Low-income Adults in Profile:Low-income Adults in Profile:Improving Lives ThroughHigher Education

Bryan CookACE Center for Policy Analysis

Project Outcomes

• Report 1: Low-income Adults in Profile.

• 50-state Policy Audit.

• Report 2: Campus Programs and Policies for Low-Income Adults.

• Two Regional Meetings with state policy makers and institutional leaders.

Adults in the U.S. Workforce by Level of Education: 2002

10%

30%

18%

10%

32%Less than a high schooldiploma

High school diploma, nocollege

Some college, no degree

Associate degree

Bachelor's degree orhigher

Low-income Working Americans, by Level of Education: 2001

32%

37%

17%

5%

9%

Less than a high schooldiploma

High school diploma, nocollege

Some college, no degree

Associate degree

Bachelor's degree orhigher

TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT AND ADULT UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT, BY SECTOR: FALL 2003

Sector Total Undergraduate Enrollment (N)

Total Adult Undergraduate Enrollment (N)

Percentage of undergraduate

Enrollment Age 25 or Older

Distribution of Adult Student Population (%)

Public four-year 5,314,218 1,095,423 21% 24%Private not-for-profit four-year

2,302,733 500,959 22% 11%

Public two-year 6,207,246 2,680,944 43% 58%

Private for-profit 605,851 312,147 52% 7%All institutions 14,430,048 4,589,473 32% -

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 2002 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

Percentage Distribution of Students,by Degree Goal at Entry: 1995-96

47

2013

20

54

12 1322

84

7 4 6

0102030405060708090

Bachelorsdegree or

higher

Associatedegree

Certificate Desired nodegree orcertificate

Per

cen

tag

e

Low-income adult students

Other adult students

Traditional students

Percentage of 1995-96 Entering Students Who Had Attained Their Degree Goal by 2001

7 8

84

2

14

5242

22

46

0102030405060708090

Attained Bachelors(among only those

with BA goal)

Attained Associate(among only those

with AA goal)

Attained Certificate(among only those

with certificate goal)

Per

cen

tag

e

Low-income adult students

Other adult students

Traditional students

Most Commonly Stated Barriers for Low-income Adult Students

• Family responsibilities

• College financing

• Limited courses offered at non-traditional hours

• Self-esteem

• Counseling and advising

Percentage of Students Who Applied for and Received Financial Aid: 2003-2004

82

73

23

3842

13

75

63

21

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Applied for Financial Aid Applicants Who ReceivedFederal Aid

Applicants who receivedstate aid

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Low-income adult students

Other adult students

Traditional students

Average aid received and cost of attendance by sector

Sector Low-income adults (‘03-’04)

Other Adults

(’03-’04)

Traditional age

(’03-’04)

Cost

(’04-’05)

Public four-year

$8,355 $5,294 $7,661 $5,132

Private not-for-profit four-year

$9,702 $6,333 $13,828 $20,082

Public two-year

$3,958 $2,257 $3,208 $2,076

Private for-profit

$7,967 $7,635 $9,114 $11,503

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 2004 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study

Average aid received by part-time students and cost of attendance by sector

Sector Low-income adults (‘03-’04)

Other Adults

(’03-’04)

Traditional age

(’03-’04)

Cost

(’04-’05)

Public four-year

$5,340 $3,784 $4,658 $5,132

Private not-for-profit four-year

$5,675 $5,200 $6,022 $20,082

Public two-year

$2,452 $1,762 $2,121 $2,076

Private for-profit

$6,705 $6,833 $6,761 $11,503

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 2004 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study

Marital Status and Dependents of Adult Students: 2003-2004

30

5

41

2419

24

15

42

05

1015202530354045

Unmarried nodependents

Married, nodependents

Unmarried withdependents

Married withdependents

Per

cent

age

Low-income adults

Other adults

Percentage Distribution of Students, by Fall Semester Attendance Status: 2003-2004

37

26

18 192127

33

19

53

1512

20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Enrolled full-time Enrolled half-time Enrolled less thanhalf-time

Mixed enrollment

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Low-income adult students

Other adult students

Traditional students

Limiting Features of State Programs

Time Limits: Many programs (particularly TANF programs) limit the amount of postsecondary education for which participants can receive work credit (typically 12 months or less).

Attendance Restrictions: Many programs require full time enrollment with no provision for childcare.

Age Limits: Many aid programs effectively limit the age of beneficiaries by requiring that students must have graduated from high school in the year prior to receiving an award.

Exemplary State Programs

• Arkansas Workforce Improvement Grant: targeting adults who make too much money to qualify for federal Pell Grants

but not enough to pay for a college education

• Minnesota Post-Secondary Childcare Grant: established to help low-income single parents pay for childcare

while attending postsecondary classes

• Vermont Non-Degree Grants: Designed for students enrolled in non-degree course that improve employability or

encourage further study.

For More Information

http://www.acenet.edu/

programs/policy