because

observations are made only on samples of students, not on entire populations. Nonsampling

errors occur not only in sample surveys but also in censuses of entire populations.

Nonsampling errors can be attributed to a number of sources: inability to obtain complete

information about all students in all institutions in the sample (some students or institutions

refused to participate, or students participated but answered only certain items); ambiguous
The B&B sample is not a simple random sample and, therefore, simple random sample techniques for estimating sampling

43

error cannot be applied to these data. The DAS takes into account the complexity of the sampling procedures and calculates

standard errors appropriate for such samples. The method for computing sampling errors used by the DAS involves

approximating the estimator by the linear terms of a Taylor series expansion. The procedure is typically referred to as

the Taylor series method.

126

definitions; differences in interpreting questions; inability or unwillingness to give correct

information; mistakes in recording or coding data; and other errors of collecting, processing,

sampling, and imputing missing data.

Data Analysis System

The estimates presented in this report were produced using the B&B:93/94 Data Analysis

System (DAS). The DAS software makes it possible for users to specify and generate their own

tables from the B&B data. With the DAS, users can replicate, modify, or expand upon the tables

presented in this report. In addition to the table estimates, the DAS calculates both standard

errors appropriate for the study’s complex sampling procedures and weighted sample sizes for

these estimates. For example, table B2 presents the standard errors that correspond to table 11 43

in the text. If the number of valid cases is too small to produce a reliable estimate, the DAS prints

the message “low-N” instead of the estimate.

In addition to generating tables, the DAS will also produce a correlation matrix of selected

variables. This matrix can be used by statistical software packages to estimate linear regression

models. In addition to the correlation matrix, the DAS produces a table of design effects (DEFTs)

for all the variables in the correlation matrix. Since most statistical software packages compute

standard errors for regression coefficients based on an assumption of simple random sampling,

the standard errors must be adjusted with the design effects to take the complex sample design

into account.

For more information about the NCES B&B:93/94 Data Analysis System, contact:

Aurora D’Amico

National Center for Education Statistics

555 New Jersey Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20208-5652

(202) 219-1365

Internet address: Aurora_D’Amico@ED.GOV
127

Table B2—Standard errors corresponding to table 12

More More

than 4, than 5,

4 years up to up to More than

or less 5 years 6 years 6 years

Total 1.26 0.92 0.53 0.72

Gender

Male 1.53 1.31 0.84 0.88

Female 1.41 1.03 0.63 0.88

Race–ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 11.48 8.46 4.00 9.24

Asian/Pacific Islander 4.79 5.35 2.18 3.59

Black, non-Hispanic 3.33 2.88 2.30 2.88

Hispanic 3.17 2.80 2.45 2.87

White, non-Hispanic 1.36 0.96 0.56 0.73

Baccalaureate degree major

Professional fields 1.45 1.16 0.73 0.96

Business and management 2.14 1.81 1.12 1.52

Education 2.05 1.68 1.18 1.32

Engineering 3.03 3.14 2.05 2.26

Health professions 2.89 2.80 1.98 2.68

Public affairs/social services 4.06 3.57 3.87 2.72

Arts and sciences 1.59 1.14 0.82 0.91

Biological sciences 3.37 2.48 1.59 2.30

Mathematics and other sciences 3.38 2.53 1.61 2.17

Social science 2.51 2.07 1.39 1.31

History 5.09 4.45 5.83 1.67

Humanities 2.38 1.97 1.66 1.89

Psychology 3.74 3.59 1.57 3.22

Other 2.37 2.49 1.20 1.33

Time between high school graduation 

 and postsecondary education

Less than 1 year 1.29 0.97 0.53 0.66

One year or more 1.83 2.48 1.86 2.79

Ever taken remedial instruction

Yes 2.36 2.36 2.12 2.48

No 1.30 0.98 0.55 0.72

Cumulative undergraduate GPA

Less than 3.0 1.57 1.37 0.97 1.08

3.0–3.49 1.67 1.39 0.71 0.89

3.5 or higher 1.89 1.32 0.96 1.37

Total undergraduate debt

Did not borrow 1.47 1.13 0.67 0.90

Less than $1,000 6.70 6.80 4.78 4.26

$1,000–4,999 2.22 2.01 1.29 1.69

$5,000–9,999 2.33 2.69 1.56 1.90

$10,000–19,999 2.25 1.78 1.25 1.35

$20,000 or more 3.24 3.04 1.81 1.71
128

Table B2—Standard errors corresponding to table 12—Continued

More More

than 4, than 5,

4 years up to up to More than

or less 5 years 6 years 6 years

Entrance examination score quartile

Bottom 25% 2.01 1.86 1.18 1.33

Middle 50% 1.60 1.30 0.80 0.67

Top 25% 2.27 1.72 0.88 0.80

No scores reported 1.69 1.73 1.05 1.66

Degree-granting institution

Public 4-year 1.44 1.03 0.69 0.89

Nondoctorate-granting 2.16 1.61 1.30 1.49

Doctorate-granting 1.85 1.33 0.79 1.09

Private, not-for-profit 4-year 2.03 1.24 0.64 1.18

Nondoctorate-granting 2.56 1.64 0.78 1.53

Doctorate-granting 3.23 1.90 1.03 1.85

Other 7.24 10.09 5.69 6.39

First postsecondary institution

Public

4-year 1.53 1.17 0.76 0.88

2-year 2.30 2.19 1.71 2.14

Less-than-2-year — — — — 

Private, not-for-profit

4-year 1.96 1.20 0.59 1.14

Less-than-4-year 10.93 10.94 5.81 5.73

Private, for-profit 9.76 6.48 2.11 8.61

Number of institutions attended

One 1.52 1.09 0.61 0.81

Two or more 1.35 1.41 0.90 1.04

Transfer of credit

Began at sample institution or

 did not transfer credits 1.40 0.99 0.56 0.75

Began elsewhere

Transferred less than 10% 

 of credits 5.05 4.74 5.68 3.94

Transferred 10–25% of credits 3.79 5.35 2.92 2.20

Transferred 26–50% of credits 1.99 2.20 1.71 1.83

Transferred more than 50% 

 of credits 2.84 3.12 2.40 2.96

—Sample size too small for a reliable estimate.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond

Longitudinal Study First Followup (B&B:93/94), Data Analysis System.

Statistical Procedures

Since the estimates in this report are based on a sample, observed differences between two

estimates can reflect either of two possibilities: differences that exist in the population which are

reflected in the sample, or differences due solely to the composition of the sample that do not
t

E1E2

se

2

1

se

2

2

The standard that p .05/k for each comparison is more stringent than the criterion that the significance level of the comparisons

44

should sum to p .05. For tables showing the t statistic required to ensure that p .05/k for a particular family size and

degrees of freedom, see Olive Jean Dunn, “Multiple Comparisons Among Means,” Journal of the American Statistical

Association 56: 52–64.

129

reflect underlying population differences. To minimize the risk of erroneously interpreting

differences due to sampling alone (a Type I error), the statistical significance of differences

between estimates was tested using Student’s t statistic. Differences between estimates were

tested using the following formula:

where E1 and E2 are the estimates (either proportions or means to be compared and se1 and se2 are

their corresponding standard errors. Note that this formula is valid only for independent

estimates. When the estimates were not independent, (for example, when making comparisons

within a percentage distribution), a covariance term was added to the denominator. Differences

were judged to be statistically significant when the value of t was sufficiently large that the

probability of a Type I error was no more than 5 percent (a significance level of .05). This

procedure involved calculating Student’s t for the difference between the means or proportions of

interest, then comparing this value with published tables of critical values of t corresponding to a

two-tailed hypothesis test with a significance level of .05.

There are hazards in reporting statistical tests for each comparison. First, comparisons

based on large t statistics may appear to merit special attention. This can be misleading, however,

because the magnitude of the t statistic is related not only to the observed differences in means or

percentages but also to the number of students in the categories under comparison. Hence, a

small difference between two large groups would produce a large t statistic.

A second hazard in reporting statistical tests for each comparison occurs when making

multiple comparisons among categories of a single variable. For example, when making paired

comparisons among different levels of income, the probability of a Type I error for these

comparisons taken as a group is larger than the probability for any single comparison. When

more than one difference between groups of related characteristics or “families” are tested for

statistical significance, one must apply a standard that assures a level of significance for all of

those comparisons taken together.

Comparisons were made in this report only when p .05/k for a particular pairwise

comparison, where that comparison was one of k tests within a family. This guarantees both that

the individual comparison would have p .05 and that for k comparisons within a family of

possible comparisons, the significance level for all the comparisons will sum to

p .05.44
k

jx ( j 1)

2

k

5x (5 1)

2

10

130

For example, in a comparison of the percentages of males and females who enrolled in

postsecondary education only one comparison is possible (males versus females). In this family,

k=1, and the comparison can be evaluated without adjusting the significance level. When

students are divided into five racial–ethnic groups and all possible comparisons are made, then

k=10 and the significance level of each test must be p .05/10, or p .005. The formula for

calculating family size (k) is as follows:

where j is the number of categories for the variable being tested. In the case of race–ethnicity,

there are five racial–ethnic groups (American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, black non-Hispanic,

Hispanic, and white non-Hispanic), so substituting 5 for j in equation 2,

The t-value therefore, for finding significance at p .05 between any two racial–ethnic

groups based on K=10, would be 2.81.