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     Women made up 56 percent (about 8 million) of the undergraduate student population and 59 percent (about 2 million) of the graduate students in 2005, according to the latest data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau on school enrollment in the United States.

     The package of 15 tables from the Current Population Survey (CPS) shows characteristics of the population age 3 and older enrolled in classes — from nursery school through graduate studies — as well as those in vocational training.

     Other highlights:

• About half (49 percent) of 18- and 19-year-olds were enrolled in college in 2005.
• The majority of undergraduate students were enrolled in four-year colleges 69 percent). Of those enrolled in four-year colleges, 81 percent attended full time.
• Half of all graduate students (52 percent) were enrolled part time.
• More than half of all students enrolled in vocational courses worked full time (60 percent) and of those students, more than half (56 percent) were men.
• Of all students in vocational courses, the largest group was 45- to 64-year-olds at 29 percent, followed by 25- to 34-year-olds at 24 percent.
• Six-in-10 4-year-olds were enrolled in preschool.

     The tables provide information by age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, family income, type of college and employment status — all for the nation as a whole. The data are from the 2005 CPS October supplement.