Degrees earned in higher education U.S. 1950-2032

Published by
Veera Korhonen,
Mar 24, 2025

In the 2021/22 academic year, about 4.1 million higher education degrees were earned in the United States. By the 2031/32 academic year, this figure is projected to increase to about 4.83 million degrees.

Number of higher education degrees earned in the United States from 1950 to 2032 (in 1,000s)

CharacteristicNumber of degrees in thousands
2031-32* 4,833.19
2030-31* 4,767.55
2029-30* 4,698.16
2028-29* 4,622.42
2027-28* 4,541.2
2026-27* 4,451.91
2025-26* 4,355.79
2024-25* 4,264.26
2023-24* 4,221.04
2022-23* 4,211.12
2021-22 4,107.45
2020-21 4,164.78
2019-20 4,091.38
Showing entries 1 to 13 (65 entries in total)
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of degrees in thousands4,833.194,833.194,767.554,767.554,698.164,698.164,622.424,622.424,541.24,541.24,451.914,451.914,355.794,355.794,264.264,264.264,221.044,221.044,211.124,211.124,107.454,107.454,164.784,164.784,091.384,091.384,071.14,071.13,996.343,996.343,947.73,947.73,892.873,892.873,846.663,846.663,807.473,807.473,774.553,774.553,740.073,740.073,554.313,554.313,350.683,350.683,205.293,205.293,093.933,093.933,007.743,007.742,936.342,936.342,851.772,851.772,756.642,756.642,623.112,623.112,494.012,494.012,416.122,416.122,384.732,384.732,329.962,329.962,297.732,297.732,288.112,288.112,247.72,247.72,217.72,217.72,205.582,205.582,167.042,167.042,108.432,108.432,024.672,024.671,940.111,940.111,872.721,872.721,834.841,834.841,822.581,822.581,8301,8301,828.451,828.451,818.491,818.491,814.881,814.881,787.811,787.811,752.171,752.171,731.151,731.151,726.751,726.751,743.781,743.781,740.681,740.681,725.681,725.681,665.551,665.551,654.371,654.371,586.71,586.71,507.691,507.691,392.61,392.61,271.411,271.41476.7476.7496.66496.662031-32*2030-31*2029-30*2028-29*2027-28*2026-27*2025-26*2024-25*2023-24*2022-23*2021-222020-212019-202018-192017-182016-172015-162014-152013-142012-132011-122010-112009-102008-092007-082006-072005-062004-052003-042002-032001-022000-011999-001998-991997-981996-971995-961994-951993-941992-931991-921990-911989-901988-891987-881986-871985-861984-851983-841982-831981-821980-811979-801978-791977-781976-771975-761974-751973-741972-731971-721970-711969-701959-60**1949-50**
02505007501,0001,2501,5001,7502,0002,2502,5002,7503,0003,2503,5003,7504,0004,2504,5004,7505,0005,2505,500

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Release date

October 2023

Region

United States

Survey time period

1950 to 2022

Supplementary notes

The numbers presented here are total Associate's degrees granted + total Bachelor's degrees granted + total Master's degrees granted + total Doctor's degrees granted.
*Projection
**Does not include Associate's degrees.

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