Postsecondary Profile

The American postsecondary education system is comprised of a broad spectrum of programs, ranging from 4-year universities offering bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees to vocational institutions offering occupational training of less than 1 year.

However, higher education continues to become less affordable for students and families as relative state and federal funding for colleges and universities drops, including student financial aid programs. At the same time, colleges and universities are raising tuition costs and fees, averaging an increase of 10% in 2002-2003. The tuition increases are so significant that they greatly outpace the 2% annual increase of per capita income for most Americans. Unfortunately, even with increased tuition revenues, many campuses operating without additional financial support from the government will be subject to cutbacks, including reduced enrollment sizes, faculty and staff paycuts, reduced research and development, elimination of extracurricular activities - and the inability to purchase educational supplies such as books for libraries. Research also projects a 15% increase from 2002 to 2012 in the number of students graduating high school seeking to enroll in a postsecondary institution.

The result? An urgent call for financial support to aid students and schools during the education crunch and help maintain America's high education standards and unlimited learning opportunities.

• 11.5 million full-time equivalent undergraduates enrolled during 2001-2002 academic year received almost $90 billion in financial aid, averaging $7,827.
• For college students the median undergraduate debt is $16,500; the average debt upon graduation is $27,600.
• Average salary for a college graduate with a baccalaureate degree is $35,000.
• The number of bachelor's degrees is expected to increase from 1.2 million in 1999-2000 to 1.4 million by 2011-12, an increase of 16%.