Table 7.5. Number and percentage distribution of degrees conferred by degree-granting institutions, by race/ethnicity, sex, and type of degree: 2002-03
Race/ethnicity and sex
Total
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral
First–
professional1
Number of degrees
Total degrees conferred2
2,620,665
632,873
1,348,322
512,676
45,994
80,800
White, non-Hispanic
Male
787,237
178,965
429,958
133,248
13,459
31,607
Female
1,073,063
258,807
564,360
208,554
14,258
27,084
Black, non-Hispanic
Male
82,858
25,523
41,455
12,794
914
2,172
Female
169,261
49,911
82,733
31,477
1,599
3,541
Hispanic
Male
73,377
26,290
35,065
9,247
747
2,028
Female
112,420
39,866
53,976
15,724
819
2,035
Asian/Pacific Islander
Male
72,545
14,042
40,151
12,480
1,247
4,625
Female
87,312
18,561
47,660
14,755
1,169
5,167
American Indian/Alaska Native
Male
7,870
2,624
3,858
1,022
73
293
Female
13,022
4,846
5,945
1,819
119
293
Percentage distribution
Total degrees conferred2
100.0
24.1
51.4
19.6
1.8
3.1
White, non-Hispanic
Male
100.0
22.7
54.6
16.9
1.7
4.0
Female
100.0
24.1
52.6
19.4
1.3
2.5
Black, non-Hispanic
Male
100.0
30.8
50.0
15.4
1.1
2.6
Female
100.0
29.5
48.9
18.6
0.9
2.1
Hispanic
Male
100.0
35.8
47.8
12.6
1.0
2.8
Female
100.0
35.5
48.0
14.0
0.7
1.8
Asian/Pacific Islander
Male
100.0
19.4
55.3
17.2
1.7
6.4
Female
100.0
21.3
54.6
16.9
1.3
5.9
American Indian/Alaska Native
Male
100.0
33.3
49.0
13.0
0.9
3.7
Female
100.0
37.2
45.7
14.0
0.9
2.3
1 A degree that signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree. This degree usually is based on a program requiring at least 2 academic years of work prior to entrance and a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete the degree program, including both prior required college work and the professional program itself. First professional degrees are awarded in the fields of dentistry, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, and theological professions.
2 Includes degrees conferred to nonresident aliens.
NOTE: Numbers within each degree do not sum to totals because degrees conferred to nonresident aliens are not shown separately on table. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 2004 (forthcoming), based on Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Fall 2003.
