NCES 2010-029 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC area (202) 512-1800

Fax: (202) 512-2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington DC 20402-0001
The Condition of Education 2010 

in Brief

MAY 2010

Editors 

Susan Aud 

National Center for Education Statistics

Gretchen Hannes

American Institutes for Research

NCES 2010-029 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Statistics

Arne Duncan John Q. Easton Stuart Kerachsky 

Secretary Director Deputy Commissioner

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data related to education in the United States and other 

nations. It fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report full and complete statistics on the condition of education in the United States; conduct and publish 

reports and specialized analyses of the meaning and significance of such statistics; assist state and local education agencies in improving their statistical systems; and review and 

report on education activities in foreign countries.

NCES activities are designed to address high-priority education data needs; provide consistent, reliable, complete, and accurate indicators of education status and trends; and report 

timely, useful, and high-quality data to the U.S. Department of Education, the Congress, the states, other education policymakers, practitioners, data users, and the general public. 

Unless specifically noted all information contained herein is in the public domain.

We strive to make our products available in a variety of formats and in language that is appropriate to a variety of audiences. You, as our customer, are the best judge of our success in 

communicating information effectively. If you have any comments or suggestions about this or any other NCES product or report, we would like to hear from you. Please direct your 

comments to:

National Center for Education Statistics 

Institute of Education Sciences 

U.S. Department of Education 

1990 K Street NW 

Washington, DC 20006-5651

May 2010

The NCES World Wide Web Home Page address is http://nces.ed.gov.

The NCES World Wide Web Publications and Products address is http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

Suggested Citation

Aud, S., and Hannes, G. (Eds.) (2010). The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief (NCES 2010-029). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, 

U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.

For ordering information on this report, write to

ED Pubs 

U.S. Department of Education 

P.O. Box 22207 

Alexandria, VA 22304

or call toll free 1-877-4ED-PUBS or order online at http://www.ed.pubs.gov.

Content Contact

Susan Aud 

(202) 219-7013 

Susan.Aud@ed.gov
What’s Inside

This publication contains a sample of the indicators in The Condition of Education 2010. To order the entire printed edition of The Condition

free of charge, call ED Pubs (1-877-4ED-PUBS).

The indicators in this publication are numbered sequentially, rather than according to their numbers in the complete edition. The Contents 

page offers a cross-reference between the two publications.

Since 1870, the federal government has gathered data about students, teachers, schools, and education funding. As mandated by Congress, 

the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the Institute of Education Sciences annually 

publishes a statistical report on the status and progress of education in the United States. The Condition of Education includes data and 

analysis on a wide variety of issues. These data are taken from government and private sources. The 2010 edition of The Condition contains 

indicators that are divided into five sections: 

 Participation in Education

 Learner Outcomes

 Student Effort and Educational Progress

 Contexts of Elementary and Secondary Education

 Contexts of Postsecondary Education

The publication also contains additional tables and notes related to each indicator.
The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief and the complete edition are available on the NCES website (http://nces.ed.gov).
Contents Page

Participation in Education

Indicator 1. Enrollment Trends by Age (Indicator 1)........................................................................................................................................2

Learner Outcomes

Indicator 2. Reading Performance (Indicators 9 and 10)...................................................................................................................................4

Indicator 3. Mathematics Performance (Indicators 11 and 12)..........................................................................................................................6

Indicator 4. Annual Earnings of Young Adults (Indicator 17) ..........................................................................................................................8

Student Effort and Educational Progress

Indicator 5. Public High School Graduation Rates (Indicator 18) .................................................................................................................. 10

Indicator 6. Status Dropout Rates (Indicator 19)............................................................................................................................................ 12

Indicator 7. Immediate Transition to College (Indicator 20) .......................................................................................................................... 14

Indicator 8. Postsecondary Graduation Rates (Indicator 21)........................................................................................................................... 16

Indicator 9. Degrees Earned (Indicator 23)..................................................................................................................................................... 18

List of Indicators on The Condition of Education Website (2003–2010)..........................................................................................................20
2 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Enrollment Trends by Age

Between 1970 and 2008, the enrollment rate for children 

ages 3–4 (typically nursery school ages) increased from 20 

to 53 percent. More recently, between 2000 and 2008, the 

enrollment rate for children ages 3–4 remained between 

52 and 56 percent. The enrollment rate for children ages 

5–6 (typically kindergarten or first grade ages) increased 

from 90 percent in 1970 to 96 percent in 1976 and has 

since remained stable. For youth ages 7–13 and 14–15, 

enrollment rates have remained at nearly 100 percent over 

the past 38 years, reflecting states’ minimum compulsory age 

requirements for school attendance. The enrollment rate for 

16- to 17-year-olds increased from 90 percent in 1970 to 95 

percent in 2008, but between 2000 and 2008 it remained 

between 93 and 95 percent.

For those ages 18–19, the overall enrollment rate increased 

from 48 to 66 percent between 1970 and 2008: elementary/

secondary enrollment increased from 10 to 17 percent, while 

Technical Notes

Estimates include enrollment in any type of graded public, 

parochial, or other private school. Attendance may be on 

either a full-time or part-time basis and during the day or 

night. Excluded are enrollments in less-than-2-year colleges 

and enrollments in “special” schools such as trade schools, 

business colleges, or correspondence schools. 

college enrollment rose from 37 to 49 percent. Between 

2000 and 2008, college enrollment rates remained between 

44 and 49 percent. During the same period, the college or 

graduate school enrollment rates for adults ages 20–21 and 

22–24 increased from 44 to 50 percent and from 25 to 28 

percent, respectively. The enrollment rate for adults ages 25–29 

increased from 11 percent in 2000 to 13 percent in 2008, and 

for adults ages 30–34 there were no measurable changes in the 

enrollment rate during this period.

Between 2000 and 2008, enrollment rates increased for young adults ages 18–19 and 

adults ages 20–24 and 25–29, the ages at which individuals are typically enrolled in 

college or graduate school.

Indicator 1
Participation in Education 3

Percent

0

20

40

60

80

100

Ages 3–19

Year

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2008

Ages 3–41

Ages 18–19

Ages 14–15 Ages 7–13 Ages 16–17 Ages 5–6

Ages 18–34

Ages 18–19

Ages 20–24

Ages 25–29

Ages 30–34

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2008

Figure 1. Percentage of the population ages 3–34 enrolled in school, by age group: October 1970–2008

1 Beginning in 1994, new procedures were used to collect preprimary enrollment data. As a result, pre-1994 data may not be comparable to data from 1994 

or later.

NOTE: Includes enrollment in any type of graded public, parochial, or other private schools. Includes nursery schools, kindergartens, elementary schools, 

high schools, colleges, universities, and professional schools. Attendance may be on either a full-time or part-time basis and during the day or night. 

Excludes enrollments in less-than-2-year colleges and enrollments in “special” schools such as trade schools, business colleges, or correspondence schools. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October Supplement, 1970–2008.

Indicator 1
4 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Reading Performance

In 2009, the average National Assessment for Educational 

Progress (NAEP) reading scale score for 4th-graders was 

unchanged from the score in 2007 but higher than the 

scores on all of the earlier assessments given between 1992 

and 2005. The percentages of 4th-graders performing at or 

above the Basic, at or above the Proficient, and at the Advanced 

achievement levels showed no measurable change from 2007 

to 2009. At grade 8, the 2009 average NAEP reading scale 

score was 1 point higher than the 2007 score and 4 points 

higher than the 1992 score, but the 2009 score was not 

always measurably different from the scores on the assessments 

given between 1994 and 2005. The percentage of 8th-graders 

performing at or above Basic and the percentage performing 

at or above Proficient each increased 1 percentage point from 

2007 to 2009, while the percentage performing at Advanced

did not measurably change from 2007 to 2009. 

From 2007 to 2009, there were no measurable changes in 

average reading scores for 4th-grade students from any of 

the five racial/ethnic groups (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/

Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native). Scores 

for White, Black, and Hispanic students did remain higher 

than scores from assessment years prior to 2007. The reading 

Technical Notes

NAEP reading scores range from 0 to 500. The achievement 

levels define what students should know and be able to do: 

Basic indicates partial mastery of fundamental skills, Proficient 

indicates demonstrated competency over challenging subject 

matter, and Advanced indicates superior performance. Race 

categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.

achievement gap between White and Black 4th-graders was 

26 points in 2009, which was not measurably different from 

the gap in 2007 but smaller than the gaps in all the previous 

assessment years. The gap between White and Hispanic 

4th-graders was 25 points, which was not measurably different 

from the gap in 2007 or 1992.

At grade 8, average reading scores in 2009 were higher than 

scores in 2007 for White, Black, and Hispanic students. The 

White-Black achievement gap was 26 points and the WhiteHispanic achievement gap was 24 points; neither gap was 

measurably different from the corresponding gaps in 2007 

or 1992.

At grade 4, the average reading score in 2009 was not measurably different from the 

average score in 2007. At grade 8, the average reading score increased by 1 point from 

2007 to 2009.

Indicator 2
Learner Outcomes 5

Scale score

8th grade

4th grade

0

1992 1994 1998 2000 2002 2003 2005 2007 2009

230

220

210

240

250

260

270

500

Year

Accommodations not permitted Accommodations permitted

Figure 2. Average reading scale scores of 4th- and 8th-grade students: Selected years, 1992–2009

NOTE: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scores range from 0 to 500. Student assessments are not designed to permit 

comparisons across subjects or grades. Testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, small group testing) for children with disabilities and limited-English 

proficient students were not permitted in 1992 and 1994; students were tested with and without accommodations in 1998. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), selected years, 

1992–2009 Reading Assessments, NAEP Data Explorer. 

Indicator 2
6 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Mathematics Performance

From 1990 to 2009, the average score on the National 

Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Mathematics 

Assessment increased 27 points for 4th-graders and 20 

points for 8th-graders. At grade 4, the average mathematics 

scale score on the 2009 assessment was unchanged from the 

score in 2007 but higher than the scores on all of the previous 

assessments since 1990. The percentages of 4th-grade students 

performing at or above the Basic, at or above the Proficient, 

and at the Advanced achievement levels showed no measurable 

change from 2007 to 2009. The average mathematics score 

for 8th-graders was higher in 2009 than in any previous 

assessment year. The percentages of 8th-grade students 

performing at or above the Basic, at or above the Proficient, 

and at the Advanced achievement levels all showed increases 

of 1 to 2 percentage points from 2007 to 2009.

From 2007 to 2009, there were no measurable changes in 

average mathematics scores for 4th-grade students of any 

of the five racial/ethnic groups (White, Black, Hispanic, 

Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native). 

Scores for White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander 

students in 2009 did remain higher than those from the 

assessment years prior to 2007. The mathematics achievement 

Technical Notes

NAEP mathematics scores range from 0 to 500. The 

achievement levels define what students should know and 

be able to do: Basic indicates partial mastery of fundamental 

skills, Proficient indicates demonstrated competency over 

challenging subject matter, and Advanced indicates superior 

performance. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic 

ethnicity. 

gap between White and Black 4th-graders was 26 points, 

which was not measurably different from the gap in 2007 

(26 points) but was smaller than the gap in 1990 (32 points). 

The gap between White and Hispanic 4th-graders in 2009 

was not measurably different from the gap in 2007 or 1990.

At grade 8, average mathematics scores in 2009 for White, 

Black, and Hispanic students were higher than scores on any 

of the previous assessments. The White-Black achievement gap 

was 32 points in 2009 and the White-Hispanic achievement 

gap was 26 points; neither gap was measurably different from 

the corresponding gaps in 2007 or 1990.

Students’ average mathematics scores increased each assessment year since the first 

assessment in 1990 through 2007; this trend continued from 2007 to 2009 at grade 8 but 

not at grade 4.

Indicator 3
Learner Outcomes 7

1990 1992 1996 2000 2003 2005 2007 2009

Scale score

0

Grade 8

Grade 4

Year

Accommodations not permitted Accommodations permitted

200

220

240

260

280

300

500

Figure 3. Average mathematics scale scores of 4th- and 8th-grade students: Selected years, 1990–2009

NOTE: National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics scores range from 0 to 500. Student assessments are not designed to permit 

comparisons across grades. Testing accommodations (e.g., extended time, small group testing) for children with disabilities and limited-English proficient 

students were not permitted in 1990 and 1992; students were tested with and without accommodations in 1996. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), selected years, 

1990–2009 Mathematics Assessments, NAEP Data Explorer.

Indicator 3
8 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Annual Earnings of Young Adults

For young adults ages 25–34 working full time throughout a 

full year, higher educational attainment was associated with 

higher median earnings. This pattern was consistent for each 

year shown between 1995 and 2008. For example, young 

adults with a bachelor’s degree consistently had higher median 

earnings than those with less education. This pattern held for 

male, female, White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian subgroups. 

In 2008, the median of the earnings of young adults with 

a bachelor’s degree was $46,000; the median was $36,000 

for those with an associate’s degree, $30,000 for high school 

completers, and $23,500 for those who did not earn a 

high school diploma or its equivalent. Young adults with a 

bachelor’s degree earned 28 percent more than young adults 

with an associate’s degree, 53 percent more than high school 

completers, and 96 percent more than young adults who did 

not earn a high school diploma. 

Earnings differences were observed by sex and by race/

ethnicity. In 2008, at every educational level, the median 

of the earnings for young adult males was higher than the 

median for young adult females. For example, young adult 

Technical Notes

High school completers are those who earned a high school 

diploma or equivalent (e.g., a General Educational 

Development [GED] certificate). Earnings are presented in 

2008 constant dollars by means of the Consumer Price Index 

(CPI) to eliminate inflationary factors and allow for direct 

comparison across years. Full-year worker refers to those who 

were employed 50 or more weeks during the previous year; 

full-time worker refers to those who were usually employed 35 

or more hours per week. Race categories exclude persons of 

Hispanic ethnicity. 

males with a bachelor’s degree earned $53,000 in 2008, while 

their female counterparts earned $42,000. In the same year, 

the median of White young adults’ earnings was higher than 

that of Black and Hispanic young adults’ earnings at each 

educational level, except the level of master’s degree or higher. 

Asian young adults with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree 

or higher had higher earnings than their White and Black 

counterparts.

In 2008, young adults ages 25–34 with a bachelor’s degree earned 28 percent more 

than young adults with an associate’s degree, 53 percent more than young adult high 

school completers, and 96 percent more than young adults who did not earn a high 

school diploma.

Indicator 4
Learner Outcomes 9

Less than

high school

High school

diploma or

equivalent

Some college Associate’s

degree

Total1 Bachelor’s

degree

Master’s degree

or higher

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

$60,000

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Dollars

Educational attainment

$23,500

$30,000 $32,000

$36,000

$50,000

$46,000

$55,000

Figure 4. Median annual earnings of full-time, full-year wage and salary workers ages 25–34, by educational attainment: 

2008

1 Total represents the median earnings of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.

NOTE: Full-year worker refers to those who were employed 50 or more weeks during the previous year; full-time worker refers to those who were usually 

employed 35 or more hours per week. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), March and Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 2009.

Indicator 4
10 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Public High School Graduation Rates

Among public high school students in the class of 2006–07, 

the averaged freshman graduation rate—an estimate of the 

percentage of an incoming freshman class that graduates 

4 years later—was 73.9 percent. Vermont had the highest 

graduation rate in 2006–07 (88.6 percent). Fifteen other 

states had rates of 80 percent or more (ordered high to low): 

Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, North 

Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Missouri, Connecticut, 

New Hampshire, Montana, Massachusetts, Idaho, and 

Maryland. Nevada had the lowest rate (52.0 percent). Eleven 

other states and the District of Columbia had graduation 

rates below 70 percent: Arizona, Alaska, New York, North 

Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, 

New Mexico, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia.

The overall freshman graduation rate among public school 

students increased from 71.7 percent for the class of 2000–01 

to 73.9 percent for the class of 2006–07. However, between 

2004–05 and 2005–06, the overall averaged freshman 

graduation rate decreased from 74.7 percent to 73.4 percent. 

Technical Notes

The averaged freshman enrollment count is the sum of 

the number of 8th-graders 5 years earlier, the number of 

9th-graders 4 years earlier (when current-year seniors were 

freshmen), and the number of 10th-graders 3 years earlier, 

divided by 3. The intent of this average is to account for the 

high rate of grade retention in the freshman year, which adds 

9th-grade repeaters from the previous year to the number of 

students in the incoming freshman class each year. Ungraded 

students were allocated to individual grades proportional to 

each state’s enrollment in those grades.

Overall, between 2000–01 and 2006–07, the rate increased 

in 41 states; 11 of these states had an increase of more than 

5 percentage points. The graduation rate decreased in nine 

states and the District of Columbia; three states (Nevada, New 

Mexico, and Utah) and the District of Columbia experienced 

a decline of more than 5 percentage points.

In 2006–07, about three-quarters of the 2003–04 freshman class graduated from high 

school on time with a regular diploma.

Indicator 5
Student Effort and Educational Progress 11

RI

DE

DC

80.0 percent or more (16)

Less than 70.0 percent (13)

70.0–79.9 percent (22)

Figure 5. Averaged freshman graduation rate for public high school students, by state: School year 2006–07

NOTE: The rate is the number of graduates divided by the estimated freshman count 4 years earlier. This count is the sum of the number of 8th-graders 5 

years earlier, 9th-graders 4 years earlier, and 10th-graders 3 years earlier, divided by 3. Ungraded students were allocated to individual grades proportional 

to each state’s enrollment in those grades.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), “NCES Common Core of Data State Dropout 

and Completion Data File,” school year 2006–07, version 1a; and “State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education,” 2002–03, Version 1b; 

2003–04, Version 1b; 2004–05, Version 1b; and 2005–06, Version 1b.

Indicator 5
12 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Status Dropout Rates

The status dropout rate represents the percentage of 16- 

through 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in school and have 

not earned a high school diploma or equivalent credential, 

such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. 

In this indicator, rates are estimated using the Current 

Population Survey (CPS) and the American Community 

Survey (ACS). Compared with the CPS, the 2008 ACS allows 

for more detailed comparisons of status dropout rates by race/

ethnicity, nativity, and sex. The CPS, however, provides several 

decades of historical trends on status dropouts that are not 

available from the ACS.

Based on the CPS, the status dropout rate declined from 14 

percent in 1980 to 8 percent in 2008. In general, the status 

dropout rates for Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics each declined 

between 1980 and 2008. However, in each year during that 

period, the status dropout rate was lower for Whites and 

Blacks than for Hispanics. The rate for Asians/Pacific Islanders 

was also lower than the rates for Hispanics and Blacks 

between 1989 and 2008. 

Technical Notes

The 2008 ACS includes noninstitutionalized and 

institutionalized civilians and military personnel. The CPS 

includes only the civilian noninstitutionalized population. 

Thus, status dropout estimates from the ACS and CPS are 

not directly comparable. Race categories exclude persons of 

Hispanic ethnicity.

Data from the 2008 ACS show that the status dropout rate 

for native-born 16- through 24-year-olds was lower than the 

rate for their foreign-born peers (8 vs. 21 percent). Nativeborn Hispanics and Asians had lower status dropout rates 

than their foreign-born counterparts, whereas native-born 

Whites, Blacks, and persons of two or more races had higher 

status dropout rates than their foreign-born counterparts. The 

rate for foreign-born Hispanic 16- through 24-year-olds was 

35 percent, compared with 11 percent for their native-born 

Hispanic peers.

In general, the status dropout rates for Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics declined between 

1980 and 2008. In 2008, foreign-born Hispanics dropped out at a higher rate than nativeborn Hispanics, while the opposite trend held for native-born Whites, Blacks, and persons 

of two or more races.

Indicator 6
Student Effort and Educational Progress 13

Percent

0

10

50

40

30

20

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Year

Hispanic

American Indian/Alaska Native

White

Black

Asian/Pacific Islander

Figure 6. Status dropout rates of 16- through 24-year-olds in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population, by race/ethnicity: 

October Current Population Survey (CPS) 1994–2008

NOTE: The status dropout rate is the percentage of 16- through 24-year-olds who are not enrolled in high school and who have not earned a high school 

credential (either a diploma or an equivalency credential such as a General Educational Development [GED] certificate). The status dropout rate includes 

all dropouts regardless of when they last attended school. Data for American Indians/Alaska Natives in 1999 have been suppressed due to unstable 

estimates. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October Supplement, 1994–2008.

Indicator 6
14 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Immediate Transition to College

The rate at which high school completers enrolled in college 

in the fall immediately after high school was approximately 

50 percent between 1972 and 1980. The rate increased to 67 

percent in 1997, declined to 62 percent in 2001, and then 

increased again to the current rate of 69 percent in 2008.

In almost every year between 1972 and 2008, the immediate 

college enrollment rates of high school completers from 

low-income families trailed the rates of those from highincome families by at least 20 percentage points. In 2008, 

the enrollment rate gap between students from low- and 

high-income families was 25 percentage points, and the gap 

between students from middle- and high-income families was 

17 percentage points. 

Differences in enrollment rates by race/ethnicity have also 

persisted over time. The immediate college enrollment rates 

of White, Black, and Hispanic completers each increased 

Technical Notes

Before 1992, high school completers referred to those who had 

completed 12 years of schooling. Beginning in 1992, the term 

has referred to those who have received a high school diploma 

or equivalency certificate. Low income refers to the bottom 

20 percent of all family incomes, high income refers to the top 

20 percent of all family incomes, and middle income refers to 

the 60 percent in between. Race categories exclude persons of 

Hispanic ethnicity.

between 1972 and 2008, but the enrollment rates of Black and 

Hispanic high school completers have nonetheless been lower 

than the rates of their White peers almost every year since 

1985. In 2008, the immediate college enrollment rate was 72 

percent for White high school completers, compared with 56 

percent for Black high school completers and 64 percent for 

Hispanic high school completers.

The rate of college enrollment immediately after high school completion increased 

from 49 percent in 1972 to 67 percent in 1997 and ranged between 62 and 69 percent 

through 2008. Gaps in immediate enrollment rates by family income, parents’ education, 

and race/ethnicity have persisted over time.

Indicator 7
Student Effort and Educational Progress 15

Percent

0

100

80

60

40

20

1972 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2008

Year

High income

Middle income

Low income1

Figure 7. Percentage of high school completers who were enrolled in 2- or 4-year colleges the October immediately following 

high school completion, by family income: 1972–2008

1 Due to unreliable (or unstable) estimates associated with small sample sizes for the low-income category, moving average rates are presented. Moving 

average rates were generally calculated as the average of the annual rates for the following 3 adjacent years: the year in question, the year immediately 

before it, and the year immediately after it. For 1972, 1973, 1975, and 2008, data are not available for 1 of the 3 adjacent years, so the moving average rate 

was calculated as the average of the annual rates in the 2 available adjacent years.

NOTE: Includes high school completers ages 16–24, who account for about 98 percent of all high school completers in a given year. Low income refers to 

the bottom 20 percent of all family incomes, high income refers to the top 20 percent of all family incomes, and middle income refers to the 60 percent in 

between. Family income data were not available for 1974. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October Supplement, 1972–2008.

Indicator 7
16 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Postsecondary Graduation Rates

Approximately 57 percent of first-time students seeking a 

bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and attending a 4-year 

institution full time in 2001–02 completed a bachelor’s 

degree or its equivalent at that institution in 6 years or less. 

Six-year graduation rates were highest at private not-for-profit 

institutions (64 percent), followed by public institutions (55 

percent) and private for-profit institutions (25 percent).

Asian/Pacific Islander students had the highest 6-year 

graduation rate (67 percent), followed by Whites (60 percent), 

Hispanics (48 percent), Blacks (42 percent), and American 

Indians/Alaska Natives (40 percent). This pattern held for 

Asians/Pacific Islanders, Whites, and Hispanics at each 

institution type. Of the five racial/ethnic groups, Blacks and 

American Indians/Alaska Natives consistently had the lowest 

graduation rates. The 6-year graduation rate for females was 

Technical Notes

The graduation rate was calculated as the total number of 

completers within the specified time to degree attainment 

divided by the spring 2008 estimate of students who 

entered the institution in 2001–02 as first-time, full-time 

undergraduates seeking a bachelor’s or equivalent degree 

minus any allowable exclusions. Race categories exclude 

persons of Hispanic ethnicity.

higher than for males at both public and private not-for-profit 

4-year institutions. About 58 percent of females seeking 

a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent at a public institution 

graduated in 6 years, compared with 52 percent of their male 

counterparts.

About 57 percent of first-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree and attending a 

4-year institution full time in 2001–02 completed a bachelor’s degree at that institution 

within 6 years.

Indicator 8
Student Effort and Educational Progress 17

4-year rate

5-year rate

6-year rate

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent

Time to degree

Public Private not-for-profit Private for-profit

19

51

29

22

62

49

25

64

55

Figure 8. Percentage of students seeking a bachelor’s degree at 4-year institutions who completed a bachelor’s degree, 

by time to degree attainment and control of institution: Cohort year 2001

NOTE: The rate was calculated in the manner required for disclosure and reporting purposes under the Student Right-To-Know Act as the total number of 

completers within the specified time to degree attainment divided by the revised cohort minus any allowable exclusions. The revised cohort is the spring 

2008 estimate of the number of students entering the institution in 2001 as first-time, full-time undergraduates seeking a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. 

Students who transferred to another 4-year institution and graduated from the other institution do not count towards the initial institution’s rate. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2008, 

Graduation Rates component.

Indicator 8
18 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Degrees Earned

The increase in total postsecondary enrollment (26 percent) 

between 1997–98 and 2007–08 was accompanied by an 

increase in the number of degrees earned: the total number 

of degrees earned rose from 2.3 to 3.1 million during this 

period, a 35 percent increase. The number of degrees earned 

increased for all racial/ethnic groups for each type of degree, 

but at varying rates. For example, the number of bachelor’s 

degrees awarded to White students increased by 25 percent 

between 1997–98 and 2007–08, while the number awarded 

to Hispanic students increased by 86 percent and the number 

awarded to Black students increased by 55 percent. The 

number of master’s degrees earned by White students grew 

by less than one-third; in contrast, for Black and Hispanic 

students, the number more than doubled (from 30,200 to 

65,100 degrees for Blacks and from 16,200 to 36,800 degrees 

for Hispanics).

Between 1997–98 and 2007–08, the percentage of degrees 

earned by females fluctuated between 60 and 62 percent 

for associate’s degrees and between 56 and 58 percent for 

Technical Notes

Reported racial/ethnic distributions of students by type of 

degree, field of degree, and sex were used to estimate race/

ethnicity for students whose race/ethnicity was not reported. 

Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Racial/

ethnic comparisons exclude nonresident aliens.

bachelor’s degrees, while the percentage of master’s degrees 

earned by females increased from 57 to 61 percent. In 2007–

08, females of each racial/ethnic group generally earned more 

degrees than their male counterparts for each type of degree. 

For example, Black females earned 69 percent of associate’s, 

66 percent of bachelor’s, 72 percent of master’s, 63 percent of 

first-professional, and 66 percent of doctoral degrees awarded 

to Black students. In addition, Hispanic and American 

Indian/Alaska Native females earned more than 60 percent 

of all associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees awarded to 

students in those racial/ethnic groups.

Between 1997–98 and 2007–08, the number of degrees earned increased by 34 percent 

for associate’s degrees, by 32 percent for bachelor’s degrees, and by 45 percent for 

master’s degrees.

Indicator 9
Student Effort and Educational Progress 19

Master’s

Bachelor’s

Associate’s

0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000

Number

White Black Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander American Indian/

Alaska Native

Nonresident alien

1997–98

Type of degree

2002–03

2007–08

1997–98

2002–03

2007–08

1997–98

2002–03

2007–08

Figure 9. Number of degrees conferred, by type of degree and race/ethnicity: Academic years 1997–98, 2002–03, and 

2007–08

NOTE: Reported racial/ethnic distributions of students by type of degree, field of degree, and sex were used to estimate race/ethnicity for students whose 

race/ethnicity was not reported. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Nonresident aliens are shown separately since information about 

their race/ethnicity is not available. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1997–98, 2002–03, and 2007–08 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), “Completions Survey” (IPEDS-C:98) and Fall 2003 and 2008.

Indicator 9
20 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

The List of Indicators includes all of the indicators that appear on The Condition of Education website (http://nces.ed.gov/

programs/coe), drawn from the 2003–2010 print volumes. Since indicators are cumulative over the years, the same indicator 

appearing in multiple years is listed here only for the most recent year. The list is organized first by section then by subject area. 

Thus, the indicator numbers and the years in which the indicators were published are not sequential.

Special Analyses

Reading—Young Children’s Achievement and Classroom Experiences ...........................................................................2003

Paying for College: Changes Between 1990 and 2000 for Full-Time Dependent Undergraduates ..................................2004

Mobility in the Teacher Workforce.................................................................................................................................2005

U.S. Student and Adult Performance on International Assessments of Educational Achievement...................................2006

High School Coursetaking .............................................................................................................................................2007

Community Colleges .....................................................................................................................................................2008

U.S. Performance Across International Assessments of Student Achievement .................................................................2009

High-Poverty Public Schools ..........................................................................................................................................2010

Section 1—Participation in Education

All Ages

Enrollment Trends by Age..........................................................................................................................................1–2010

Preprimary Education

Early Education and Child Care Arrangements of Young Children ............................................................................2–2008

Early Development of Children..................................................................................................................................2–2009

Knowledge and Skills of Young Children....................................................................................................................3–2009 

Indicator–Year

List of Indicators on The Condition of Education Website (2003–2010)
Indicators on the Website 21

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe

Elementary/Secondary Education

Trends in Full- and Half-Day Kindergarten................................................................................................................ 3–2004

Public School Enrollment........................................................................................................................................... 2–2010

Private School Enrollment.......................................................................................................................................... 3–2010

Homeschooled Students............................................................................................................................................. 6–2009

Racial/Ethnic Enrollment in Public Schools............................................................................................................... 4–2010

Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds .............................................................................................................. 6–2008

Language Minority School-Age Children ................................................................................................................... 5–2010

Children and Youth With Disabilities......................................................................................................................... 6–2010

Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate Enrollment......................................................................................................................................... 7–2010

Mobility of College Students.................................................................................................................................... 10–2008

Graduate and Professional Education

Graduate and First-Professional Enrollment ............................................................................................................... 8–2010

Adult Learning

Participation in Adult Education.............................................................................................................................. 10–2007

Indicator–Year
22 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Section 2—Learner Outcomes

Early Childhood Outcomes

Students’ Reading and Mathematics Achievement Through 3rd Grade.......................................................................8–2004

Children’s Skills and Proficiency in Reading and Mathematics Through Grade 3........................................................8–2005

Academic Outcomes

Reading Performance .................................................................................................................................................9–2010

Reading Achievement Gaps......................................................................................................................................10–2010

Mathematics Performance........................................................................................................................................11–2010

Mathematics Achievements Gaps .............................................................................................................................12–2010

Writing Performance of Students in Grades 8 and 12...............................................................................................14–2008

Economics Performance of Students in Grade 12 .....................................................................................................15–2008

Poverty and Student Mathematics Achievement.......................................................................................................15–2006

Reading and Mathematics Score Trends ...................................................................................................................13–2010

Achievement in the Arts...........................................................................................................................................14–2010

Reading and Mathematics Achievement at 5th Grade ..............................................................................................16–2007

International Comparisons of Reading Literacy in Grade 4 ......................................................................................18–2008

International Comparisons of Mathematics Literacy ................................................................................................17–2006

International Trends in Mathematics Performance....................................................................................................15–2009

International Mathematics Content .........................................................................................................................15–2010

International Comparisons of Science Literacy.........................................................................................................19–2008

Science Performance of Students in Grades 4, 8, and 12...........................................................................................13–2007

Indicator–Year

List of Indicators on The Condition of Education Website (2003–2010)
Indicators on the Website 23

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe

International Trends in Science Performance............................................................................................................ 16–2009

International Science Content.................................................................................................................................. 16–2010

U.S. History Performance of Students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 .................................................................................. 14–2003

Geography Performance of Students in Grades 4, 8, and 12..................................................................................... 13–2003

Adult Literacy

Trends in Adult Literacy........................................................................................................................................... 18–2007

Trends in Adult Literary Reading Habits.................................................................................................................. 15–2005

Adult Reading Habits............................................................................................................................................... 20–2006

Social and Cultural Outcomes

Education and Health .............................................................................................................................................. 12–2004

Youth Neither in School nor Working...................................................................................................................... 19–2007

Economic Outcomes

Annual Earnings of Young Adults............................................................................................................................. 17–2010

Employment Outcomes of Young Adults by Race/Ethnicity..................................................................................... 17–2005

Section 3—Student Effort and Educational Progress

Student Attitudes and Aspirations

Time Spent on Homework....................................................................................................................................... 21–2007

Student Preparedness................................................................................................................................................ 22–2007

Postsecondary Expectations of 12th-Graders ............................................................................................................ 23–2006

Indicator–Year
24 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

Student Effort

Student Absenteeism ................................................................................................................................................24–2006

Elementary/Secondary Persistence and Progress

Grade Retention of 16- to 19-Year-Olds...................................................................................................................25–2006

Grade Retention.......................................................................................................................................................18–2009

Public High School Graduation Rates......................................................................................................................18–2010

Students With Disabilities Exiting School With a Regular High School Diploma ....................................................22–2008

Event Dropout Rates by Family Income, 1972–2001...............................................................................................16–2004

Status Dropout Rates ...............................................................................................................................................19–2010

Transition to College

Immediate Transition to College ..............................................................................................................................20–2010

International Comparison of Transition to Postsecondary Education........................................................................17–2004

Postsecondary Persistence and Progress

Remediation and Degree Completion ......................................................................................................................18–2004

Transfers From Community Colleges to 4-Year Institutions .....................................................................................19–2003

Institutional Retention and Student Persistence at 4-Year Institutions ......................................................................20–2003

Postsecondary Graduation Rates...............................................................................................................................21–2010

Completions

Educational Attainment ...........................................................................................................................................22–2010

Degrees Earned ........................................................................................................................................................23–2010

Postsecondary Attainment of 1988 8th-Graders .......................................................................................................22–2003

Indicator–Year

List of Indicators on The Condition of Education Website (2003–2010)
Indicators on the Website 25

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe

Advanced Degree Completion Among Bachelor’s Degree Recipients........................................................................32–2006

Persistence and Attainment of Students With Pell Grants.........................................................................................23–2003

Section 4—Contexts of Elementary and Secondary Education

School Characteristics and Climate

Characteristics of Public Schools ..............................................................................................................................24–2010

Student Perceptions of Their School’s Social and Learning Environment..................................................................29–2005

Parents’ Attitudes Toward Schools ............................................................................................................................38–2006

Poverty Concentration in Public Schools..................................................................................................................25–2010

Racial/Ethnic Concentration in Public Schools ........................................................................................................26–2009

Rates of School Crime..............................................................................................................................................36–2007

School Crime and Safety ..........................................................................................................................................26–2010

School Discipline.....................................................................................................................................................28–2009

Teachers and Staff

Characteristics of School Principals ..........................................................................................................................29–2010

Characteristics of Full-Time School Teachers............................................................................................................27–2010

Newly Hired Teachers ..............................................................................................................................................28–2010

Elementary/Secondary School Teaching Among Recent College Graduates..............................................................37–2006

Teacher Turnover......................................................................................................................................................31–2008

Public School Staff ...................................................................................................................................................30–2010

Student Support Staff in Public Schools ...................................................................................................................35–2007

Indicator–Year
26 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

High School Guidance Counseling ..........................................................................................................................27–2004

International Teacher Comparisons..........................................................................................................................29–2009

Learning Opportunities

Parent and Family Involvement in Education...........................................................................................................30–2009

Early Development of Children................................................................................................................................35–2005

Early Literacy Activities............................................................................................................................................33–2006

Care Arrangements for Children After School ..........................................................................................................33–2004

Afterschool Activities................................................................................................................................................29–2007

Availability of Advanced Courses in High Schools....................................................................................................25–2005

Student/Teacher Ratios in Public Schools.................................................................................................................31–2010

Out-of-Field Teaching in Middle and High School Grades.......................................................................................28–2003

Out-of-Field Teaching by Poverty Concentration and Minority Enrollment.............................................................24–2004

School Choice

Charter Schools........................................................................................................................................................32–2010

Parental Choice of School ........................................................................................................................................32–2009

Profile and Demographic Characteristics of Public Charter Schools .........................................................................28–2005

Finance

Public School Revenue Sources ................................................................................................................................33–2010

Public School Expenditures......................................................................................................................................34–2010

Variations in Instruction Expenditures .....................................................................................................................35–2010

Public School Expenditures by District Poverty ........................................................................................................36–2010

Indicator–Year

List of Indicators on The Condition of Education Website (2003–2010)
Indicators on the Website 27

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe

Public Effort to Fund Elementary and Secondary Education.................................................................................... 39–2005

Education Expenditures by Country ........................................................................................................................ 38–2010

Pay Incentives for Teachers....................................................................................................................................... 37–2010

Section 5—Contexts of Postsecondary Education

Characteristics of Postsecondary Students

Racial/Ethnic Concentration in Higher Education................................................................................................... 39–2010

International Students in the United States .............................................................................................................. 39–2009

U.S. Students Studying Abroad................................................................................................................................ 40–2010

Programs and Courses

Undergraduate Fields of Study ................................................................................................................................. 41–2010

Graduate and First-Professional Fields of Study........................................................................................................ 42–2010

Degrees Conferred by Public and Private Institutions............................................................................................... 43–2010

International Comparisons of Degrees by Field ........................................................................................................ 43–2007

Learning Opportunities

Remedial Coursetaking ............................................................................................................................................ 31–2004

Instructional Faculty and Staff Who Teach Undergraduates...................................................................................... 46–2006

Faculty and Staff

Faculty Salary, Benefits, and Total Compensation..................................................................................................... 44–2010

Indicator–Year
28 The Condition of Education 2010 in Brief

College Resources

Electronic Services in Academic Libraries.................................................................................................................33–2005

State Policy

State Transfer and Articulation Policies.....................................................................................................................34–2005

Finance

Institutional Aid at 4-Year Colleges and Universities.................................................................................................37–2004

Price of Attending an Undergraduate Institution......................................................................................................47–2010

Price of Graduate and First-Professional Attendance.................................................................................................48–2010

Debt Burden of College Graduates...........................................................................................................................38–2004

College Student Employment...................................................................................................................................45–2010

Federal Grants and Loans to Undergraduate Students ..............................................................................................46–2010

Public Effort to Fund Postsecondary Education........................................................................................................40–2005

Financial Aid for First-Time Students.......................................................................................................................45–2009

Postsecondary Revenues and Expenditures ...............................................................................................................49–2010

Indicator–Year

List of Indicators on The Condition of Education Website (2003–2010)