Higher education graduation in the U.S.

Statistics report on graduation in higher education

Higher education graduation in the U.S.

This report presents a range of statistics and facts about higher education graduation in the United States. It includes an overview, and follows up with information on Associate's degrees, Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees, Doctoral degrees, as well as information on debt and unemployment, and salary.

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Table of contents

Overview

5
  • Basic Statistic Degrees earned in higher education U.S. 1950-2032
  • Basic Statistic Number of Associate's degree recipients U.S. 1970-2032
  • Basic Statistic Number of Bachelor's degree recipients U.S. 1869/70-2031/32
  • Basic Statistic Number of Master's degree recipients U.S. 1880-2032
  • Basic Statistic Number of doctoral and first professional degree recipients U.S. 1870-2032

Associate's degree

3
  • Premium Statistic Number of degrees awarded by community colleges U.S. 2021, by type
  • Basic Statistic Associate's degrees earned in the United States 1970-2032, by gender
  • Basic Statistic Associate's degrees earned in the United States 2020/21, by ethnicity

Bachelor's degree

5
  • Basic Statistic Bachelor's degrees earned in the United States by gender 1950-2032
  • Basic Statistic Bachelor's degrees earned in the United States by ethnic group 2020/21
  • Basic Statistic Bachelor's degrees earned in the United States 2020/21, by field of research
  • Premium Statistic Number of Bachelor's degrees awarded U.S. 2021-2022, by gender and subject
  • Premium Statistic Share of U.S. population who had completed a bachelor's degree 2021, by state

Master's degree

4
  • Basic Statistic Master's degrees earned in the United States 1950-2032, by gender
  • Basic Statistic Master's degrees earned in the United States 2020/21, by ethnicity
  • Basic Statistic Master's degrees earned in the United States 2020/21, by field of research
  • Premium Statistic Share of U.S. population who had completed an advanced degree 2021, by state

Doctorate degree

5
  • Basic Statistic Doctoral degrees earned in the United States 1950-2032, by gender
  • Basic Statistic Doctoral degrees earned in the United States 2020/21, by ethnicity
  • Basic Statistic Doctoral degrees earned in the United States 2020/21, by field of research
  • Premium Statistic Median years to complete a doctorate U.S. 1995-2021
  • Premium Statistic Primary sources of financial support for U.S. doctorate recipients 2021

Debt and unemployment

4
  • Basic Statistic Share of U.S. graduates with debt 2003-2019
  • Basic Statistic Average debt of university graduates in the U.S. 2008-2022
  • Basic Statistic Average student debt for a 4-year bachelor's degree, by institution type U.S. 2020/21
  • Basic Statistic U.S. unemployment rate of recent graduates 2016-2024

Salary

4
  • Basic Statistic Highest paying associate's degrees in the U.S. 2021/22, by mid-career pay
  • Basic Statistic U.S. average salary for Bachelor's degree holders 2024, by discipline
  • Basic Statistic Highest paying bachelor's degrees in the U.S. 2021/22, by mid-career pay
  • Basic Statistic U.S. average salary for master's graduates 2024, by discipline
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