Vital Signs: Statistics That Measure the State of Racial Inequality

In each issue, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education collects statistics bearing on the relative positions of blacks and whites in American society. Some of these statistics are interesting but not particularly important whereas others are highly relevant and critical to the overall measurement of racial progress.

• Percentage of whites who received a bachelor’s degree in 1993 who spent some time as a teacher over the next decade: 19.9%
• Percentage of blacks who received a bachelor’s degree in 1993 who spent some time as a teacher over the next decade: 20.5% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of whites who received a bachelor’s degree in 1993 and went on to teaching careers and, in 2003, said that they planned to continue teaching for the rest of their working lives: 70.0%
• Percentage of blacks who received a bachelor’s degree in 1993 and went on to teaching careers and, in 2003, said that they planned to continue teaching for the rest of their working lives: 37.0% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of married black mothers in urban areas who attend church regularly: 63%
• Percentage of married white mothers in urban areas who attend church regularly: 42% (Center for Marriage and Families)

• Percentage of all whites in 2004 who put aside some of their earnings for savings: 60%
• Percentage of all nonwhites in 2004 who put aside some of their earnings for savings: 45% (Federal Reserve Board)

• Black percentage of all K-12 public school students in the United States in 2004: 17.1%
• Black percentage of all K-12 public school students in inner-city areas in the United States in 2004: 27.8% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all white K-12 public school students in the United States in 2004 who attended schools where more than one half of the entire student body participated in the federal free-lunch program for low-income families: 18.5%
• Percentage of all black K-12 public school students in the United States in 2004 who attended schools where more than one half of the entire student body participated in the federal free-lunch program for low-income families: 62.0% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all fifth-grade white children in 2004 who were enrolled in some type of special education class: 12.5%
• Percentage of all fifth-grade black children in 2004 who were enrolled in some type of special education class: 11.9%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Black percentage of the 3,554 students in the Burlington, Vermont, school district: 11%
• Black percentage of the 337 teachers in the Burlington, Vermont, school district: 0% (Burlington Free Press)

• Number of black men who earned professional degrees in pharmacy in 2005: 216
• Number of black women who earned professional degrees in pharmacy in 2005: 575 (U.S. Department of Education)

• Number of higher education degrees at all levels awarded to African-American men during the 2005-06 academic year: 128,906
• Number of higher education degrees at all levels awarded to African-American women during the 2005-06 academic year: 280,064 (U.S. Department of Education)

• Number of black men who earned medical degrees in 2005: 370
• Number of black women who earned medical degrees in 2005: 713 (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all white students who graduated from high school in 1992 and enrolled in any institution of higher education who had earned a bachelor’s degree by 2000: 49.2%
• Percentage of all black students who graduated from high school in 1992 and enrolled in any institution of higher education who had earned a bachelor’s degree by 2000: 30.4% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of white SAT test takers in 2007 who had at least one parent who had a four-year college degree: 62%
• Percentage of black SAT test takers in 2007 who had at least one parent who had a four-year college degree: 39% (The College Board)

• Percentage of white K-12 students in public schools in 2003 who had repeated a grade at some point in their educational careers: 8.2%
• Percentage of black K-12 students in public schools in 2003 who had repeated a grade at some point in their educational careers: 17.1% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of white K-12 students in public schools in 2003 who had been suspended from school at some point in their educational careers: 8.8%
• Percentage of black K-12 students in public schools in 2003 who had been suspended from school at some point in their educational careers: 19.6% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of white K-12 students in public schools in 2003 who had been expelled from school at some point in their educational careers: 1.4%
• Percentage of black K-12 students in public schools in 2003 who had been expelled from school at some point in their educational careers: 5.0% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all white full-time undergraduate students in higher education in 2004 who received some form of financial aid: 74.0%
• Percentage of all black full-time undergraduate students in higher education in 2004 who received some form of financial aid: 89.2% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all white children in 2005 whose father had a four-year college degree: 35.1%
• Percentage of all black children in 2005 whose father had a four-year college degree: 17.3% (U.S. Department of Education)

Note: Boldface type suggests items of positive or important change.

JBHE Past Vital Statistics

• Issue No. 55 – Spring 2007
• Issue No. 54 – Winter 2006/07
• Issue No. 53 – Autumn 2006
• Issue No. 52 – Summer 2006
• Issue No. 51 – Spring 2006
• Issue No. 50 – Winter 2005/2006
• Issue No. 49 – Autumn 2005