The United States has fallen behind other advanced nations on measures of higher education performance, according to a report recently released by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. The report, Measuring Up 2008, finds persistent gaps in many areas, including high school graduation rates, postsecondary enrollment rates for older adults, college affordability and access and college completion. However, the nation as a whole has demonstrated some improvement in preparing students for college and in enrollment rates for young adults.

According to the study, major gaps in higher education performance include:

• Affordability. The burden of paying for college has increased in every state, particularly for low- and middle-income families. In fact, families in the bottom 20 percent of incomes nationally now pay 55 percent of their incomes to pay for tuition at public, four-year colleges and universities—an increase from 39 percent in 2000.
• College attendance. Although college enrollment rates for young adults are improving, enrollment rates are declining for older adults. Gaps in college access also persist by income, race and ethnicity in every state.
• College completion. Although the U.S. population age 35 and older is second only to Canada in terms of the percentage who hold college degrees, that number is declining for younger adults. Among 25 to 34 year olds, the United States ranks 10th out of 29 countries in the percentage having college degrees.

Overall, however, states’ college participation and completion rates have improved, with 42 percent of high school freshman now likely to enroll in college by age nineteen.

The report is the fifth in a series of biennial report cards that measure the performance of each state and the nation as a whole in higher education performance. Each state receives an A to F grade in each of the performance areas. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education is chaired by former North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt, and the project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Lumina Foundation.

Related Links:

• Press Release
• Full Report