For many students, college is a big investment – financially and emotionally. However, not everyone that enrolls in college graduates on time.
Here are some of the most interesting college graduations statistics from the US.
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Key College Graduation Statistics and Facts
- Each year, 1.01 million people earn an associate’s degree, while 1.98 million people earn their bachelor’s degree.
- When it comes to higher learning, 820,100 people graduate with a master’s degree, and 184,070 graduate with a doctorate degree each year.
- 42% of American adults have an associate’s degree or higher.
- More than 1 million people drop out of college each year. 75% of those who drop out are first-generation students.
- Students in the top 75th percentile of their class are 5x more likely to graduate than students in the lower percentile.
- Full-time students are 6x more likely to graduate in 6 years than those enrolled part-time.
College Graduation and Employment Statistics
- Approximately 65% of recent college graduates are employed several months after graduating.
- The average salary for a college graduate between 22 and 27 is $44,000 a year.
- People with a bachelor’s degree are 50% more likely to find a job compared to people with just a high school degree.
College Graduates by Demographics Statistics
- White males have the highest rate of graduating with a college degree.
- 80% of computer science students and 78% of computer engineering students are male.
- Only 0.6% of graduates are American Indian/Alaska Native, the lowest of any race or ethnicity.
- Nearly 60% of all college graduates are white. Hispanic or Latino graduates make up 13%, Black and Native American graduates make up 11%, and Asia or Pacific graduates account for 6.6%.
- ⅔ of all students who enroll at age 18 or younger will graduate within five years.
- California has the highest number of college graduates, with 488k people earning a degree each year.
College Graduation Program Statistics
- The University of Notre Dame has the highest graduation rate in the US. 93% of students graduate within four years.
- 18.3% of graduates earn a degree related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
- The most popular major for undergraduate students is business (19.5%), followed by healthcare (12.1%) and social sciences (8.1%).
- The most popular degree for doctorate graduates is in the medical field (43.6%).
FAQs
What are the most common types of college degrees and fields of study?
Nearly 1 in every 4 undergraduates is a business major. Health sciences, social sciences, and engineering are also popular degrees for undergraduates.
Business is also the most popular degree for a master’s program, while medical and health sciences take the number one spot for doctorate programs.
What percent of the population is with a college degree?
In the United States, approximately 42% of people (92 million) age 25 and older have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
That’s a major increase from the 1940s when only 5% of citizens had higher education.
Only 13% of the population holds a master’s degree or higher.
What is the average college graduation rate?
60% of students enrolled at a public university will graduate within six years.
Private non-profit universities have a 67% graduation rate, while private for-profile colleges only have a 25% graduation rate.
However, the community college has the lowest graduation rate, with only 20% of students finishing on time.
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Conclusion
Although most students who enroll in college plan to graduate, that’s not always the case.
These college graduation statistics shed light on the importance of obtaining a degree and if it’s worth the effort and time.
Sources:
- Education Data
- Forbes
- Think Impact
- US News
- Best Colleges