Masters Colleges and Universities

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$19,276

2.27% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$19,525

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

75.3%

3,043,119 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

3,611,715

67.1% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

54.7%

226,107 Graduates

About

Masters Colleges and Universities is a Carnegie Classification grouping of higher education institutions. In 2024, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Masters Colleges and Universities were General Business Administration & Management (100,405 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (44,540 degrees), and General Psychology (39,289 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Masters Colleges and Universities is $19,276, which is $8,356 more than than the national median of $10,920. The cost of out-of-state tuition is $24,000, which is 125% of the cost for in-state students, and is $8,527 more than than the national median $15,473.

Costs

The median in-state tuition for Masters Colleges and Universities is $19,276, which is $8,276 more than than the national median in-state tuition of $11,000. The cost of out-of-state tuition is $24,000, which is 125% of the cost for in-state students, and is $8,527 more than than the national median out-of-state tuition of $15,473.

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $19,525.

Tuition Costs

$19,276

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of out-of-state tuition at Masters Colleges and Universities was $24,000, which is 125% of the cost for in-state students, which was $19,276. The cost of out-of-state tuition at Masters Colleges and Universities is $8,527 more than than the overall (public and private) national median of $15,473, and the in-state tuition is $8,276 more than than the overall (public and private) national median $11,000.

This chart compares the tuition costs of Masters Colleges and Universities (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$19,525

2024 Value

0.707%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Masters Colleges and Universities had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $19,525. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Masters Colleges and Universities grew by 0.707%.

This chart compares the average net price of Masters Colleges and Universities (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,486

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Masters Colleges and Universities was of $11,486 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 7.13% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Masters Colleges and Universities (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

81%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

47%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

81% of undergraduate students at Masters Colleges and Universities received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2023, when 81% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Masters Colleges and Universities (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Masters Colleges and Universities received 3,043,119 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 6.19% annual growth. Out of those 3,043,119 applicants, 2,292,312 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 75.3% acceptance rate.

There were 3,611,715 students enrolled at Masters Colleges and Universities in 2024. 15.6% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Masters Colleges and Universities has an overall enrollment yield of 17.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

75.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

2,292,312

Accepted Out of 3,043,119

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Masters Colleges and Universities was 75.3% (2,292,312 admissions from 3,043,119 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 75%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 6.19%, while admissions grew by 6.72%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Masters Colleges and Universities (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

15.6%

Submission Percentage (2024)

46,459

Scores Submitted (2024)

15.6% of enrolled first-time students at Masters Colleges and Universities in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Masters Colleges and Universities had a total enrollment of 3,611,715 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Masters Colleges and Universities is 2,422,702 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,189,013. This means that 67.1% of students enrolled at Masters Colleges and Universities are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Masters Colleges and Universities, both undergraduate and graduate, is 47.4% White, 18.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Black or African American, 4.98% Asian, 3.8% Two or More Races, 0.631% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.302% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Masters Colleges and Universities in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (27.7%), followed by White Male (21.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (12.1%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (30%), followed by White Male (14.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (9.57%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

67.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Masters Colleges and Universities, both undergraduate and graduate, is 3,611,715 students. The full-time enrollment at Masters Colleges and Universities is 2,422,702 and the part-time enrollment is 1,189,013. This means that 67.1% of students enrolled at Masters Colleges and Universities are enrolled full-time.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Masters Colleges and Universities (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

73%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Masters Colleges and Universities was 73%.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Masters Colleges and Universities (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
1,711,388 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
678,582 enrolled students
Black or African American
492,740 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Masters Colleges and Universities is 47.4% White, 18.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Black or African American, 4.98% Asian, 3.8% Two or More Races, 0.631% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.302% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 228,277 students (6.32%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 190,117 more women than men received degrees from Masters Colleges and Universities. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Masters Colleges and Universities is white (480,073 degrees awarded). There were 3.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (158,552 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Masters Colleges and Universities is General Business Administration & Management (54,026 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (36,715 degrees) and Registered Nursing (36,567 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Masters Colleges and Universities, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Applied Sciences (2,156 degrees awarded), Education (107,314 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (20,589 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Masters Colleges and Universities are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,683,623 people), Secondary school teachers (576,795 people), Education administrators (344,215 people), Other managers (301,838 people), and Special education teachers (234,707 people).

The most specialized majors at Masters Colleges and Universities in 2024 are Applied Sciences (2,156 degrees awarded), Education (107,314 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (20,589 degrees), English (12,434 degrees), and Psychology (53,768 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Masters Colleges and Universities are Surgeons, Physicians, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Photographic process workers & processing machine operators, and Nurse anesthetists

The most specialized majors at Masters Colleges and Universities are Applied Sciences (2,156 degrees awarded), Education (107,314 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (20,589 degrees), English (12,434 degrees), and Psychology (53,768 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Masters Colleges and Universities are Elementary & secondary schools (3,297,187 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (553,173 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (448,098 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (405,577 people), and Outpatient care centers (282,136 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Masters Colleges and Universities.

Most Common (2024)

Health Information & Medical Records Technology
4,286 degrees awarded
General Studies
2,888 degrees awarded
Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities
1,387 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate concentration at Masters Colleges and Universities was Health Information & Medical Records Technology with 4,286 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate programs at Masters Colleges and Universities according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

365,095

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

555,212

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 365,095 degrees were awarded to men at Masters Colleges and Universities, which is 0.658 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (555,212).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Masters Colleges and Universities by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 51,267 degrees were awarded to men at Masters Colleges and Universities in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.04 times more than the 49,138 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 49,138 degrees were awarded to men at Masters Colleges and Universities in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.958 times less than the 51,267 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

38%

100% Completion Time

52%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 38% of students graduating from Masters Colleges and Universities completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 52% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 54% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (70%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at Masters Colleges and Universities is Female and Asian (70% graduation rate). Across all , Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.67% of graduates (6043 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
480,073 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
158,552 degrees awarded
Black or African American
102,699 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Masters Colleges and Universities is white (480,073 degrees awarded). There were 3.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (158,552 degrees).

5.06% of degree recipients (46,591 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
315,377 degrees awarded
White Female
310,683 degrees awarded
White Female
309,506 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Masters Colleges and Universities is white female (315,377 degrees awarded). There were 1.02 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (310,683 degrees).

Operations

Masters Colleges and Universities has an endowment valued at nearly $45.9M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year.

In 2024, Masters Colleges and Universities had a total salary expenditure of 79.7M. Masters Colleges and Universities employs 31,586 Professors, 28,004 Associate professors and 27,004 Assistant professors. Most academics at Masters Colleges and Universities are Male Professor (18,317), Female Assistant professor (15,386), and Male Associate professor (14,109).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Masters Colleges and Universities are: Office and Administrative Support, with 39,845 employees, Management, with 38,902 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 34,105 employees.

Endowment

$45.9M

2024 Endowment

11.4%

growth from 2023

Masters Colleges and Universities have a median endowment valued at about $45.9M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities grew 11.4% from the previous year.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Masters Colleges and Universities (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$2.36B - Federal
$1.35B - State
$96.2M - Local

As of 2024, Masters Colleges and Universities received $2.36B in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.35B from state grants and contracts, and $96.2M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$30.8M

2024 Salaries

3.25%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Masters Colleges and Universities paid a median of $30.8M in salaries, which represents 38.7% of their overall expenditure ($79.7M) and a 3.25% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.55% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 0.802% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$9.59B

Instructional Salaries

109,411

Number of Employees

In 2024, Masters Colleges and Universities paid a total of $9.59B to 109,411 employees working as instructors, which represents 31.9% of all salaries paid.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Masters Colleges and Universities were Office and Administrative Support with 39,845 employees, Management with 38,902 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 34,105 employees.

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