Data are derived from the most current information available as of January 2011.
Number and Type of Colleges [1]
Total: 1,167
Public: 993
Independent: 143
Tribal: 31
Headcount Enrollment (fall 2008)
Total: 12.4 million [2,3]
Credit: 7.4 million [2]
Noncredit: 5 million [3]
Enrolled full time: 40% [2]
Enrolled part time: 60% [2]
Estimated enrollment increase fall 2008– fall 2010: 15% [4]
Student Demographics
2007–2008 [5]
Average age: 28
Median age: 23
21 or younger: 39%
22–39: 45%
40 or older: 15%
First generation to attend college: 42%
Single parents: 13%
Non-U.S. citizens: 6%
Veterans: 3%
Students with disabilities: 12%
Fall 2008 [2]
Women: 58%
Men: 42%
Minorities: 45%
Black: 13%
Hispanic: 16%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 6%
Native American: 1%
Community college students constitute the following percentages of undergraduates (fall 2008) [2]
All U.S. undergraduates: 44%
First-time freshmen: 43%
Native American: 55%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 45%
Black: 44%
Hispanic: 52%
Employment Status (2007–2008) [5]
Full-time students employed full time: 21%
Full-time students employed part time: 59%
Part-time students employed full time: 40%
Part-time students employed part time: 47%
Percentage of Students Applying For/Receiving Financial Aid (2007–2008) [5]
Applied
Any aid: 59%
Federal aid: 42%
Received
Any aid: 46%
Federal grants: 21%
Federal loans: 10%
State aid: 13%
Institutional aid: 11%
Percentage of Federal Aid Received by Community Colleges (2008–2009) [6]
Pell Grants: 31%
Campus based aid: 10%
Academic competitiveness grants: 15%
Average Annual Tuition and Fees (2010–2011) [7]
Community colleges (public, in district): $2,713
4-year colleges (public, in state): $7,605
Degrees and Certificates Awarded (2007–2008) [8]
Associate degrees: 609,016
Certificates: 323,649
Bachelor’s degrees—awarded by 48 public and 82 independent colleges
Revenue Sources (2007–2008) [9]
State funds: 36%
Local funds: 19%
Tuition and fees: 16%
Other: 15%
Federal funds: 14%
On-Campus Housing
Available at 254 public and 62 independent colleges
Sources
- AACC membership database, January 2011.
- NCES. (2008). IPEDS Fall Enrollment Survey. [AACC analysis]
- AACC membership database, 2006. [AACC analysis]
- AACC 2009 and 2010 AACC fall enrollment surveys. [AACC analysis]
- NCES. (2009). 2007–08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:08) [AACC analysis]
- College Board. (2010). Trends in Student Aid: 2010. [AACC analysis]
- College Board. (2010). Trends in College Pricing: 2010.
- NCES. (2008). IPEDS 2008 Completions Survey. [AACC analysis]
- Knapp, Kelly-Reid, & Ginder. (2010). Enrollment in postsecondary institutions, fall 2008; graduation rates, 2002 and 2005 cohorts; and financial statistics, fiscal year 2008 (NCES 2010-152).
- NCES. (2009). IPEDS 2009 Institutional Characteristics Survey. [AACC analysis]