Higher education - number of degrees 2031

In the 2019/20 academic year, about 4.09 million higher education degrees were earned in the United States. By the 2030/31 academic year, this figure is projected to increase to about 5.06 million degrees.

Number of higher education degrees earned in the United States from 1950 to 2031 (in 1,000s)

Characteristic	Number of degrees in thousands
2030-31*	5,060
2029-30*	4,963
2028-29*	4,870
2027-28*	4,778
2026-27*	4,686
2025-26*	4,603
2024-25*	4,531
2023-24*	4,491
2022-23*	4,461
2021-22*	4,358
2020-21*	4,224
2019-20	4,090.29
2018-19	4,071.1
2017-18	3,996.34
2016-17	3,947.7
2015-16	3,892.87
2014-15	3,846.66
2013-14	3,807.47
2012-13	3,774.55
2011-12	3,740.07
2010-11	3,554.31
2009-10	3,350.68
2008-09	3,205.29
2007-08	3,093.93
2006-07	3,007.74
2005-06	2,936.34
2004-05	2,850.46
2003-04	2,755.2
2002-03	2,623.11
2001-02	2,494.01
2000-01	2,416.12
1999-00	2,384.73
1998-99	2,329.96
1997-98	2,297.73
1996-97	2,288.11
1995-96	2,247.7
1994-95	2,217.7
1993-94	2,205.58
1992-93	2,167.04
1991-92	2,108.43
1990-91	2,024.67
1989-90	1,940.11
1988-89	1,872.72
1987-88	1,834.84
1986-87	1,822.58
1985-86	1,830
1984-85	1,828.45
1983-84	1,818.49
1982-83	1,814.88
1981-82	1,787.81
1980-81	1,752.17
1979-80	1,731.15
1978-79	1,726.75
1977-78	1,743.78
1976-77	1,740.68
1975-76	1,725.68
1974-75	1,665.55
1973-74	1,654.37
1972-73	1,586.7
1971-72	1,507.69
1970-71	1,392.6
1969-70	1,271.41
1959-60**	476.7
1949-50**	496.66

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Release date

October 2021

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Region

United States

Survey time period

1950 to 2020

Supplementary notes

The numbers presented here are total Associate's degrees granted + total Bachelor's degrees granted + total Master's degrees granted + total Doctor's degrees granted.
*Projection
**Does not include Associate's degrees.

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