Level of College Attended

Among the 1.2 million ACT-tested high school graduates who enrolled in college, 75% attended a 4-year college, whereas 25% attended a 2-year college.

Chart Table
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Gender
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Gender
ACT Composite
Score Range
Female Male
1–15 40% 38%
16–19 60% 57%
20–23 78% 74%
24–27 90% 87%
28–32 97% 95%
33–36 99% 99%
 

Graph reads: 40% of college-enrolled females with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 99.8% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported gender.

  • Among both females and males, the percentage of college students who attended a 4-year college increases with ACT Composite score.
  • With the exception of students in the score range of 33–36, a larger percentage of females than males attended 4-year colleges.
  • The 4-year college attendance rate gap between females and males is at its widest toward the middle of the ACT Composite score scale.
Chart Table
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Parent Education Level
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Parent Education Level
No College Some College Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree
1–15 37% 37% 42% 47%
16–19 54% 56% 62% 68%
20–23 70% 71% 79% 84%
24–27 82% 83% 90% 93%
28–32 92% 92% 96% 98%
33–36 97% 98% 99% 100%
 

Graph reads: 37% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 whose parents did not attend college attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 84% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported parent education level.

  • Within each level of parent education, the percentage of college students who attended a 4-year college increases with ACT Composite score.
  • There are essentially no differences in the 4-year college attendance rates among students whose parents earned no college education and those whose parents earned some college education.
  • There are differences in the 4-year college attendance rates among these two student groups and students whose parents earned more advance degrees. These 4-year college attendance rate gaps by parent education level diminish as ACT Composite score increases.
Chart Table
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Degree Plans
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Degree Plans
ACT Composite
Score Range
Less Than
Bachelor’s Degree
Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Degree
1–15 21% 41% 48%
16–19 28% 58% 68%
20–23 36% 74% 82%
24–27 47% 85% 92%
28–32 66% 94% 97%
33–36   98% 99%
 

Graph reads: 21% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who planned to earn less than a bachelor’s degree attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 90% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported degree plans. Percentage not provided when sample size is less than 50.

  • College students who planned to earn less than a bachelor’s degree attended 4-year colleges at far lower rates than students who planned to earn either a bachelor’s or graduate degree, regardless of ACT Composite score range.
  • The largest 4-year college attendance rate gaps by students’ degree aspirations are toward the middle ranges of the ACT Composite scale.
Chart Table
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Planned Major Status
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and Planned Major Status
ACT Composite
Score Range
Selected a
Planned Major
Undecided about
Planned Major
1–15 41% 43%
16–19 59% 60%
20–23 77% 77%
24–27 89% 89%
28–32 96% 96%
33–36 99% 99%
 

Graph reads: 43% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who were undecided about their planned major attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 97% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who either selected a planned major or indicated they were undecided when they registered for the ACT.

  • Across the ACT Composite score scale, there is little to no difference in the percentage of college students attending a4-year college between those who selected a planned major and those who were undecided about their choice of planned major.
Chart Table
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and a Subset of Planned Major Areas
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by ACT Composite Score and a Subset of Planned Major Areas
Repair, Production, and Construction Architecture Communications
1–15 22% 40% 53%
16–19 30% 59% 70%
20–23 40% 77% 84%
24–27 60% 88% 92%
28–32 75% 97% 97%
33–36   98% 100%
 

Graph reads: 22% of college-enrolled students with an ACT Composite score in the range of1–15 who planned to major in the area of Repair, Production, and Construction attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 82% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT. Percentage not provided when sample size is less than 50.

  • The chart shows 4-year college attendance rates by ACT Composite score for college students in a subset of planned major areas. As the chart illustrates, the percentage who attended a 4-year college differed considerably by their planned major area.
  • Students who planned to major in the area of Repair, Production, and Construction had the lowest 4-year college attendance rates, whereas students who planned to major in the area of Communications had the highest 4-year college attendance rates.
Chart Table
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by Gender and Planned Major Area
Percent of College Students Who Attended a Four-Year College by Gender and Planned Major Area
Planned Major Female Male
Engineering 90% 81%
Sciences: Biological & Physical 86% 84%
Communications 86% 76%
English & Foreign Lang. 84% 80%
Architecture 83% 71%
Area, Eth. & Multidiscip. Studies 82% 69%
Comp. Sci. & Mathematics 81% 73%
Business 79% 78%
Social Sciences & Law 79% 76%
Philosophy, Religion, & Theology 77% 76%
Education 74% 70%
Eng. Tech. & Drafting 74% 63%
Arts: Visual & Performing 73% 67%
Health Sci. & Techno. 73% 77%
Agric. & Nat. Res. Cons 68% 56%
Health Admin. & Assisting 59% 64%
Commun, Fam., & Personal Svcs 58% 50%
Repair, Production, & Construction 50% 34%
 

Graph reads: 90% of college-enrolled females and 81% of college-enrolled males who selected a planned major in the area of Engineering attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college during fall 2013.

Note: Based on 82% of the college-enrolled ACT-tested high school graduating class of 2013 who reported gender and selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT.

  • The percentages of students who attended a 4-year college versus a 2-year college differ by both planned major area and gender.
  • As with college enrollment rates, the planned major areas of Engineering; and Sciences: Biological and Physical have the highest 4-year college attendance rates for both genders, whereas the areas of Community, Family, and Personal Services; and Repair, Production, and Construction have the lowest 4-year college attendance rates for both genders.
  • With two exceptions (i.e., Health Sciences and Technologies; and Health Administration and Assisting), the 4-year college attendance rates of females are higher than those for males.