In 2006, three-fourths of 4-year college freshmen who had graduated from high school in the previous 12 months attended an in-state college, and one-fourth attended an out-of-state college.

The majority of college freshmen attend colleges in the same state in which they graduate from high school; however, many freshmen, particularly those attending 4-year institutions, attend out-of-state colleges. This indicator compares the percentage of college freshmen who had graduated from high school in the previous 12 months and who attended an in-state public or private not-for-profit 4-year college or university (hereafter referred to as the freshman in-state attendance percentage) in 2006 and 1996.¹ In 2006, the national freshman in-state attendance percentage was about 75 percent, which was similar to the percentage for 1996 (74 percent; see tables 10-1 and 10-2).

In 2006, the freshman in-state attendance percentage ranged from 28 percent in the District of Columbia and 40 percent in New Jersey to 89 percent in Louisiana and 90 percent in Utah. Altogether, there were 11 states in which the freshman in-state attendance percentage was 85 percent or more, and 12 states and the District of Columbia in which it was 60 percent or less. There were some regional patterns, with many of the southern states having relatively high freshman in-state attendance percentages. For example, 8 of the 11 states with freshman in-state attendance percentages over 85 percent were southern states. Seven of the 13 jurisdictions with freshman in-state attendance percentages below 60 percent were Northeastern states. Although classified as southern areas, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia also had freshman in-state attendance percentages below 60 percent. The other states with freshman in-state attendance percentages below 60 percent were Alaska, Hawaii, and Wyoming.

In Massachusetts, Delaware, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia, 50 percent or more of the freshmen enrolled in their 4-year colleges were from out-of-state.

Between 1996 and 2006, there was a relatively large increase in the freshman in-state attendance percentage in some states. In Alaska, it increased 15 percentage points (from 44 to 59 percent), and in Nevada, Florida, and New Mexico, it increased more than 10 percentage points. In contrast, the freshman in-state attendance percentage decreased by 11 percentage points in Delaware and by 15 percentage points in the District of Columbia.

¹ Freshmen who attended private for-profit 4-year colleges are not included because some large institutions enroll distance education students only. (back to text)