If youâre not sure where to do your back-to-school shopping, choices of retail establishments abound in the United States: In 2002, there were 22,897 family clothing stores; 6,119 childrenâs and infantsâ clothing stores; 27,961 shoe stores; 9,267 office supplies and stationery stores; 23,018 sporting goods stores; 12,178 bookstores, and 10,418 department stores.
Students
74.9 million The number of people enrolled in school throughout the country—from nursery school to college. That amounts to more than one-fourth of the U.S. population age 3 and older.
School Enrollment
About 60% Percentage of 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in nursery school, up from about 6% in 1964, when these data were first collected. 65% Percentage of children enrolled in kindergarten who attend all day, up from 20% three decades earlier. 54.6 million The projected number of students to be enrolled in the nationâs elementary and high schools (grades K-12) this fall. That number exceeds the 1970 total of 51.3 million, when virtually all of these students were “baby boomers,” who swelled school enrollments. 381,000 The national decrease in elementary school-age children between 2003 and 2004. Only six states experienced an increase in this population during that period: Arizona, Nevada, Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, and Georgia. 329,000 The increase in the nationâs high school-age population between 2003 and 2004. More than two-thirds of the states experienced an increase in this group over that period, led by California (78,000), Florida (33,000), and New York (24,000). 12% Projected percentage of elementary and high school students enrolled in private schools this fall. 40% Percentage of elementary and high school students who are minorities (i.e., people who are non-Hispanic white). This compares with 21% in 1970, when the crest of the baby-boom was enrolled at this level of school. 22% Percentage of elementary and high school students with at least one foreign-born parent. This includes 6% who were foreign-born themselves.
Languages
9.9 million Number of school-age children (5 to 17) who speak a language other than English at home. These children make up nearly 1-in-5 in this age group. Most of them (7.0 million) speak Spanish at home.
Lunchtime
29.0 million Average number of children participating each month in the national school lunch program. 10.1 billion The nationâs total apple production, in pounds, in 2004. The chances are good that the apples your children present to their teachers or enjoy for lunch were grown in Washington state, which accounted for more than half of the nationâs total production.
College
64% Percentage of the 2003 high school graduating class that went directly to college. 16.7 million The projected number of students enrolled in the nationâs colleges and universities this fall. This is up from 12.1 million a quarter-century ago. 37% Percentage of all college students age 25 and over. The majority of these older students (56%) attend school part-time. 1-in-3 Ratio of undergraduates attending two-year institutions.
Teachers and Other School Personnel
6.5 million Number of teachers in the United States. The bulk of them (2.6 million) teach at the elementary and middle school level. $56,300 Average annual salary of public elementary and secondary school teachers in California as of the 2002–2003 school year—highest of any state in the nation. Teachers in South Dakota received the lowest pay—$32,400. The national average was $45,900. $13.85 Average hourly wage for the nationâs school bus drivers. Custodians earned $12.40 while cafeteria workers made $9.98. (The federal minimum wage is $5.15.)
Technology in the Schools
14.1 million Number of computers available for classroom use in the nationâs 114,000 elementary and secondary schools; that works out to one computer for every four students.
The Rising Cost of College
$10,660 Average tuition, room, and board (for in-state students) at the nationâs four-year public colleges and universities for an entire academic year; that is double the corresponding figure in 1990. $31,051 Average tuition, room, and board at the nationâs four-year private colleges and universities for one complete academic year; that is more than double the corresponding 1990 figure.
The Rewards of Staying in School
$74,602 Average annual earnings of workers age 18 and over with an advanced degree. This compares with $51,206 a year for those with bachelorâs degrees, $27,915 for those with a high school diploma only and $18,734 for those without a high school diploma. $55,987 Average starting salary offered to bachelorâs degree candidates in petroleum engineering, among the highest of any field of study. At the other end of the spectrum were those majoring in the social sciences; they were offered an average of $29,098.
Graduation
3.1 million Projected number of high school diplomas that will be awarded this school year. 2.7 million Number of college degrees expected to be conferred this school year.
Government Spending on Education
$8,019 The per-pupil expenditure on elementary and secondary education nationally in 2003. The District of Columbia ($13,328) spent the most among states or state-equivalents, followed by New Jersey ($12,202), New York ($12,140), Connecticut ($10,372), and Vermont ($10,322).
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