Graduate Education

Most 2019–20 master’s degree students were enrolled in programs at either private or public nonprofit four-year institutions (49.3 percent and 39.2 percent, respectively). Only 11.5 percent of master’s degree students were enrolled at for-profit institutions.

• Master’s degree students enrolled at private nonprofit four-year institutions at a higher rate than at public four-year institutions; this was true for all racial and ethnic groups except for American Indian or Alaska Native students.
• More than six in 10 international students in master’s degree programs were enrolled at private nonprofit four-year institutions (61.4 percent), compared with 36.9 percent enrolled at public four-year institutions—the largest difference in sector enrollment within racial and ethnic groups.
• Among Black or African American master’s degree students, the differences in enrollment across institutional sectors—43.7 percent were enrolled in programs at private nonprofit four-year institutions, 32.9 percent were enrolled at public four-year institutions, and 23.4 percent were enrolled at for-profit institutions—were smaller than differences in institutional sector enrollment of other racial and ethnic groups.
• Around a quarter of Black or African American (23.4 percent) and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (about 25 percent) master’s degree students attended for-profit institutions.