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Degrees in higher education in the United States 1950-2028

Number of higher education degrees earned in the United States from 1950 to 2028 (in thousand)

The data displays the number of higher education degrees earned in the U.S. from 1949/50 to 2015/16. Projected numbers are displayed from 2016/17 to 2027/28. In 2015/16 academic year, about 3.89 million degrees were earned in the U.S.

2027-28 3990
2026-27 3981
2025-26 3965
2024-25 3951
2023-24 3937
2022-23 3925
2021-22 3916
2020-21 3905
2019-20 3898
2018-19 3878
2017-18 3860
2016-17 3881
2015-16 3892.49
2014-15 3846.66
2013-14 3807.47
2012-13 3774.55
2011-12 3740.07
2010-11 3554.31
2009-10 3350.68
2008-09 3205.29
2007-08 3093.28
2006-07 3007.49
2005-06 2936.1
2004-05 2850.46
2003-04 2755.2
2002-03 2623.11
2001-02 2494.01
2000-01 2416.12
1999-00 2384.73
1998-99 2329.96
1997-98 2297.73
1996-97 2288.11
1995-96 2247.7
1994-95 2217.7
1993-94 2205.58
1992-93 2167.04
1991-92 2108.43
1990-91 2024.67
1989-90 1940.11
1988-89 1872.72
1987-88 1834.84
1986-87 1822.58
1985-86 1830
1984-85 1828.45
1983-84 1818.49
1982-83 1814.88
1981-82 1787.81
1980-81 1752.17
1979-80 1731.15
1978-79 1726.75
1977-78 1743.78
1976-77 1740.68
1975-76 1725.68
1974-75 1665.55
1973-74 1654.37
1972-73 1586.7
1971-72 1507.69
1970-71 1392.6
1969-70 1271.41
1959-60 476.7
1949-50 496.66