The indicators in this section of The Condition of Education examine features of postsecondary education, many of which parallel those presented in the previous section on elementary and secondary education. There are 24 indicators in this section: 9, prepared for this year's volume, appear on the following pages, and all 24, including indicators from previous years, are on the Web (see the List of Indicators on The Condition of Education website in the Contents section for a full list of the indicators).

Postsecondary education is characterized by diversity both in the types of institutions and in the characteristics of students. Postsecondary institutions vary in terms of the types of degrees awarded, control (public or private), and whether they are operated on a not-for-profit or for-profit basis. Beyond these basic differences, postsecondary institutions have distinctly different missions and provide a wide range of learning environments for students. For example, some institutions are research universities with strong graduate programs, while others focus on undergraduate education; some have a religious affiliation, while others do not; and some have selective entrance policies, while others have more open admissions. The student bodies of postsecondary institutions are diverse in other ways as well. For example, students are from different racial and ethnic groups and many come from foreign countries. Indicators in the first subsection of The Condition of Education found on the following pages and on the website measure these and other dimensions of diversity that are fundamental to the character of postsecondary education.

The second subsection highlights the courses and programs of study in which students enroll, which are an important feature of postsecondary education. Indicators in this volume highlight data on degree completion, which show trends in the fields of study for undergraduate and graduate degree recipients; another indicator compares the distribution of degrees awarded by different types of institutions. Indicators on the Web also present information on the provision of and participation in remedial education and on distance education courses taught by faculty.

Like elementary and secondary schools, postsecondary institutions provide learning opportunities for all students, along with support and accommodations for special populations of students. An indicator on the Web in the third subsection describes data on remedial coursetaking.

Faculty members, highlighted in the fourth subsection, are another defining feature of postsecondary institutions; they teach students, conduct research, and serve their institutions and communities. An indicator in this volume highlights trends in faculty salaries and benefits at different postsecondary levels and across different types of institutions.

Finally, The Condition of Education examines financial support for postsecondary education. Indicators on the Web look at the institutional aid available to students, total and net access price of attending postsecondary institutions, and the debt burden of college graduates. Indicators in this year's volume include the number and characteristics of college students who are employed as well as the types and amounts of financial aid received by first-time students. Another indicator examines the levels and sources of postsecondary revenues and expenditures.

The indicators on the contexts of postsecondary education from previous editions of The Condition of Education, which are not included in this volume, are available at http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe.