What is the percentage of degrees conferred by sex and race?

From 1999–2000 to 2009–10, the percentage of degrees earned by females remained between approximately 60 and 62 percent for associate's degrees and between 57 and 58 percent for bachelor's degrees. In contrast, the percentages of both master's and doctor's degrees earned by females increased from 1999–2000 to 2009–10 (from 58 to 60 percent and from 45 to 52 percent, respectively). Within each racial/ethnic group, women earned the majority of degrees at all levels in 2009–10. For example, among U.S. residents, Black females earned 68 percent of associate's degrees, 66 percent of bachelor's degrees, 71 percent of master's degrees, and 65 percent of all doctor's degrees awarded to Black students. Hispanic females earned 62 percent of associate's degrees, 61 percent of bachelor's degrees, 64 percent of master's degrees, and 55 percent of all doctor's degrees awarded to Hispanic students.

From 1999–2000 to 2009–10, the number of degrees earned among U.S. residents increased for students of all racial/ethnic groups for each level of degree, but at varying rates. For associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, the change in percentage distribution of degree recipients was characterized by an increase in the numbers of degrees conferred to Black and Hispanic students. For doctor's degrees, the change in percentage distribution of degree recipients was characterized by an increase in the numbers of degrees conferred to Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander students.

Among U.S. residents, the number of associate's degrees earned by Hispanic students more than doubled from academic years 1999–2000 to 2009–10 (increasing by 118 percent), and the number earned by Black students increased by 89 percent. As a result, Blacks earned 14 percent and Hispanics earned 13 percent of all associate's degrees awarded in 2009–10, up from 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in 1999–2000. During the same time period, the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Black students increased by 53 percent, and the number awarded to Hispanic students increased by 87 percent. In 2009–10, Black students earned 10 percent and Hispanics earned 9 percent of all bachelor's degrees conferred, versus the 9 and 6 percent, respectively, earned in 1999–2000. Similarly, the numbers of master's degrees earned by Black and Hispanic students more than doubled from 1999–2000 to 2009–10 (increasing by 109 percent and 125 percent, respectively). As a result, among U.S. residents in 2009–10, Black students earned 12 percent and Hispanics earned 7 percent of all master's degrees conferred, up from 9 percent and 5 percent, respectively, in 1999–2000. In addition, the number of doctor's degrees awarded increased by 60 percent for Hispanic students and by 47 percent for Black students.


SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). The Condition of Education 2012 (NCES 2012-045),
Indicator 47.

Number of degrees conferred to U.S. residents by degree-granting institutions, percentage distribution of degrees conferred, and percentage of degrees conferred to females, by level of degree and race/ethnicity: Academic years 1999–2000 and 2009–10
Level of degree and race/ethnicity	Number		Percentage distribution		Percent conferred to females
	1999–2000	2009–10	1999–2000	2009–10	1999–2000	2009–10
Associate's	554,845	833,337	100.0	100.0	60.3	62.0
White	408,772	552,863	73.7	66.3	59.8	60.9
Black	60,221	113,905	10.9	13.7	65.2	68.3
Hispanic	51,573	112,211	9.3	13.5	59.4	62.4
Asian/Pacific Islander	27,782	44,021	5.0	5.3	56.8	58.5
American Indian/Alaska Native	6,497	10,337	1.2	1.2	65.8	64.9
Bachelor's	1,198,809	1,602,480	100.0	100.0	57.5	57.4
White	929,106	1,167,499	77.5	72.9	56.6	56.0
Black	108,013	164,844	9.0	10.3	65.7	65.9
Hispanic	75,059	140,316	6.3	8.8	59.6	60.7
Asian/Pacific Islander	77,912	117,422	6.5	7.3	54.0	54.5
American Indian/Alaska Native	8,719	12,399	0.7	0.8	60.3	60.7
Master's	406,761	611,693	100.0	100.0	60.0	62.6
White	324,981	445,038	79.9	72.8	59.6	61.8
Black	36,595	76,458	9.0	12.5	68.2	71.1
Hispanic	19,384	43,535	4.8	7.1	60.1	64.3
Asian/Pacific Islander	23,538	42,072	5.8	7.0	52.0	54.3
American Indian/Alaska Native	2,263	3,960	0.6	0.6	62.7	64.3
Doctor's1	106,494	140,505	100.0	100.0	47.0	53.3
White	82,984	104,426	77.9	74.3	45.4	51.4
Black	7,080	10,417	6.6	7.4	61.0	65.2
Hispanic	5,039	8,085	4.7	5.8	48.4	55.0
Asian/Pacific Islander	10,684	16,625	10.0	11.8	48.8	56.5
American Indian/Alaska Native	707	952	0.7	0.7	52.9	54.8

¹ Includes Ph.D., Ed.D., and comparable degrees at the doctoral level. Includes most degrees formerly classified as first-professional, such as M.D., D.D.S., and law degrees.


NOTE: NOTE: Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Reported racial/ethnic distributions of students by type of degree, field of degree, and sex were used to estimate race/ethnicity for students whose race/ethnicity was not reported. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Nonresident aliens are excluded because information about their race/ethnicity is not available. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.


SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012).