Fast Facts

Educational institutions

Question:
How many educational institutions exist in the United States?

Response:
During most of the last century, the trend to consolidate small schools brought declines in the total number of public schools in the United States. In 1929�, there were approximately 248,000 public schools, compared with about 99,000 in 2009�. However, this number has increased over the past 10 years: between 1999�00 and 2009�, there was an increase of approximately 6,800 schools. Since the early 1970s, public school systems have been shifting away from junior high schools (schools consisting of either grades 7 and 8 or grades 7 to 9) and toward middle schools (a subset of elementary schools beginning with grade 4, 5, or 6 and ending with grade 6, 7, or 8). Although the number of all elementary schools (schools beginning with grade 6 or below and having no grade higher than 8) was about 64,000 in both 1970� and 1999�00, the number of middle schools was 454 percent higher in 1999�00 than in 1970� (11,500 vs. 2,100). During the same period, the number of junior high schools declined by 54 percent (from 7,800 in 1970� to 3,600 in 1999�00). Between 1999�00 and 2009�, the number of all elementary schools rose by 5 percent to 67,100, while the subset of middle schools rose by 14 percent to 13,200. During the same period, the number of junior high schools declined by 17 percent to 3,000.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Chapter 2.

� Not available.

¹Includes special education, alternative, and other schools not classified by grade span.

² Data for 1980-81 and 1990-91 include schools with first or higher grades. Data for 1999-2000 and later years include schools with kindergarten or higher grades.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Table 5.

Related Tables and Figures:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 103. Public elementary and secondary schools, by level, type, and state or jurisdiction: 1990-91, 2000-01, and 2009-10
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 63. Number and percentage distribution of private elementary and secondary students, teachers, and schools, by orientation of school and selected school and student characteristics: Fall 1999, fall 2007, and fall 2009
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 64. Private elementary and secondary enrollment, number of schools, and average tuition, by school level, orientation, and tuition: 1999�00, 2003�, and 2007-08
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 91. Number of public school districts and public and private elementary and secondary schools: Selected years, 1869-70 through 2009-10
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 98. Public elementary and secondary schools, by level of school: Selected years, 1967-68 through 2009-10
  
• 2012, Digest of Education Statistics 2011, Table 99. Number and percentage distribution of public elementary and secondary schools and enrollment, by level, type, and enrollment size of school: 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10
  

Other Resources:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2011, Common Core of Data (CCD) School and Agency Reports: This site provides annual reports describing public schools and their characteristics (type; magnet, charter, and Title I status; urbanicity; size) and counts of students.
  
• 2009, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Compendium Tables: This site provides links to data tables including counts of postsecondary institutions.
  
• 2009, IPEDS College Navigator
  
• 2009, Private School Universe Survey (PSS): This site provides access to information on the PSS as well as links to reports and data tables using PSS data.
  
• 2009, Search for Private Schools - PSS School Locator
  
• 2009, Search for Public Schools - CCD School Locator