Archived Information

Financing Postsecondary Education: The Federal Role - October 1995

TABLE 1.
Characteristics of Students in Higher Education and Growth in Numbers of Students: 1985, 1995, and 2005

Percent of all students Percent change in number of students
Characteristic 19851 19952
(Estimated) 		2005
(Projected) 		1985-19951,2
(Estimated) 		1995-20052
(Projected)
Total 100 100 100 18 6
Gender
   Men
   Women
48
52
44
56
45
55
10
25
9
4
Level
   Undergraduate
   Graduate
   First professional
87
11
2
86
12
2
87
11
2
17
26
6
7
-1
-3
Attendance status
   Full-time
   Part-time
58
42
56
44
57
43
14
23
9
2
Control of institution
   Public
   Private
77
23
78
22
78
22
19
13
6
6
Type of institution
   2-year
   4-year
37
63
38
62
39
61
23
15
6
6
Age
   Under 25
   25-34
   Over 35
58
26
15
56
25
20
59
21
20
15
13
55
16
-8
10
Race/ethnicity3
   White
   Black
   Hispanic
   Asian/Pacific Islander
   American Indian/
    Alaskan Native
82
9
4
3
 
1
77
10
7
5
 
1
--
--
--
--
 
--
8
31
85
86
 
46
--
--
--
--
 
--

-- Not available.
1 1984 for race/ethnicity.
2 1993 for race/ethnicity and age.
3 Percentages are based on U.S. residents and citizens only. Nonresident aliens are excluded.
Note: Percentages may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Projections of Education Statistics to 2005 (NCES 95-169), and Digest of Education Statistics 1995 (NCES 95-029).