The number of associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees conferred by private for-profit institutions increased by a larger percentage than the number conferred by public and private not-for-profit institutions between 1996-97 and 2006-07.

Between 1996-97 and 2006-07, the number of postsecondary degrees conferred by public and private institutions generally increased for each type of degree, although at varying rates. For associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, the percentage increases were larger for private for-profit institutions than for public and private not-for-profit institutions. During this period, the share of these degrees conferred by private for-profit institutions increased from 3 to 8 percent.

The number of associate's degrees conferred by private for-profit institutions more than doubled between 1996-97 and 2006-07, from 56,600 to 117,800 degrees. For public institutions, the number of associate's degrees increased by 22 percent (from 465,500 to 566,500 degrees) during this period; for private not-for-profit institutions, the number decreased by 11 percent (from 49,200 to 43,800 degrees). Due to these changes, associate's degrees awarded by private for-profit institutions made up 16 percent of all associate's degrees awarded in 2006-07, up from a 10 percent share in 1996-97 (see table A-42-1).

Between 1996-97 and 2006-07, the number of bachelor's degrees conferred by private for-profit institutions increased from 12,100 to 70,800 degrees, compared with an increase from 776,700 to 975,500 degrees for public institutions and an increase from 384,100 to 477,800 degrees for private not-for-profit institutions. During this period, the number of master's degrees conferred by private for-profit institutions increased from 5,100 to 50,900 degrees. The numbers of master's degrees awarded by public and private not-for-profit institutions also increased during this period but at slower rates, from 233,200 to 292,000 and from 181,000 to 262,000, respectively. A shift was evident in the share of master's degrees awarded by institution type: in 1996-97, public institutions awarded 56 percent of all master's degrees and private for-profit institutions awarded 1 percent; in 2006-07, public institutions awarded 48 percent of all master's degrees and private for-profit institutions awarded 8 percent. The share awarded by private not-for-profit institutions remained at 43 percent for both academic years.

The total number of first-professional degrees increased by 14 percent (from 78,700 to 90,100 degrees) between 1996-97 and 2006-07, with few changes in the proportion of degrees awarded by type of institution. In 2006-07, private not-for-profit institutions awarded 59 percent of first-professional degrees. Degrees from public institutions accounted for 41 percent, while degrees from private for-profit institutions made up less than 1 percent of all first-professional degrees. Between 1996-97 and 2006-07, the number of doctoral degrees awarded increased for public institutions from 29,800 to 36,200 degrees, for private not-for-profit institutions from 15,700 to 22,500 degrees, and for private for-profit institutions from 340 to 1,900 degrees.

The increase in the number of degrees conferred corresponded to an increase in the total number of degree-granting institutions, particularly in the number of private for-profit institutions. Between 1996-97 and 2006-07, there was a net decrease in the number of public institutions (from 1,702 to 1,688), consisting of a decrease in the number of 2-year institutions and an increase in the number of 4-year institutions (see table A-42-2). Private institutions had a net gain of 319 institutions during this period, with increases in the numbers of not-for-profit 4-year institutions and for-profit 2- and 4-year institutions. The number of for-profit institutions increased the most, as the number of 2-year institutions increased by 13 percent (from 470 to 533 institutions) and the number of 4-year institutions increased by 215 percent (from 144 to 453 institutions). Although enrollment size is not reported here, the growing number of degree-granting for-profit institutions provides context for the percentage increases in the number of degrees conferred by for-profit institutions.

Technical Notes

Includes degree-granting institutions that participated in Title IV federal financial aid programs. For more information on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and IPEDS classification of institutions, see supplemental note 3 and 8, respectively.