There were approximately 18.58 million college students in the U.S. in 2022, with around 13.49 million enrolled in public colleges and a further 5.09 million students enrolled in private colleges. The figures are projected to remain relatively constant over the next few years.

What is the most expensive college in the U.S.? The overall number of higher education institutions in the U.S. totals around 4,000, and California is the state with the most. One important factor that students – and their parents – must consider before choosing a college is cost. With annual expenses totaling almost 78,000 U.S. dollars, Harvey Mudd College in California was the most expensive college for the 2021-2022 academic year. There are three major costs of college: tuition, room, and board. The difference in on-campus and off-campus accommodation costs is often negligible, but they can change greatly depending on the college town.

The differences between public and private colleges Public colleges, also called state colleges, are mostly funded by state governments. Private colleges, on the other hand, are not funded by the government but by private donors and endowments. Typically, private institutions are  much more expensive. Public colleges tend to offer different tuition fees for students based on whether they live in-state or out-of-state, while private colleges have the same tuition cost for every student.

The Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) series was designed to provide comprehensive information on various aspects of postsecondary education in the United States and its territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Marshall Islands) and Department of Defense schools outside the United States. Data are available for both public and private two-year and four-year institutions. The HEGIS Fall Enrollment component for 1968 sought enrollment data from institutions of higher education. Key data elements, presented for up to five record types for each institution, include total enrollments of full-time and part-time students by class level, sex, race, and first-time enrollment status, as well as information on the institutions' type of accreditation, type of calendar system, and total number of students.

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.

The Colleges and Universities feature class/shapefile is composed of all Post Secondary Education facilities as defined by the Integrated Post Secondary Education System (IPEDS, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, https://nces.ed.gov/), US Department of Education for the 2018-2019 school year. Included are Doctoral/Research Universities, Masters Colleges and Universities, Baccalaureate Colleges, Associates Colleges, Theological seminaries, Medical Schools and other health care professions, Schools of engineering and technology, business and management, art, music, design, Law schools, Teachers colleges, Tribal colleges, and other specialized institutions. Overall, this data layer covers all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and other assorted U.S. territories. This feature class contains all MEDS/MEDS+ as approved by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Homeland Security Infrastructure Program (HSIP) Team. Complete field and attribute information is available in the ”Entities and Attributes” metadata section. Geographical coverage is depicted in the thumbnail above and detailed in the "Place Keyword" section of the metadata. This feature class does not have a relationship class but is related to Supplemental Colleges. Colleges and Universities that are not included in the NCES IPEDS data are added to the Supplemental Colleges feature class when found. This release includes the addition of 175 new records, the removal of 468 no longer reported by NCES, and modifications to the spatial location and/or attribution of 6682 records.

University-Wise Student Enrollment of Higher Education by Levels in 2074 BS provided by Ministry of Education

An in-depth analysis of global enrollment and graduation rates across major higher education institutions. Compare regional variations, course popularity, dropout rates, and more, offering a robust tool for education strategists and international researchers.

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.

Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Malaysia: Queensland data was reported at 1,174.000 Person in Dec 2024. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1,174.000 Person for Nov 2024. Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Malaysia: Queensland data is updated monthly, averaging 1,615.500 Person from Jan 2002 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 276 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,204.000 Person in Dec 2010 and a record low of 675.000 Person in Jan 2022. Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Malaysia: Queensland data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Education. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G120: Education Statistics: Number of Enrolments.

China Gross Enrollment Rate of Higher Education data was reported at 60.200 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 59.600 % for 2022. China Gross Enrollment Rate of Higher Education data is updated yearly, averaging 24.200 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.200 % in 2023 and a record low of 7.200 % in 1995. China Gross Enrollment Rate of Higher Education data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Education. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GD: Gross Enrollment Rate.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Data covers information on students, staff, graduates, finances, estates, and other populations from all aspects of the UK higher eduation sector.

Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Other Nationalities: New South Wales data was reported at 20,565.000 Person in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 20,499.000 Person for Nov 2024. Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Other Nationalities: New South Wales data is updated monthly, averaging 11,761.000 Person from Jan 2002 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 276 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20,565.000 Person in Dec 2024 and a record low of 3,467.000 Person in Jan 2002. Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Other Nationalities: New South Wales data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Education. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G120: Education Statistics: Number of Enrolments.

School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) in United States was reported at 79.36 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

1. Provide financial ratio data for public colleges and universities.2. The data source is the same as that of the "Financial Ratios of National Schools - Statistics by 'School'" on the Public College and University Affairs Information Open Platform.

It includes Faculty-Wise Student Enrollment of Higher Education in 2074 BS

Germany DE: School Enrollment: Tertiary: % Gross data was reported at 77.366 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 75.666 % for 2021. Germany DE: School Enrollment: Tertiary: % Gross data is updated yearly, averaging 65.184 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2022, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.366 % in 2022 and a record low of 34.185 % in 1991. Germany DE: School Enrollment: Tertiary: % Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

We publish a wide range of tables and charts about students in higher education.

Data is available for 2014/15 onward, unless otherwise specified.