Certifiable success: trends in associate-degree and one- and two-year certificate conferrals.

There has been a 25 percent increase in the number of associate's degrees awarded by Title IV eligible institutions over the past 10 years. This increase equates to an average annual rate of 2.3 percent per year. Although this exceeds the rate of growth in bachelor-degree conferrals during this same time period (15 percent overall, or 1.4 percent per year), it pales in comparison to the increases in conferral of two-year--and especially one-year--certificates. Table 1 (below, left) shows the trend between academic years 1992-1993 and 2002-2003 in the conferral of one-year and two-year certificates, as well as associate's degrees.

Since 1992-1993, the number of one-year certificates has more than doubled, averaging an increase of more than 10 percent per year. Two-year certificate conferrals increased substantially, although not quite as rapidly, climbing by just under an average of 7 percent per year to a level in 2002-2003 that is 93 percent higher than the 1992-1993 figures. The largest growth periods were in the early 1990s and the early 2000s, with a fairly stable period in the middle years. It also should be noted that part of these increases can be attributed to the inclusion of a broader array of institutions in the federal surveys. This is especially true of the increases evident in the early 1990s,

Because of the different rates of growth, one- and two-year certificates now comprise just under half of the total of less than four-year certificate and degree conferrals tracked by the National Center for Education Statistics. Chart 1 (far right) illustrates graphically the shift in distribution from the early 1990s when the one- and two-year certificate awards accounted for just over one-third of the total.

Where are these degrees being awarded? Charts 2 and 3 (on pg. 9) examine the growth within each award type by institutional control (Chart 2) and the institutions' highest degree level (Chart 3). With respect to the two-year certificate awards, publicly controlled universities have experienced substantial growth and private, non-profit universities continue to play a relatively minor role in conferring these awards. However, proprietary (private, for-profit) institutions have increased their role substantially, to the point where they are approaching the public sector in the total number of certificate awards. When it comes to associate's degrees, the proprietary sector numbers have increased notably but, along with the private, non-profit sector, they still play a relatively small role compared to public-sector institutions.

Chart 3 examines the relative contribution of four-year institutions compared to two-year institutions in awarding these "less than four-year" degrees and certificates. The graph reveals that the four-year sector continues to play a very modest role in conferring one-year and two-year undergraduate certificates. However, there has been a notable increase in the conferral of two-year degrees by four-year institutions. Although the increase is smaller numerically than has bean the increase by two-year institutions, it represents a larger percentage increase of 60 percent among the four-year group compared to the 20 percent increase among the two-year group. Although some of this increase can be attributed to changes in associate-degree conferrals at the nation's large universities, it also is due in part to the change of some institutions from two-year to four-year status. The largest among these is Florida's Miami Dade College, which shed its community-college distinction and gained recognition as a four-year college this past year. Other large institutions that moved from the two-year sector to the four-year sector include: Utah Valley State College, St. Petersburg College and Brigham Young University-Idaho.

Community colleges and other institutions that award undergraduate certificates and associate's degrees are serving an increasing proportion of students of color. Chart 4 (below, right) shows how the percentages have risen dramatically in the past 10 years. More than one-quarter of associate-degree recipients were students of color in 2002-2003, compared with only 18 percent in 1992-1993. Even more dramatic is the increase in minority students represented among one- and two-year certificate recipients. In 1992-1993, minority students represented one of four undergraduate certificate recipients. By 2002-2003, nearly two of five of these awards went to students of color.

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Our yearly analysis of associate-degree and undergraduate certificate conferrals highlights but one dimension of the role and mission of two-year colleges and the other Institutions that award these degrees and certificates. Recognizing that these institutions have an impact on many more lives than just those of certificate and degree recipients, it is worthwhile to note that more than 1.25 million individuals received a degree or certificate this past year, and more than 11 million undergraduate certificates and associate's degrees have been awarded in the past 10 years. We join them, their families and their institutions in celebrating their success.

Victor M.H. Borden, Ph.D., is an associate vice chancellor and associate professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Pamela C. Brown is an enrollment specialist at the same institution.

Table 1 Total One-Year Certificates, Two-Year
Certificates and Associate's Degrees
Awarded: 1993-2003

Year                  One-Year      Two-Year    Associate's     Grand
                    Certificate   Certificate     Degree        Total

1993                  125,494      142,221        505,946       773,661
1994                  129,309      154,457        523,946       807,712
1995                  268,041      256,462        531,017     1,055,520
1996                  248,078      247,545        531,937     1,027,560
1997                  269,311      242,751        546,884     1,058,946
1998                  251,587      233,043        550,336     1,034,966
1999                                    Not Available
2000                  250,793      240,497        554,360     1,045,650
2001                  272,371      246,249        579,813     1,098,433
2002                  306,875      253,512        595,491     1,155,878
2003 *                342,478      275,173        632,934     1,250,585

Average Annual          10.6%         6.8%           2.3%          4.9%
Percentage Change

* BASED ON PRELIMINARY TOTALS. MOST ASSOCIATE-CONFERRING INSTITUTIONS
ARE INCLUDED, BUT THE NUMBERS MAY CHANGE SLIGHTLY WHEN THE FINAL
DATASET IS RELEASED. ESPECIALLY FOR ONE- AND TWO-YEAR CERTIFICATES.

NOTES: THE DATA INCLUDES ONLY TITLE IV ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE
ACCREDITED BY EITHER A REGIONAL OR SPECIALIZED ACCREDITATION AGENCY
THAT IS RECOGNIZED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THIS IS BASED
ON INSTITUTIONS LOCATED IN THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA. EXCLUDED ARE INSTITUTIONS IN U.S. TERRITORIES AND
PROTECTORATES, AS WELL AS THE U.S. SERVICE ACADEMIES. THE 1998-1999
DATA COLLECTION FOR DEGREES CONFERRED WAS NEVER COMPLETED BY THE
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS DUE TO THE CHANGEOVER FROM A
HARD COPY SUBMISSION SYSTEM TO A WEB-BASED SUBMISSION SYSTEM.

Chart 1

Change in Proportion of One- and
Two-Year Certificate Conferrals
Relative to Associate-Degree
Conferrals: 1992-1993 to 2002-2003

1992-1993

Associate's Degrees     66%
One-Year Certificates   16%
Two-Year Certificates   18%

2002-2003

Associate's Degrees     51%
One-Year Certificates   27%
Two-Year Certificates   22%

Note: Table made from pie chart.