U.S. Department of Education Publications & Tools

The U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) offers the following statistical resources and tools devoted to postsecondary education.

What's New from NCES?

Parent's Expectations for Postsecondary Education
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of students in grades 6 through 12 have parents who expect them to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to a recently released study by the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.
Increase in Unsubsidized Stafford Loans Fuels Growth in Federal Borrowing
The percentage of students borrowing unsubsidized Stafford loans more than doubled, from 10 percent to 21 percent, between 1995-96 and 2003-04, according to a new report by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Pending IPEDS Finance Survey Change Announced
In an effort to achieve greater comparability among independent and public institutions, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) is proposing changes to the IPEDS finance survey. The revised survey would require public institutions to allocate operation and maintenance of facilities, depreciation, and interest expenses among all other functional expense categories--just as independent institutions do.

Annual Publications

Projections of Education Statistics to 2016 (2007)
The Condition of Education (2008)
Digest of Education Statistics (2007)

Selected Department of Education Publications

Lippman, L., Guzman, L., Dombrowski Keith, J., Kinukawa, A. Schwalb, R., and Tice, P. (2008). Parent Expectations and Planning for College: Statistical Analysis Report (NCES 2008-079). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.
Wei, C.C., and Berkner, L. (2008). Trends in Undergraduate Borrowing II: Federal Student Loans in 1995–96,1999–2000, and 2003–04 (NCES 2008–179). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.
Li, X. (November 2007). Characteristics of Minority-Serving Institutions and Minority Undergraduates Enrolled in These Institutions (NCES 2008-156). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Kewal Ramani, A., Gilbertson, L., Fox, M., and Provasnik, S. (September 2007). Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Minorities (NCES 2007-039). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Knapp, L. (September, 2007). Postsecondary Institutions in the United States: Fall 2006 and Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2005-06 (NCES 2007166) U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Miller, D., Malley, L., Owen, E. (August, 2007). Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2006. (NCES 2007-006) U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Berkner, L., He, S., Mason, M., and Wheeless, S. (August 2007). Persistence and Attainment of 2003–04 Beginning Postsecondary Students: After Three Years (NCES 2007-169). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Goan, S.K., and Cunningham, A.F. (August, 2007). Differential Characteristics of 2-Year Postsecondary Institutions (NCES 2007-164). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Chen, X. (2007). Part-Time Undergraduates in Postsecondary Education: 2003–04 (NCES 2007-165). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Knapp, L.G., Kelly-Reid, J.E., Whitmore, R.W. (May, 2007). Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2005; Graduation Rates 1999 & 2002 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2005. (NCES 2007-154). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Knapp, L., and Miller, E. (2007) Employees in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2005 and Salaries of Full-time Instructional Faculty (NCES 2007-150). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Nevill, S.C., and Chen, X. (2007). The Path Through Graduate School: A Longitudinal Examination 10 Years After Bachelor’s Degree (NCES 2007-162). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Knapp, L.G., Kelly-Reid, J.E., Whitmore, R.W., and Miller, E. (2006). Postsecondary Institutions in the United States: Fall 2005 and Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2004-05 (NCES 2007-167). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Horn, L. (2006) Placing College Graduation Rates in Context: How 4-Year College Graduation Rates Vary With Selectivity and the Size of Low-Income Enrollment. (NCES 2007-161). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Berkner, L., and Wei, C.C. (2006). 2003–04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04): Undergraduate Financial Aid Estimates for 12 States: 2003–04 (NCES 2006-158). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Berkner, L., and Wei, C.C. (2006). Student Financing of Undergraduate Education: 2003–04, With a Special Analysis of the Net Price of Attendance and Federal Education Tax Benefits (NCES 2006-186). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Choy, S., Li, X. (June, 2006). Dealing With Debt: 1992-93 Bachelor's Degree Recipients 10 Years Later. (NCES 2006-156). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Cunningham, A.F. (Nov., 2005). Changes in Patterns of Prices and Financial Aid (NCES 2006-153). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Berkner, L., Weic C.C., He, S., Lew, S., Cominole, M., and Siegel, P. (June, 2005). 2003-04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04): Undergraduate Financial Aid Estimates for 2003-04 by Type of Institution. (NCES 2005-163). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Peter, K. and Forrest Cataldi, E. (May, 2005). The Road Less Traveled? Students Who Enroll in Multiple Institutions. (NCES 2005-157). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Cunningham, Alisa F., and Milam, J. (March, 2005) Feasibility of a Student Unit Record System Within the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. (NCES 2005–160). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.

Tools

IPEDS Peer Analysis System and Self-Guided Tutorials enable users to compare an institution of the user's choosing to a group of peer institutions by generating reports using selected IPEDS variables of interest.
College Navigator presents data on college and university tuition prices, financial aid, enrollment and programs. The online tool is intended to help college students, prospective students and their families, and others compare the differences among institutions of higher education and the price of attendance at individual institutions.
State Education Data Profiles enables users to search for statewide information in elementary/secondary education, postsecondary education, public libraries and selected demographics for all states in the U.S. You can select up to 4 states to compare at a time.