(24) 

Not measurably different from th& U.S. average (12) 

■ Higher than the U.S. ll\'"'ag01 (15) 

NOTE: The measure of chi Id poverty includes al I children who are re lated to the householder by b irth. marriage. or adoption (exoe:pt a chi Id 

who is the spouse of the householder). The householder is the pe,son (or one of the people) who OffilS or rents (maintains) the housing unit. 

For additional information about poverty status. see ht\ps:/,-_oensus.govftopia;linoome-poverty/poverty/g uidanoelpoverty-measures.html. 

SOUR.CE: U.S. Oe:partment of Commerce. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). 2019. See Digest of Edueation statistics 

2 02 0. tab le 102.40.

Figure 1: Percentage of Children Under Age 18 in Families Living in Poverty, by State and 

Comparison with the National Average: 2019 

Source: Institute of Education Sciences, US Department of Education. The Condition of Education 2021. 

Characteristics of Children’s Families https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cce 

Page 1 of 4 

Note: This document was prepared by Dr. Rajeev Darolia, Advisor for economic and higher education policy 

analysis and data, for the 2021 Affordability and Student Loans Committee Meetings as part of the 2021-22 US 

Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education. Please forgive any errors for documents 

produced in an expeditious manner. Date: 10/07/2021.
 

 

60 

50 

40 

20 

10 

0 

1959 

Black 

Hispanic. 

(any ract2) 

Non-Hlsp~nic White 

1965 1970 1975 

Nor1-adiusted e,stimates: 

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 

Recession 

18.8 

15.7 

7.3 

·u 

2015 2019 

Nate: The data far 2017 and beyond reflect the implementation of an updated processing system. The data fur 

20:t.3 and ~ -:;end refl the implemento1tlon of ~fgned Income q1,1e!;;tlcns. Data for Slack!> is not ;ivallable from 

1960 to l96S. l-llsto Cdl ostlmat tor Asl i'll • Blacks and t'40 - !ls.panic Whit sat odJust d to acco1.mt for tho 

>ignifiGilnt impact of these survey redesigns. Tt e tldjusted series occounhS lbr the imp.1ct of thesg recent 

impro-..-ements o-..-~r the ~tire data 91!ries:. This adjustment is oot made i:n aur official publicatio ns and t able 

p<1c k;ige$ because it reqv ires he ;1<!;51.frfW 011 that he impact of the d.i,t.i improvemerrts wou d have beer, ide,ntical 

In all yc.,us. an assumption ttl.:1t • ics ilk ly to be ac:C\Jrat ir1 years furth r away from thc&e m t11odo ogy 

changes. 

Source; U.S. Gensus Bure.:iu, Current ll'opul~tion Survey, 1960 to 2020 Annl.lill Social ,md Econarnie SupplemB'llt 

(CPS ASEC). 

Figure 2: Poverty Rate by Race and Hispanic Origin: 1959 to 2019 

Source: US Census Bureau. Poverty Rates for Blacks and Hispanics Reached Historic Lows in 2019. 

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/09/poverty-rates-for-blacks-and-hispanics-reached-historic-lows-in2019.html 

Page 2 of 4 

Note: This document was prepared by Dr. Rajeev Darolia, Advisor for economic and higher education policy 

analysis and data, for the 2021 Affordability and Student Loans Committee Meetings as part of the 2021-22 US 

Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education. Please forgive any errors for documents 

produced in an expeditious manner. Date: 10/07/2021.
 

 

 

P,ercen.t 

100 

90 

60 

70 

□ 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Total' White Blaok Hi8pani:c Asian 

Child',; raco/alhnicily 

■ 2010 0 2019 

Pacific 

l~ander 

Ameri can Indian/ 

~k~ N11,tls~ 

1 lndudes ,~ts who wwote in= other race that was not ind uded as a r> option on the qw,sliannaire. 

Two or 

moierace:s 

NOTE: The me"5ure of m ild poverty indudes all chi ldren who are related to fille households by b irth, maniage, or adoption (exOl!iPt a m ild 

who is the spouse of the households). The households is fille pe,son (or one of fille people) who OWlls or rents (maintains) fille housing unit. 

For additional information about poverty status, see htlps:/lwww.census.gov/topics/in:oome-poverly/poverty/guidanoe/poverty-me"5ures.html. 

Race categories exdude pason5 of Hi,;panicethnicity. Although rOIJJlded n:urnbes are d i,.played, the fig ures are based on unrou:nde.d data. 

SOURCE: U.S. !Department of Commerce, Census Boreau, Amsican Community Survey (ACS), 2010 and 2019. See Digest of EduCi>bon 

stabsbcs 2020, tab le 102.00. 

I 

Figure 3: Percentage of Children Under Age 18 in Families Living in Poverty, by Child’s 

Race/Ethnicity: 2010 and 2019 

Source: Institute of Education Sciences, US Department of Education. The Condition of Education 2021. 

Characteristics of Children’s Families https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cce 

Page 3 of 4 

Note: This document was prepared by Dr. Rajeev Darolia, Advisor for economic and higher education policy 

analysis and data, for the 2021 Affordability and Student Loans Committee Meetings as part of the 2021-22 US 

Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education. Please forgive any errors for documents 

produced in an expeditious manner. Date: 10/07/2021.
 

 

 

 

 

Near Lower-middle Middle Higher 

poverty poverty income income income 

All mst1tutrons 

2016 20 19 15 37 

1996 12 17 18 45 

Public tour-year 

2016 17 18 15 40 

1996 11 15 17 48 

Private nonprofit four-year 

2016 13 14 14 42 

1996 10 14 16 48 

Pub/le two year 

2016 27 23 17 30 

1996 13 19 20 43 

Private for-profit 

2016 36 25 14 22 

1996 23 20 15 36 

Note: Income categories are based on the dependent student's family moo me-to-poverty 

ratio ,ederal poverty threst1olds used vary by family size See text for category definItIons 

Figure may not add to 100% due lo rounding 

Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 1996 and 2016 National Postsecondary Student 

Aid Study ( PSAS), National Center for Education Statistics 

"A Rising Share or Undergraduates Are From Poor Families. [specially at Less Selective 

COiieges· 

PEW RESEARCH CENTER 

Figure 4: Income Distribution of Dependent Undergraduates, 1996 and 2016 

Report definitions 

• In poverty: Less than the poverty guideline 

• Near poverty: Income to poverty ratio 100-199 

• Lower-middle income: Income to poverty ratio 200-299 

• Middle income: Income to poverty ratio 300-749 

• Higher income: Income to poverty ratio ≥750

Source: Pew Research Center. A Rising Share of Undergraduates Are From Poor Families, Especially at Less 

Selective Colleges. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/05/22/a-rising-share-of-undergraduates-arefrom-poor-families-especially-at-less-selective-colleges/ 

Page 4 of 4 

Note: This document was prepared by Dr. Rajeev Darolia, Advisor for economic and higher education policy 

analysis and data, for the 2021 Affordability and Student Loans Committee Meetings as part of the 2021-22 US 

Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education. Please forgive any errors for documents 

produced in an expeditious manner. Date: 10/07/2021.