Enrollment in Educational Institutions, 1869–2020

Updated July 8, 2021 | Infoplease Staff

Find below the number of students enrolled in U.S. educational institutions, in thousands.

Year Public elementary and
secondary schools		 Private elementary and
secondary schools1		 Degree-granting institutions2
Total Pre-K
through
grade 8		 Grades 9
through 12		 Total Pre-K
through
grade 8		 Grades 9
through 12		 Total Public Private
1869–70 6,872 6,792 80 — — — 52 — —
1879–80 9,868 9,757 110 — — — 116 — —
1889–90 12,723 12,520 203 1,611 1,516 95 157 — —
1899–1900 15,503 14,984 519 1,352 1,241 111 238 — —
1909–10 17,814 16,899 915 1,558 1,441 117 355 — —
1919–20 21,578 19,378 2,200 1,699 1,486 214 598 — —
1929–30 25,678 21,279 4,399 2,651 2,310 341 1,101 — —
1939–40 25,434 18,832 6,601 2,611 2,153 458 1,494 797 698
1949–50 25,111 19,387 5,725 3,380 2,708 672 2,659 1,355 1,304
Fall 1959 35,182 26,911 8,271 5,675 4,640 1,035 3,640 2,181 1,459
Fall 1969 45,550 32,513 13,037 5,5003 4,2003 1,3003 8,005 5,897 2,108
Fall 1970 45,894 32,558 13,336 5,363 4,052 1,311 8,581 6,428 2,153
Fall 1980 40,877 27,647 13,231 5,331 3,992 1,339 12,097 9,457 2,640
Fall 1985 39,422 27,034 12,388 5,557 4,195 1,362 12,247 9,479 2,768
Fall 1990 41,217 29,878 11,338 5,234 4,084 1,150 13,819 10,845 2,974
Fall 1995 44,840 32,341 12,500 5,662 4,465 1,197 14,262 11,092 3,169
Fall 2000 47,204 33,688 13,515 6,1554 4,8684 1,2874 15,312 11,753 3,560
Fall 2005 49,113 34,204 14,909 6,073 4,724 1,349 17,487 13,022 4,466
Fall 2010 49,484 34,625 14,860 5,382 4,084 1,299 21,019 15,142 5,877
Fall 2015 50,094 35,182 14,912 4,899 3,744 1,155 20,234 14,646 5,588
Fall 2020 50,700 35,500 15,200 5,800 4,500 1,300 17,491 12,842 4,618
NOTE: Elementary and secondary enrollment excludes home-schooled children. Based on the National Household Education Survey, there were approximately 850,000 home-schooled children in spring 1999.
1. Beginning in fall 1980, data include estimates for an expanded universe of private schools. Direct comparisons with earlier years should be avoided.
2. Two- and four-year institutions eligible to participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs.
 
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics.

 

School Enrollment and Educational Attainment
School Enrollment and Educational Attainment
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