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.

• Number of African Americans nationwide in 2004 who earned bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry: 67
• Number of African Americans in 2004 who earned bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry at the University of Maryland Baltimore County: 22
(University of Maryland Baltimore County)

• Percentage of all white children in the United States who are being raised in married-couple families: 75%
• Percentage of all black children in the United States who are being raised in married-couple families: 34%
(U.S. Census Bureau)

• Percentage of all white children in the United States who are being raised in female, single-parent homes: 16%
• Percentage of all black children in the United States who are being raised in female, single-parent homes: 50%
(U.S. Census Bureau)

• Percentage of all white children in the United States who are being raised by their grandparents: 1.4%
• Percentage of all black children in the United States who are being raised by their grandparents: 5.4%
(U.S. Census Bureau)

• Median income of college-educated white women who worked full-time in 2005: $43,110
• Median income of college-educated African-American women who worked full-time in 2005: $45,273
(U.S. Census Bureau)

• The median income in 2005 of black men who are high school graduates but have never been to college: $21,241
• The median income in 2005 of black men who have graduated from college: $43,496 (U.S. Census Bureau)

• The median income in 2005 of black women who are high school graduates but have never been to college: $15,768
• The median income in 2005 of black women who have graduated from college: $40,784 (U.S. Census Bureau)

• Black percentage of all public school students in the United States: 16.9%
• Black percentage of all students in the 100 largest school districts in the United States: 27.9%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Black percentage of all public school students in New Orleans: 93.5%
• Black percentage of all public school students in Detroit: 90.5%
• Black percentage of all public school students in Baltimore: 88.8%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of white adults ages 25 to 29 in 2007 who held a bachelor’s degree: 35.5%
• Percentage of black adults ages 25 to 29 in 2007 who held a bachelor’s degree: 19.5% (U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of the total white population ages 3 to 34 in 2006 who were enrolled in school: 56.8%
• Percentage of the total black population ages 3 to 34 in 2006 who were enrolled in school: 58.3%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Number of African Americans alive today who hold a professional degree: 164,000
• Number of African Americans alive today who hold a doctoral degree: 111,000
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Average number of hours per week that white children under the age of 6 are not under the care of one of their parents: 27.1
• Average number of hours per week that African-American children under the age of 6 are not under the care of one of their parents: 35.9
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all white students in U.S. K-12 education in 2004 who were identified as “gifted”: 7.9%
• Percentage of all black students in U.S. K-12 education in 2004 who were identified as “gifted”: 3.5%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all white students in K-12 education in Georgia in 2004 who were identified as “gifted”: 13.6%
• Percentage of all black students in K-12 education in Georgia in 2004 who were identified as “gifted”: 3.7%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all white Americans ages 18 to 24 in 2006 who were enrolled in higher education: 41.0%
• Percentage of all black Americans ages 18 to 24 in 2006 who were enrolled in higher education: 32.6%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all African-American high school graduates ages 18 to 24 in 1986 who were enrolled in higher education: 28.6%
• Percentage of all African-American high school graduates ages 18 to 24 in 2006 who were enrolled in higher education: 42.0%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to men in 2006 at the nation’s historically black colleges and universities: 10,364
• Number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to women in 2006 at the nation’s historically black colleges and universities: 20,184
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Number of white full professors at colleges and universities in the United States in 2005: 145,936
• Number of black full professors at U.S. colleges and universities in 2005 who were men: 3,498
• Number of black full professors at U.S. colleges and universities in 2005 who were women: 1,986
(U.S. Department of Education)

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

JBHE Past Vital Statistics

• Issue No. 58 – Winter 2007/08
• Issue No. 57 – Autumn 2007
• 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