Fun Facts

• In 2002, people with a bachelor's degree earned 71% more than high school graduates.
• Enrollment in 2 year colleges is projected to grow from 6M to 6.6M between 2004 and 2012.
• Enrollment in 4 year colleges is projected to grow from 7.6M to 8.6M between 2004 and 2012.
• 64% of the 2003 high school graduating class went directly to college.
• The projected number of students enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities this fall is 16.7 million. This is up from 12.1 million a quarter-century ago.
• $10,660 Average tuition, room, and board (for in-state students) at the nation's four-year public colleges and universities for an entire academic year; that is double the corresponding figure in 1990.
• The average annual earnings of workers age 18 and over with an advanced degree is $74,602. This compares with $51,206 a year for those with bachelor's degrees, $27,915 for those with a high school diploma only and $18,734 for those without a high school diploma.
• Average starting salary offered to bachelor's degree candidates in petroleum engineering is $55,987, among the highest of any field of study. At the other end of the spectrum were those majoring in the social sciences; they were offered an average of $29,098