In 2022, about 37.7 percent of the U.S. population who were aged 25 and above had graduated from college or another higher education institution, a slight decline from 37.9 the previous year. However, this is a significant increase from 1960, when only 7.7 percent of the U.S. population had graduated from college. Demographics Educational attainment varies by gender, location, race, and age throughout the United States. Asian-American and Pacific Islanders had the highest level of education, on average, while Massachusetts and the District of Colombia are areas home to the highest rates of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher. However, education levels are correlated with wealth. While public education is free up until the 12th grade, the cost of university is out of reach for many Americans, making social mobility increasingly difficult. Earnings White Americans with a professional degree earned the most money on average, compared to other educational levels and races. However, regardless of educational attainment, males typically earned far more on average compared to females. Despite the decreasing wage gap over the years in the country, it remains an issue to this day. Not only is there a large wage gap between males and females, but there is also a large income gap linked to race as well.

In an impressive increase from years past, 39 percent of women in the United States had completed four years or more of college in 2022. This figure is up from 3.8 percent of women in 1940. A significant increase can also be seen in males, with 36.2 percent of the U.S. male population having completed four years or more of college in 2022, up from 5.5 percent in 1940.

4- and 2-year colleges

In the United States, college students are able to choose between attending a 2-year postsecondary program and a 4-year postsecondary program. Generally, attending a 2-year program results in an Associate’s Degree, and 4-year programs result in a Bachelor’s Degree.

Many 2-year programs are designed so that attendees can transfer to a college or university offering a 4-year program upon completing their Associate’s. Completion of a 4-year program is the generally accepted standard for entry-level positions when looking for a job.

Earnings after college

Factors such as gender, degree achieved, and the level of postsecondary education can have an impact on employment and earnings later in life. Some Bachelor’s degrees continue to attract more male students than female, particularly in STEM fields, while liberal arts degrees such as education, languages and literatures, and communication tend to see higher female attendance.

All of these factors have an impact on earnings after college, and despite nearly the same rate of attendance within the American population between males and females, men with a Bachelor’s Degree continue to have higher weekly earnings on average than their female counterparts.

This statistic shows the higher education graduation rate in the United States from the 2000/01 academic year to 2016/17. The graduation rate includes all those who completed their higher education certificate or degree within 150% of normal completion time. The graduation rate has remained relatively constant over time and most recently in 2017/18 the graduation rate stood at 50 percent.

The U.S. Department of Education’s graduation rate, which is reported through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), is a nationally recognized and commonly used metric in higher education. Graduation rate is calculated as the percentage of first‐time, full‐time, degree/certificate seeking students that complete a CCC program within 150% of the estimated time it takes to complete the program.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 25 to 34 years (CGMD2534) from Jan 2000 to Jun 2025 about master's degree, 25 to 34 years, tertiary schooling, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

The Recent College Graduates (RCG) survey estimates the potential supply of newly qualified teachers in the United States and explores the immediate post-degree employment and education experiences of individuals obtaining bachelor's or master's degrees from American colleges and universities. The RCG survey, which focuses heavily, but not exclusively, on those graduates qualified to teach at the elementary and secondary levels, is designed to meet the following objectives: (1) to determine how many graduates become eligible or qualified to teach for the first time and how many are employed as teachers in the year following graduation, by teaching field, (2) to examine the relationship between courses taken, student achievement, and occupational outcomes, and (3) to monitor unemployment rates and average salaries of graduates by field of study. The RCG survey collects information on education and employment of all graduates (date of graduation, field of study, whether newly qualified to teach, further enrollment, financial aid, employment status, and teacher employment characteristics) as well as standard demographic characteristics such as earnings, age, marital status, sex, and race/ethnicity. The 1989-1990 survey (called RCG-91 because the data were collected in 1991) contains four data files. Part 1 contains variables from the main questionnaire and includes information on type of degree received, teaching eligibility, certification, salary, and whether the respondent was unemployed. Also included are transcripts for sampled bachelor degree recipients. Part 2 contains verbatim comments from graduates regarding fields of study, occupation, and parents' occupations. Replicate weights are contained in Part 3, and imputation flags are found in Part 4.

This statistic shows the top metropolitan areas with the highest percentage of college graduates in the United States in 2019. In 2019, Boulder in Colorado was ranked first with 64.8 percent of its population having a Bachelor's degree or higher.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 20 to 24 years (CGMDU2024) from Jan 2000 to Jun 2025 about master's degree, 20 to 24 years, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

College completion rates declined from the 1970s to the 1990s. We document that this trend has reversed--since the 1990s, college completion rates have increased. We investigate the reasons for the increase in college graduation rates. Collectively, student characteristics, institutional resources, and institution attended do not explain much of the change. However, we show that grade inflation can explain much of the change in graduation rates. We show that GPA is a strong predictor of graduation rates and that GPAs have been rising since the 1990s. We also find that in national survey data and rich administrative data from 9 large public universities increases in college GPAs cannot be explained by student demographics, preparation, and school factors. Further, we find that at a public liberal arts college, grades have increased over time conditional on final exam performance.

Graph and download economic data for Wage and Salary Workers Paid Hourly Rates: 16 Years and Over: College Graduates: Bachelor's Degree and Higher (BDAHC5) from 2002 to 2024 about paid, tertiary schooling, salaries, workers, hours, 16 years +, education, wages, rate, and USA.

This dataset shows the percentage of students who graduated from Massachusetts public schools with a regular high school diploma within 4 or 5 years. It is a long file that contains multiple rows for each school and district, with rows for different years and different student groups.

Note: Data is currently available at the school level only, as well as the state overall. For district-level graduation rates, please see the High School Graduation Rates dataset, or the High School Graduation Rates report on our DESE Profiles site.

Economically Disadvantaged was used 2015-2021. Low Income was used prior to 2015, and a different version of Low Income has been used since 2022. Please see the DESE Researcher's Guide for more information. 

For more data about student experiences and outcomes in high school and beyond, please see the main DART: Success After High School dataset and dashboard.

Over the past five years, for-profit universities have faced mounting headwinds amid regulatory tightening, inflation and negative public perception. While data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that overall postsecondary enrollment grew by just 0.5% from 2020 to 2025, enrollment at for-profit institutions shrank by 4.1%. Ballooning student debt and rising tuition, made worse by inflation in 2022 and 2023, have driven many recent graduates and adult learners to second-guess the value of higher education, especially degrees from for-profit schools with poor graduate earnings. Government regulations added further strain as the Biden administration's 2024 reinstatement of gainful employment rules once again linked access to federal funding to graduate debt-to-income ratios. At the same time, for-profit schools battled declining revenue as affordable nonprofit and vocational programs drew away budget-conscious students. Industry revenue has dropped at a CAGR of 0.5% to an estimated $13.6 billion over the five years through 2025. A faltering reputation has played a major role in the industry's decline. According to Federal Student Aid data, for-profit universities are repeatedly criticized for low graduation rates, weak graduate earnings and high student loan default rates—the highest across any demographic. Allegations of predatory practices remain in the headlines, exemplified by Walden University's $28.5 million lawsuit settlement in 2024. Although these institutions offer flexible scheduling and lower tuition rates that appeal to low-income and nontraditional students, the public remains wary. Studies indicate that most programs with no positive return on investment are at for-profit colleges. Meanwhile, stricter government scrutiny and the widespread availability of earnings and debt data have made poor outcomes highly visible, solidifying the negative perception. Many for-profit universities have shuttered, though some have managed to retain profit by closing physical locations. For-profit universities will continue facing a decline over the next five years. IBISWorld expects for-profit university enrollment to drop at an annualized 1.1% through 2030, outpaced by modest growth at nonprofit and vocational schools, where graduates see better employment outcomes. Uncertainty in regulations, including the possible repeal of the 90/10 rule, adds more volatility, while the lack of broad student loan forgiveness will likely suppress affordability and demand. As students and job seekers prioritize educational outcomes and cost, one in seven for-profit universities is expected to close by 2030. For-profit universities' revenue is set to sink at a CAGR of 0.3% to an estimated $13.4 billion through the next five years.

Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force - College Graduates - Bachelor's Degree, 25 to 64 years, Men (CGBDLM2564) from Jan 2000 to Jun 2025 about 25 to 64 years, males, tertiary schooling, civilian, education, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

This dataset tracks annual graduation rate from 2013 to 2023 for Crestview College Preparatory High School vs. Arizona and American Charter Schools Foundation D.B.A. Crestvi (79874) School District

In May 2024, about 4.5 percent of recent college graduates were unemployed in the United States. This was a significant decrease from September 2020, when the unemployment rate among recent college graduates was at nine percent.

This dataset tracks annual graduation rate from 2012 to 2022 for High School Of American Studies At Lehman College vs. New York and New York City Geographic District #10 School District

This statistic shows the graduation rate of students, who was admitted in 2007, attending four-year degree-granting institutions as distinguished by the acceptance rate of the respective institution. In colleges that had open admission, the graduation rate stood at 34 percent of all students who were enrolled in 2007.

Snapshot img

US Community College Market Size 2025-2029

The US community college market size is forecast to increase by USD -7825.8 million, at a CAGR of -2.7% between 2024 and 2029.

The Community College market in the US is experiencing significant shifts driven by the growing emphasis on non-traditional learning and the evolving education marketing process. This trend is fueled by the increasing number of adults returning to education and the need for flexible learning options. However, community colleges face challenges in securing adequate funding, which may hinder their ability to meet the demands of an expanding student population. The education landscape is transforming, with community colleges playing a pivotal role in catering to the needs of non-traditional learners. The marketing process has become increasingly important as institutions compete for students in a crowded market.
Yet, reduced funding poses a significant challenge. Community colleges must navigate this financial obstacle by exploring innovative funding models and cost-effective solutions to maintain their competitiveness and continue providing accessible, affordable education. Adapting to these market dynamics and addressing funding constraints will be crucial for community colleges seeking to capitalize on opportunities and thrive in the evolving educational landscape.

What will be the size of the US Community College Market during the forecast period?

Explore in-depth regional segment analysis with market size data - historical 2019-2023 and forecasts 2025-2029 - in the full report.
Request Free Sample

The community college market in the US is characterized by a shift towards hybrid learning and competency-based education, as resource management and curriculum mapping gain prominence. Student recruitment strategies are increasingly data-driven, with mobile learning and learning analytics playing crucial roles. Institutional advancement efforts include compliance regulations, capital campaigns, and board of trustees engagement. Budget allocation and information technology investments are key areas of focus for administrators, with technology infrastructure and program review shaping the future of education. Faculty governance, endowment management, and professional development are essential components of institutional success.
Skills gap analysis and blended learning are critical in addressing workforce needs, while accreditation standards ensure academic rigor. Personalized learning and alumni relations strengthen student engagement, and faculty recruitment and shared governance foster a collaborative learning environment.

How is this market segmented?

The market research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD million' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Revenue Stream

  Government funds
  Tuition and fees
  Grants and contracts
  Others


Courses

  Associate degree
  TVET certification
  Continuing education
  Bachelors degree


Student Type

  Traditional
  Non-Traditional
  Online
  Recent High School Graduates
  Adult Learners
  Career Changers


Delivery Mode

  On-Campus
  Online
  Hybrid


Subject Area

  STEM
  Healthcare
  Business
  Liberal Arts


Geography

  North America

    US

By Revenue Stream Insights

The government funds segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

Community colleges in the US receive the majority of their revenue from government funds, primarily from state, local, and central sources. These funds support various aspects of college operations, including instructor salaries, staff compensation, and infrastructure improvements. Thirty-two out of the fifty states in the US employ funding formulas to distribute resources to their respective colleges. Some states, such as Washington and Ohio, have adopted performance-based funding models to incentivize enrollment growth and expedite graduation rates. Educational technology plays a significant role in community colleges, with online learning platforms and classroom technology enhancing the learning experience. Dual enrollment programs enable high school students to earn college credits, while GED preparation courses help adults attain their diplomas.

Faculty development and program assessment ensure academic rigor and continuous improvement. International students contribute to campus diversity, with career services and student affairs providing support. Campus safety and accessibility compliance are essential considerations, as are technical skills training, workforce development, certificate programs, and continuing education. Transfer agreements facilitate seamless transitions to four-year institutions, while ESL programs cater to non-native English speakers. Associate degrees and bachelor's

This dataset is accessed from https://www.kaggle.com/jessemostipak/college-tuition-diversity-and-pay and was downloaded on August 4, 2021.

The following excerpt is from Kaggle regarding the sources of this dataset:

The data this week comes from many different sources but originally came from the US Department of Education.

Tuition and fees by college/university for 2018-2019, along with school type, degree length, state, in-state vs out-of-state from the Chronicle of Higher Education. Diversity by college/university for 2014, along with school type, degree length, state, in-state vs out-of-state from the Chronicle of Higher Education. Example diversity graphics from Priceonomics. Average net cost by income bracket from TuitionTracker.org. Example price trend and graduation rates from TuitionTracker.org Salary potential data comes from payscale.com.

This dataset included the following files:

1. diversity_school.csv

2. historical_tuition.csv

3. salary_potential.csv

4. tuition_cost.csv

5. tuition_income.csv

After data cleaning, the data in diversity_school.csv and tuition_cost.csv were merged and the data in salary_potential.csv and tuition_income.csv were merged. The combined datasets were then split based on the US Census Regions into West, Midwest, Northeast and South (https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf).

This dataset consists of a selection of variables extracted from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard 2015/2016. For the original, raw data visit the College Scorecard webpage. This dataset includes variables about institution types, proportion of degree types awarded, student enrollments and demographics, and a number of price and revenue variables. For 2005-2006 data, see here.Note: Data is not uniformly available for all schools on all variables. Variables for which there is no data (NULL), or where data is suppressed for reasons of privacy, are indicated by 999999999.

ATTRIBUTE DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE

ID2 1

UNITIDUnit ID for institution 100654

OPEID 8-digit OPE ID for institution 100200

OPEID6 6-digit OPE ID for institution 1002

State FIPS

1

State

AL

Zip

35762

City

Normal

Institution Name

Alabama A & M University

Institution Type 1 Public 2 Private nonprofit 3 Private for-profit 1

Institution Level 1 4-year 2 2-year 3 Less-than-2-year 1

In Operation 1 true 0 false 1

Main Campus 1 true 0 false 1

Branches Count of the number of branches 1

Popular Degree 1 Predominantly certificate-degree granting 2 Predominantly associate's-degree granting 3 Predominantly bachelor's-degree granting 4 Entirely graduate-degree granting 3

Highest Degree 0 Non-degree-granting 1 Certificate degree 2 Associate degree 3 Bachelor's degree 4 Graduate degree 4

PCIP01 Percentage of degrees awarded in Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences. 0.0446

PCIP03 Percentage of degrees awarded in Natural Resources And Conservation. 0.0023

PCIP04 Percentage of degrees awarded in Architecture And Related Services. 0.0094

PCIP05 Percentage of degrees awarded in Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, And Group Studies. 0

PCIP09 Percentage of degrees awarded in Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs. 0

PCIP10 Percentage of degrees awarded in Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services. 0.0164

PCIP11 Percentage of degrees awarded in Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services. 0.0634

PCIP12 Percentage of degrees awarded in Personal And Culinary Services. 0

PCIP13 Percentage of degrees awarded in Education. 0.1268

PCIP14 Percentage of degrees awarded in Engineering. 0.1432

PCIP15 Percentage of degrees awarded in Engineering Technologies And Engineering-Related Fields. 0.0587

PCIP16 Percentage of degrees awarded in Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics. 0

PCIP19 Percentage of degrees awarded in Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. 0.0188

PCIP22 Percentage of degrees awarded in Legal Professions And Studies. 0

PCIP23 Percentage of degrees awarded in English Language And Literature/Letters. 0.0235

PCIP24 Percentage of degrees awarded in Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities. 0.0423

PCIP25 Percentage of degrees awarded in Library Science. 0

PCIP26 Percentage of degrees awarded in Biological And Biomedical Sciences. 0.1009

PCIP27 Percentage of degrees awarded in Mathematics And Statistics. 0.0094

PCIP29 Percentage of degrees awarded in Military Technologies And Applied Sciences. 0

PCIP30 Percentage of degrees awarded in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies. 0

PCIP31 Percentage of degrees awarded in Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies. 0

PCIP38 Percentage of degrees awarded in Philosophy And Religious Studies. 0

PCIP39 Percentage of degrees awarded in Theology And Religious Vocations. 0

PCIP40 Percentage of degrees awarded in Physical Sciences. 0.0188

PCIP41 Percentage of degrees awarded in Science Technologies/Technicians. 0

PCIP42 Percentage of degrees awarded in Psychology. 0.0282

PCIP43 Percentage of degrees awarded in Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting And Related Protective Services. 0.0282

PCIP44 Percentage of degrees awarded in Public Administration And Social Service Professions. 0.0516

PCIP45 Percentage of degrees awarded in Social Sciences. 0.0399

PCIP46 Percentage of degrees awarded in Construction Trades. 0

PCIP47 Percentage of degrees awarded in Mechanic And Repair Technologies/Technicians. 0

PCIP48 Percentage of degrees awarded in Precision Production. 0

PCIP49 Percentage of degrees awarded in Transportation And Materials Moving. 0

PCIP50 Percentage of degrees awarded in Visual And Performing Arts. 0.0258

PCIP51 Percentage of degrees awarded in Health Professions And Related Programs. 0

PCIP52 Percentage of degrees awarded in Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services. 0.1479

PCIP54 Percentage of degrees awarded in History. 0

Admission Rate

0.6538

Average RetentionRate of retention averaged between full-time and part-time students. 0.4428

Retention, Full-Time Students

0.5779

Retention, Part-Time Students

0.3077

Completion Rate

0.1104

Enrollment Number of enrolled students 4505

Male Students Percentage of the student body that is male. 0.4617

Female Students Percentage of the student body that is female. 0.5383

White Percentage of the student body that identifies as white. 0.034

Black Percentage of the student body that identifies as African American. 0.9216

Hispanic Percentage of the student body that identifies as Hispanic or Latino. 0.0058

Asian Percentage of the student body that identifies as Asian. 0.0018

American Indian and Alaskan Native Percentage of the student body that identifies as American Indian or Alaskan Native. 0.0022

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Percentage of the student body that identifies as Native Hawaiian or Pacific islander. 0.0018

Two or More Races Percentage of the student body that identifies as two or more races. 0

Non-Resident Aliens Percentage of the student body that are non-resident aliens. 0.0062

Race Unknown Percentage of the student body for whom racial identity is unknown. 0.0266

Percent Parents no HS Diploma Percentage of parents of students whose highest level of education is less than high school. 0.019298937

Percent Parents HS Diploma Percentage of parents of students whose highest level of education is high school 0.369436786

Percent Parents Post-Secondary Ed. Percentage of parents of students whose highest level of education is college or above. 0.611264277

Title IV Students Percentage of student body identified as Title IV 743

HCM2 Cash Monitoring Schools identified by the Department of Ed for Higher Cash Monitoring Level 2 0

Net Price

13435

Cost of Attendance

20809

In-State Tuition and Fees

9366

Out-of-State Tuition and Fees

17136

Tuition and Fees (Program) Tuition and fees for program-year schools NULL

Tution Revenue per Full-Time Student

9657

Expenditures per Full-Time Student

7941

Average Faculty Salary

7017

Percent of Students with Federal Loan

0.8159

Share of Students with Federal Loan

0.896382157

Share of Students with Pell Grant

0.860906217

Median Loan Principal Amount upon Entering Repayment

14600

Median Debt for Completed Students Median debt for student who completed a course of study 35000

Median Debt for Incompleted Students Median debt for student who did not complete a course of study 9500

Median Debt for Family Income $0K-$30K Median debt for students of families with less thank $30,000 income 14457

Median Debt for Family Income $30K-$75K Median debt for students of families with $30,000-$75,000 income 15000

Median Debt for Family Income over $75K Median debt for students of families with over $75,000 income 14250

Median Debt Female Students

16000

Median Debt Male Students

13750

Median Debt 1st Gen. Students Median debt for first generation college student 14307.5

Median Debt Not 1st Gen. Students Median debt for not first generation college students 14953

Cumulative Loan Debt Greater than 90% of Students (90th Percentile)

48750

Cumulative Loan Debt Greater than 75% of Students (75th Percentile)

32704

Cumulative Loan Debt Greater than 25% of Students (25th Percentile)

5500

Cumulative Loan Debt Greater than 10% of Students (10th Percentile)

3935.5

Accrediting Agency

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Website

www.aamu.edu/

Price Calculator

www2.aamu.edu/scripts/netpricecalc/npcalc.htm

Latitude

34.783368

Longitude

-86.568502