Pupils ordinarily spend from 6 to 8 years in the elementary grades, which may be preceded by 1 or 2 years in nursery school and kindergarten. Pupils normally complete the entire program through grade 12 by age 17 or 18. A technical or vocational institution offers postsecondary technical training leading to a specific career. An associate degree requires at least 2 years of college-level work, and a bachelor's degree normally can be earned in 4 years. At least 1 year beyond the bachelor's is necessary for a master's degree, while a doctor's degree usually requires a minimum of 3 or 4 years beyond the bachelor's.
Professional schools differ widely in admission requirements and in program length.
Law programs normally require 3 years of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree level. Many of the statistics in this chapter are derived from the statistical activities of the National Center for Education Statistics. In addition, substantial contributions have been drawn from the work of other groups, both government and nongovernment, as shown in the source notes of the appropriate tables. From 1971 to 1984, total elementary and secondary school enrollment decreased every year, reflecting the decline in the school-age population over that period. Public school enrollment in kindergarten through grade eight rose from 27.9 million in fall 1987 to an estimated 33.2 million in fall 1997.