Statistics and Facts – Forbes Advisors

First-generation college students across the United States bring dedication, grit, and a fresh perspective to institutions of higher education. Many of them also face more academic and financial difficulties than their next-generation peers.

Although definitions of college students vary, we consider first-generation students to be students whose parents do not have a four-year college degree. Most colleges use this definition and include students whose parents have completed an associate program or who attended college but did not graduate.

Nationally, about half of college students are considered first generation. If you want to know who these learners are, where they live and what schools they attend, this article is for you.

Overview of the 1st class

Consider the key facts about first graders in the United States from the National Association of Student Human Resources Administrators (NASPA).

• Fifty-six percent of all students in U.S. higher education have a parent without a bachelor’s degree.
• Fewer first-generation college graduates use career planning services such as career fairs and resume support than do continuing generation college graduates.
• First-generation college students are more likely to be from low-income or minority backgrounds and to be parents, caregivers, veterans, or first-generation Americans.
• 28% of first class students are over 30 years old.
• Forty-six percent of first-generation college students participate in extracurricular clubs, compared to 65 percent of continuing-generation students.
• Fewer first-generation college students than continuing generations take on formal leadership roles, conduct research projects with faculty, complete paid internships, or study abroad.

First Generation Student Composition by State

Across the coast, California is one of the largest states in the nation, both in population and area, while Rhode Island is one of the smallest. Despite their differences, these two states top the list of states with the highest percentage of first-generation college students.

Other states with high percentages of freshmen include Southwestern states such as Arizona, Nevada, and Texas, and Southern jurisdictions such as Louisiana and Kentucky. At the bottom of the list are a number of regional states, with New Hampshire and North Dakota reporting the lowest percentages.

We ranked all 50 states by how many first-generation degree-seekers are studying in each state. The chart below presents the results with a detailed breakdown of parental education levels.

States with fastest and slowest first-generation student growth

The percentage of first-generation students is increasing in the United States, and the percentage of college first-generation students increased 1.53% nationwide from 2016 to 2018. The following states saw the largest increases:

• Rhode Island: 57.56%
• Delaware: 39.02%
• Alaska: 27.37%
• Idaho: 22.84%
• Louisiana: 20.78%

However, enrollment of first-generation college students has not increased overall. First-generation enrollments are declining in some states. From 2016 to 2018, the following states saw the largest drop in enrollment:

• North Dakota: -41.34%
• Maine: -22.55%
• Minnesota: -20.90%
• South Dakota: -20.24%
• New Mexico: -14.85%

First Generation Student Demographics

First-generation college students are a diverse group. Like other learners, they represent all genders and come from a variety of economic, social, racial and geographical backgrounds. However, students from historically marginalized groups tend to make up a larger proportion of first-generation degree holders.

Students whose parents did not attend college are more likely to:

• have a racial minority background
• recognize as a woman
• have dependents
• have served in the military
• come from a low-income or immigrant family

Below, we look at the breakdown of first-generation university students by race, gender, and status of residence.

Race

Most first-generation undergraduates are white, black, African American, Hispanic, or Latino. Learners in these groups make up most of all US college students. However, first-generation students are more likely to perceive themselves as non-white. According to NASPA, 46% of his first-generation students identify as white, compared to 61% of continuing-generation students.

• First Class by Race (NASPA)
  • White – 46%
  • Hispanic or Latino – 25%
  • Black or African American – 18%
  • Asian – 6%
  • Alaska Native – 1%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander – 0.5%

NASPA also looks at the proportion of first-generation college students in various racial and ethnic groups.

• Percentage of First Generation Students by Race and Ethnicity (NASPA)
  • American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hawaiian Native, Pacific Islander – 54%
  • Asian – 39%
  • Black or African American 59%
  • Hispanic or Latino – 60%
  • White – 36%

sex and family

The number of female students exceeds the number of male students in the total number of university enrollments nationwide, but the gap is widening among first-generation students. NASPA reports that as of 2016, female learners made up her 60% of first-generation students and her 52% of continuing-generation students.

Similarly, 30% of First Generation learners had dependents, compared to 16% of Continuing Generation learners.

immigration

Many first generation college students are also first generation Americans.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), about 10% of first-generation students were first-generation immigrants, or first-generation immigrants born outside the United States. A further 23% have foreign-born parents. By comparison, 18% of continuing-generation college students have foreign-born parents, and 8% are foreign-born themselves.

• First Generation Students by Immigrant Generation (NCES)
  • First generation immigrants – 10%
  • Second-generation immigrants (both parents born abroad) – 17%
  • Second-generation immigrants (one parent born abroad) – 6%
  • Third-generation immigrants and above – 67%

Year

According to NASPA, 28 percent of first-generation college students are over the age of 30, compared to only 16 percent of continuing-generation college students. According to the NCES report, most college students across the country (over 51%) are between the ages of 18 and 21.

Higher Education Trends for First-Generation Students

Brookings reports that first-generation students tend to flock to institutions with affordable tuition and less stringent admissions standards, such as two-year colleges and for-profit schools. These institutions are on average less expensive than her four-year private, non-profit schools.

Among nonprofit four-year learners, first-generation college students are more likely to enroll in lower-cost, less-choice public institutions than more expensive private colleges.

NASPA reports that median parental income for dependent students was $41,000 for first-generation students versus $90,000 for continuing-generation students for the 2015-2016 school year. Parents of these students often lack experience navigating the complex college admissions process. As such, first-generation students may find lower-cost, less competitive institutions more accessible.

However, support and outcomes are often better for first class entrants at more selective schools.

• Percentage of first-year undergraduate students by school type
  • Public 4 years – 47%
  • Public 2 years – 64%
  • 4-year private, non-profit: 43%
  • Two-year private, non-profit: 69%
  • 4 years private, commercial: 72%
  • Private, commercial 2 years: 70%

First Generation Students and Income

Because education and income potential are strongly correlated in the United States, first-generation college students are disproportionately from low-income brackets.

Income disparities between first- and continuing-generation learners often persist after graduation. The Pew Research Center found that among college-educated householders, the median annual income for households with parents with bachelor’s degrees was $135,800 in 2019, compared to $135,800 for households with non-college-educated parents. He points out that the value was $99,600.

The Future of America’s First Generation Students

The NCES reports that as of 2021, 55% of all children under the age of 18 in the United States were living in families where a parent did not have a college degree. As these children grow up, many of them become first-generation college students.

First-generation students may be disproportionately enrolled in less selective colleges, limiting their future earning potential and reducing their chances of graduating.

More than 60% of first-generation learners are enrolled in open enrollment schools that accept applicants with a high school diploma or GED® certificate. Brookings reports that first-generation degree-seekers are 10% less likely to graduate from selective schools than students from continuing generations, but 23% more likely to graduate from open-entry colleges. low.

These students are also more likely to have high educational debt. Many first-generation learners are working or caring for dependents while pursuing a degree, which limits the amount of time they can spend studying and socializing.

Higher education institutions, nonprofits, and researchers are increasingly focused on understanding first-generation students and learning how to help them succeed. Resources for first-generation college students, such as the Center for First-Generation Student Success, America Needs You, and Rise First, advocate for these students and connect them with scholarships, mentorship, career guidance, and social support.

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