| Number of degrees (in thousands) | |
|---|---|
| 2026-27* | 4,493 |
| 2025-26* | 4,441 |
| 2024-25* | 4,384 |
| 2023-24* | 4,325 |
| 2022-23* | 4,253 |
| 2021-22* | 4,100 |
| 2020-21* | 4,177 |
| 2019-20* | 4,027 |
| 2018-19* | 3,956 |
| 2017-18* | 3,905 |
| 2016-17* | 3,860 |
| 2015-16* | 3,840 |
| 2014-15 | 3,846.16 |
| 2013-14 | 3,807.48 |
| 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 | 3,093.28 |
| 2006-07 | 3,007.49 |
| 2005-06 | 2,936.1 |
| 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 |
The graph shows the number of higher education degrees earned in the United States from 1949/50 to 2014/15. Projected numbers are displayed from 2015/16 to 2026/27. In 2014/15 academic year, about 3.8 million degrees were earned in the United States.
