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| 2023 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 205.30. | Percentage distribution of students enrolled in private elementary and secondary schools, by school orientation and selected characteristics: Selected years, fall 2009 through fall 2021 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected characteristic | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | Catholic | Other religious | Nonsectarian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | Parochial | Diocesan | Private | Total | Conservative Christian | Affiliated1 | Unaffili- ated2 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | ||||||||||||||||
| School level3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elementary and middle |
53.8 | (0.24) | 53.0 | (0.23) | 53.0 | (0.47) | 50.5 | (0.80) | 50.0 | (0.55) | 48.9 | (0.32) | 46.5 | (0.13) | 62.0 | (0.02) | 88.4 | (0.03) | 65.7 | (0.03) | 21.2 | (0.03) | 36.2 | (0.25) | 18.0 | (0.24) | 42.0 | (0.43) | 49.7 | (0.34) | 43.2 | (0.19) | ||||||||||||||||
| Secondary and high | 16.3 | (0.12) | 16.8 | (0.26) | 16.4 | (0.21) | 16.4 | (0.27) | 17.5 | (0.35) | 16.8 | (0.17) | 16.1 | (0.05) | 29.4 | (0.04) | 7.0 | (0.02) | 26.5 | (0.03) | 63.4 | (0.09) | 6.7 | (0.04) | 3.2 | (0.05) | 9.8 | (0.09) | 7.4 | (0.05) | 13.8 | (0.06) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other, ungraded, and not applicable/ not reported |
29.8 | (0.21) | 30.2 | (0.24) | 30.6 | (0.49) | 33.1 | (0.91) | 32.6 | (0.47) | 34.4 | (0.34) | 37.4 | (0.16) | 8.6 | (0.02) | 4.5 | (0.01) | 7.8 | (0.01) | 15.4 | (0.13) | 57.1 | (0.27) | 78.7 | (0.29) | 48.2 | (0.48) | 42.9 | (0.34) | 43.0 | (0.15) | ||||||||||||||||
Student race/ ethnicity4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| American Indian/ Alaska Native |
0.4 | (#) | 0.5 | (#) | 0.5 | (0.01) | 0.5 | (0.01) | 0.5 | (0.03) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.6 | (0.01) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.4 | (#) | 0.5 | (#) | 1.0 | (#) | 0.6 | (0.03) | 0.7 | (0.01) | 0.5 | (0.10) | 0.5 | (#) | 0.7 | (#) | ||||||||||||||||
| Asian | 5.1 | (0.05) | 5.5 | (0.03) | 5.9 | (0.05) | 6.2 | (0.06) | 6.5 | (0.15) | 6.6 | (0.04) | 6.2 | (0.01) | 4.9 | (#) | 4.3 | (0.01) | 4.9 | (#) | 5.5 | (#) | 4.7 | (0.02) | 4.8 | (0.04) | 5.0 | (0.03) | 4.2 | (0.02) | 11.1 | (0.02) | ||||||||||||||||
| Black | 9.2 | (0.07) | 8.9 | (0.06) | 9.3 | (0.27) | 9.3 | (0.31) | 9.3 | (0.23) | 9.4 | (0.07) | 9.3 | (0.03) | 8.1 | (0.01) | 7.1 | (0.02) | 7.4 | (0.01) | 10.8 | (0.02) | 9.6 | (0.08) | 10.3 | (0.20) | 8.2 | (0.06) | 10.5 | (0.03) | 10.5 | (0.03) | ||||||||||||||||
| Hispanic | 9.4 | (0.09) | 9.8 | (0.05) | 10.2 | (0.11) | 10.4 | (0.15) | 11.3 | (0.22) | 11.8 | (0.08) | 12.1 | (0.03) | 18.1 | (0.03) | 18.1 | (0.09) | 17.8 | (0.01) | 18.9 | (0.02) | 8.3 | (0.07) | 10.4 | (0.19) | 7.1 | (0.04) | 7.2 | (0.04) | 9.9 | (0.03) | ||||||||||||||||
| Pacific Islander | 0.6 | (0.02) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.7 | (0.01) | 0.7 | (0.02) | 0.8 | (0.03) | 0.7 | (0.01) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.4 | (#) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.6 | (0.01) | 0.6 | (0.03) | 0.5 | (#) | 0.6 | (#) | 0.5 | (#) | ||||||||||||||||
| White | 72.6 | (0.20) | 71.4 | (0.14) | 69.6 | (0.31) | 68.6 | (0.34) | 66.7 | (0.40) | 65.6 | (0.13) | 65.3 | (0.05) | 62.1 | (0.03) | 64.1 | (0.11) | 63.2 | (0.02) | 57.3 | (0.01) | 71.7 | (0.11) | 67.9 | (0.26) | 74.8 | (0.11) | 72.9 | (0.11) | 58.6 | (0.07) | ||||||||||||||||
| Two or more races | 2.7 | (0.02) | 3.3 | (0.01) | 3.9 | (0.03) | 4.3 | (0.08) | 4.9 | (0.06) | 5.3 | (0.03) | 5.9 | (0.01) | 5.7 | (0.01) | 5.5 | (0.04) | 5.7 | (#) | 6.0 | (0.01) | 4.5 | (0.02) | 5.3 | (0.04) | 4.0 | (0.04) | 4.2 | (0.03) | 8.6 | (0.02) | ||||||||||||||||
School enrollment |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less than 50 | 5.4 | (0.39) | 4.6 | (0.14) | 5.4 | (0.47) | 5.5 | (0.39) | 4.9 | (0.15) | 4.4 | (0.08) | 4.1 | (0.05) | 0.3 | (0.02) | 0.3 | (#) | 0.3 | (0.03) | 0.6 | (0.03) | 5.3 | (0.14) | 2.5 | (0.05) | 2.6 | (0.02) | 11.1 | (0.39) | 7.0 | (0.12) | ||||||||||||||||
| 50 to 149 | 17.3 | (0.18) | 16.8 | (0.15) | 17.1 | (0.23) | 16.8 | (0.40) | 16.2 | (0.37) | 16.6 | (0.17) | 16.2 | (0.09) | 7.6 | (0.04) | 9.2 | (0.03) | 7.3 | (0.08) | 6.4 | (0.11) | 17.6 | (0.15) | 13.2 | (0.30) | 15.0 | (0.18) | 24.8 | (0.23) | 25.1 | (0.20) | ||||||||||||||||
| 150 to 299 | 25.9 | (0.17) | 26.2 | (0.15) | 25.5 | (0.29) | 25.1 | (0.49) | 25.2 | (0.54) | 24.8 | (0.27) | 23.8 | (0.11) | 28.7 | (0.03) | 38.0 | (0.11) | 29.4 | (0.03) | 15.9 | (0.02) | 22.8 | (0.24) | 22.1 | (0.50) | 22.0 | (0.35) | 24.4 | (0.36) | 19.1 | (0.20) | ||||||||||||||||
| 300 to 499 | 21.0 | (0.19) | 21.0 | (0.11) | 20.4 | (0.21) | 19.5 | (0.49) | 20.3 | (0.52) | 21.0 | (0.23) | 21.3 | (0.07) | 28.7 | (0.05) | 34.0 | (0.20) | 29.8 | (0.03) | 19.9 | (0.03) | 18.5 | (0.13) | 21.6 | (0.31) | 19.0 | (0.18) | 14.6 | (0.19) | 16.1 | (0.16) | ||||||||||||||||
| 500 to 749 | 14.0 | (0.09) | 15.0 | (0.25) | 14.5 | (0.24) | 15.8 | (0.97) | 14.8 | (0.49) | 13.7 | (0.24) | 14.3 | (0.18) | 15.8 | (0.02) | 10.6 | (0.03) | 16.4 | (0.01) | 20.5 | (0.03) | 15.0 | (0.43) | 17.3 | (1.01) | 16.4 | (0.71) | 11.2 | (0.08) | 11.1 | (0.04) | ||||||||||||||||
| 750 or more | 16.3 | (0.12) | 16.4 | (0.29) | 17.0 | (0.54) | 17.3 | (0.29) | 18.7 | (0.34) | 19.5 | (0.34) | 20.4 | (0.06) | 18.8 | (0.02) | 7.9 | (0.02) | 16.9 | (0.01) | 36.7 | (0.05) | 20.8 | (0.16) | 23.4 | (0.41) | 25.0 | (0.23) | 13.9 | (0.10) | 21.6 | (0.08) | ||||||||||||||||
Region |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northeast | 23.9 | (0.26) | 23.8 | (0.27) | 22.3 | (0.25) | 22.9 | (0.59) | 21.5 | (0.37) | 20.7 | (0.21) | 20.4 | (0.07) | 21.1 | (0.02) | 19.8 | (0.06) | 19.3 | (0.02) | 27.2 | (0.04) | 17.4 | (0.12) | 6.9 | (0.10) | 26.2 | (0.26) | 19.6 | (0.14) | 24.4 | (0.12) | ||||||||||||||||
| Midwest | 23.6 | (0.38) | 24.0 | (0.26) | 24.6 | (0.64) | 24.5 | (0.77) | 24.1 | (0.65) | 22.6 | (0.22) | 22.5 | (0.09) | 35.3 | (0.05) | 40.5 | (0.12) | 36.1 | (0.05) | 27.2 | (0.04) | 19.5 | (0.17) | 16.9 | (0.25) | 18.1 | (0.35) | 23.7 | (0.23) | 10.6 | (0.11) | ||||||||||||||||
| South | 33.6 | (0.29) | 33.2 | (0.16) | 34.1 | (0.33) | 34.2 | (0.73) | 35.5 | (0.63) | 37.1 | (0.37) | 37.5 | (0.15) | 25.7 | (0.03) | 23.7 | (0.07) | 26.2 | (0.03) | 26.9 | (0.04) | 45.1 | (0.32) | 49.6 | (0.71) | 41.5 | (0.52) | 44.0 | (0.36) | 40.7 | (0.20) | ||||||||||||||||
| West | 19.0 | (0.17) | 19.1 | (0.09) | 19.1 | (0.32) | 18.5 | (0.33) | 18.9 | (0.51) | 19.6 | (0.29) | 19.6 | (0.18) | 17.8 | (0.09) | 16.1 | (0.25) | 18.3 | (0.02) | 18.7 | (0.12) | 18.0 | (0.34) | 26.6 | (0.84) | 14.2 | (0.13) | 12.7 | (0.31) | 24.3 | (0.18) | ||||||||||||||||
School locale |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| City | 41.0 | (0.31) | 41.5 | (0.27) | 42.5 | (0.50) | 43.0 | (0.77) | 43.1 | (0.63) | 43.5 | (0.42) | 42.7 | (0.13) | 48.3 | (0.04) | 46.6 | (0.14) | 46.2 | (0.05) | 56.0 | (0.01) | 38.0 | (0.26) | 32.1 | (0.51) | 46.0 | (0.40) | 36.2 | (0.37) | 43.1 | (0.16) | ||||||||||||||||
| Suburban | 39.0 | (0.34) | 38.3 | (0.20) | 41.0 | (0.44) | 40.2 | (0.82) | 39.9 | (0.58) | 40.2 | (0.30) | 40.4 | (0.15) | 39.5 | (0.05) | 39.8 | (0.18) | 40.6 | (0.04) | 36.6 | (0.02) | 39.9 | (0.34) | 44.7 | (0.77) | 40.0 | (0.51) | 34.8 | (0.24) | 42.4 | (0.18) | ||||||||||||||||
| Town | 7.1 | (0.17) | 6.8 | (0.05) | 6.3 | (0.33) | 6.2 | (0.56) | 6.5 | (0.42) | 5.9 | (0.20) | 6.1 | (0.03) | 7.7 | (0.01) | 9.7 | (0.03) | 8.7 | (0.01) | 2.7 | (#) | 6.1 | (0.10) | 6.5 | (0.09) | 5.0 | (0.05) | 6.9 | (0.29) | 3.9 | (0.10) | ||||||||||||||||
| Rural | 12.9 | (0.42) | 13.4 | (0.33) | 10.1 | (0.47) | 10.7 | (0.57) | 10.5 | (0.41) | 10.4 | (0.20) | 10.8 | (0.04) | 4.5 | (0.01) | 3.9 | (0.01) | 4.6 | (#) | 4.8 | (0.01) | 15.9 | (0.11) | 16.7 | (0.24) | 9.0 | (0.08) | 22.1 | (0.17) | 10.7 | (0.06) | ||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #Rounds to zero. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1Affiliated schools belong to associations of schools with a specific religious orientation other than Catholic or conservative Christian. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2Unaffiliated schools have a religious orientation or purpose but are not classified as Catholic, conservative Christian, or affiliated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3School levels are assigned based on the current Common Core of Data (CCD) school level definitions. For more information about the CCD school levels, see https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/doc/11_Changes_SCH_LEA_Level_Assignments_7.31.2023.docx. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Race/ethnicity was not collected for prekindergarten students (742,240 out of 5,473,540 students in 2021). Percentage distribution is based on the students for whom race/ethnicity was reported. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12 in schools that offer kindergarten or higher grade. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 2009-10 through 2021-22. (This table was prepared September 2023.) |
