Approximately 57 percent of full-time, first-time bachelor's or equivalent degree-seekers in 2002 attending four-year institutions completed a bachelor's or equivalent degree at the institution where they began their studies within six years. This First Look report presents findings from the spring 2009 data collection of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences.

This collection included five components: Student Financial Aid for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2008-09 academic year, enrollment for fall 2008, graduation rates within 150 percent of normal program completion, graduation rates within 200, and Finance for fiscal year 2008. Other findings include:

• Four-year public institutions received 18 percent of their revenues from tuition and fees, compared to 36 percent at private, not-for-profit institutions and 88 percent at private, for-profit institutions.
• At public 4-year institutions, 26 percent of expenses were for instruction, compared to 39 percent of expenses at public 2-year institutions.
• In fall 2008, Title IV institutions in the U.S. enrolled a total of 19.6 million graduate and undergraduate students; 62 percent were enrolled in 4-year institutions, 36 percent were enrolled in 2-year institutions, and 2 percent were enrolled in less-than-2-year institutions.
• During the 2007-08 academic year, 76 percent of the 2.9 million full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates attending Title IV institutions located in the U.S. received financial aid.

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The 45th in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest's primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons. Other findings include:

• Record levels of total elementary, secondary, and college enrollment are expected through at least 2018.
• The status dropout rate – that is, the percentage of 16 to 24 year olds not enrolled in school and who have not received either a diploma or an equivalency credential – declined from 13 percent in 1988 to 8 percent in 2008. The percentage of young adults (25 to 29 year olds) who completed high school in 2009 was about the same as it was in 1999 (89 and 88 percent, respectively).
• Expenditures for public and private education, from prekindergarten through graduate school (excluding postsecondary schools not awarding associate's or higher degrees), are estimated at $1.1 trillion for 2008-09. Total expenditures for education are expected to amount to 7.6 percent of the gross domestic product in 2008-09, about 0.7 percentage points higher than in 1998-99.

The Digest of Education Statistics (NCES 2010-013) and the Mini-Digest (NCES 2010-014) are reports from the National Center for Education Statistics of the Institute of Education Sciences.

To view full reports please visit the digest and mini-digest links.