• New England universities performed more than $3.7 billion worth of research and development in 2008, but the region’s share has dropped to 7.3% of the U.S. total, down from more than 10% in the 1980s. Had the region’s share stayed at 10%, an additional $1.5 billion would have been spent in New England university labs in 2008 alone.
• New England university research labs have been world-famous for ideas that breed companies and whole industries in fields from biotechnology to photonics.
• New England universities capture a disproportionate share of research dollars in fields such as environmental sciences. But the region is overly reliant on federal research funds and underfunded by the New England states.

Fig. 60: Research and Development Expenditures at New England's Universities and Colleges and New England's Share of U.S. R&D Expenditures, 2001 to 2008

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Fig. 61: Regional Comparison of Research and Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges, 2003 and 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of National Science Foundation data.

Fig. 62: Research and Development Expenditures at New England Universities and Colleges by Field, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of National Science Foundation data.

Fig. 63: Research and Development Expenditures at New England Universities and Colleges by Source of Funds, 2003 to 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of National Science Foundation data.

Fig. 64: Research and Development Expenditures at New England Colleges and Universities by U.S. Rank and Source of Funds, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of National Science Foundation data.

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• New England claims many of the largest college endowments on earth, but even the titans have been beaten and bruised by the current deep recession.
• New England has the dubious distinction of some of America’s smallest state appropriations and highest tuitions and fees for public colleges and universities. Education advocates joke about the region’s public campuses going from state-operated to state-assisted to state-harassed.
• New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have historically ranked at the bottom of all U.S. states in per-capita state appropriations for higher education. Only 14% of the University of Massachusetts system's budget is supported by the state, compared with 18% through tuition and fees, marking the first time students and families contributed a higher percentage of the budget than the state. The same is true at Connecticut public campuses, where for the first time tuition and fees will cover more than state appropriations.

Fig. 49: Average Student Expenses, New England vs. United States, Academic Year 2009 - 2010

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Note: Room & board costs for commuter students are average estimated living expenses for students living off-campus but not with parents.

Source: Table 6, Average Student Expenses, by College Board Region, 2009-2010 (Enrollment-Weighted). Trends in College Pricing 2009, (2009); 11. Copyright © 2009 College Entrance Examination Board. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Fig 50: Tuition and Fees, Academic Years 2008-09 to 2009-10 and Percent Change

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Note: Figures for public institutions show rates for state residents. All data are enrollment-weighted averages, intended to reflect the average costs that students face in various types of institutions.

Source: Table 6c, Tuition and Fees by Region and Institution Type, in Current Dollars, 2008-2010 (Enrollment-Weighted). Trends in College Pricing 2009, (2009); 14. Copyright © 2009 College Entrance Examination Board. Reprinted with permission.

Fig. 51: State Fiscal Support for Higher Education, by State, and National Aggregate Local Tax Support for Higher Education, Fiscals Years 2008-09, and 2009-10

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Note: Fiscal 2010 figures on state support for higher education represent initial allocations and estimates reported by the states from September through December 2009 and are subject to change. State monies include state tax appropriations and other state funds allocated to higher education. Federal stimulus stabilization funds include funds used to restore the level of state support for public higher education. Federal stimulus government services funds exclude funds used for modernization, renovation or repair.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of data from Illinois State University Center for Higher Education and Education Finance.

Fig. 52: Undergraduate and Graduate Student Aid by Source, 2008-09

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Source: Trends in Student Aid. Copyright ©2008 The College Board. All rights reserved.

Fig. 53: Federal Student Financial Aid Programs-Total Expenditures or Allocations and Number of Recipients

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Note: Spending on federal campus-based programs is reported as 2009-10 allocations. Spending on Pell Grants is reported as 2007-08 expenditures.

*Level of Expenditure (LOE): A school must request and have approved for each award year an LOE authorization that represents the maximum amount it may expend from its revolving Federal Perkins Loan fund.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 54: Total State Grant Aid Awarded, by State, 1997-98, 2002-2003, 2006-07, 2007-08

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Note: Figures may not include aid funds provided through entities other than the principal state student aid agency.

Source: National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs.

Fig. 55: State Need-Based Aid as a Percent of Federal Pell Grant Aid, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education anlaysis of data from National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs and U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 56: Percent of Family Income Needed to Pay for College by Income Groups, 2008

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Source: The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS).

Fig. 57: Distribution of Federal Aid Funds by Type of Institutions, 2007-08

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Note: The figures reported here reflect total student aid amounts divided across all students, including non-recipients. Total aid includes Federal Work-Study and Education Tax Benefits. Loan numbers do not include private non-federal loans, which provide funding for students but do not involve subsidies.

Source: New England Board of Higher analysis of College Board data.

Fig. 58: Average Student Debt and Percent of Students with Debt by State, Class of 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of data from the Project on Student Debt.

Fig. 59: New England Ten Largest College Endowments, Fiscal 2009

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Note: MIT did not participate in the 2009 endowment survey. In 2008, MIT's endowment ranked 3rd in New England and 6th in the U.S.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of 2009 National Association of College and University Business Officers data.

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• Only 19% of students at New England’s traditionally two-year community colleges graduate within three years of enrolling—and the rate is even lower among minority groups.
• Nearly 60% of all higher education degrees awarded in New England are conferred on women.
• More than one-quarter of doctorates awarded by New England universities go to foreign students, while fewer than two in 10 go to U.S. minority students.

Fig. 34: Graduation Rates by State/Race/Ethnicity and Type of Institution, 2008

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Note: The graduation rate is the percentage of students who complete an associate degree (at two-year institutions) within three years, or a bachelor's degree (at four-year institutions) within six years.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 35: Graduation and Transfer Rates by State and Type of Institution, 2008

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Note: The graduation rate is the percentage of students who complete an associate degree (at two-year institutions only) within three years or a bachelor's degree (at four-year institutions) within six years. Figures are based on cohorts entering in 2002 (four-year institutions) or 2005 (two-year institutions). The New England figures are based on the aggregate numbers of all institutions of a given type, rather than an average of the states' graduation rates.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 36: Total Degrees Awarded at New England's Colleges and Universities and New England's Share of U.S. Degrees, 1998 to 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 37: Degrees Awarded in New England by Gender, 1972 to 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 38: Attainment of Tertiary-Type A Degrees, for 25- 34-Year-Olds in OECD and Partner Countries, 2008

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Note: Tertiary-type A programs are largely theory-based and designed to provide sufficient qualifications for entry to advanced research programs and roughly correspond to bachelor's and master's degree programs in the United States. Advanced research programs correspond to doctorate programs.

Source: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2009, Table A1.3a.

Fig. 39: Associate Degrees Conferred on Men, Women, Minorities and Foreign Students, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 40: Associate Degrees Awarded at New England Colleges and Universities by Selected Fields of Study, 1971 to 2008

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Notes: Data from 1971 to 2001 reflect 10-year intervals and data from 2003 to 2008 reflect one-year intervals. Disciplines not listed include: Arts and Music, Education, Social Service Professions, Communication and Librarianship, Engineering, Psychology, Social Sciences, Geosciences, Law, Interdisciplinary or other Sciences, Physical Sciences, Architecture and Environmental Design, Humanities, Religion and Theology, Math and Computer Sciences and unknown disciplines. These unlisted disciplines awarded 14,952 degrees in 2008.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 41: Bachelor's Degrees Conferred on Men, Women, Minorities and Foreign Students, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 42: Bachelor's Degrees Awarded at New England Colleges and Universities by Selected Field of Study, 1971 to 2008

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Note: Data from 1971 to 2001 reflect 10-year intervals and data from 2003 to 2008 reflect one-year intervals. Disciplines not listed include: Communication and Librarianship, Math and Computer Sciences, Engineering, Vocational Studies and Home Economics, Science and Engineering Technologies, Social Service Professions, Physical Sciences, Architecture and Environmental Design, Geosciences, Religion and Theology, Interdisciplinary or other Science, Law and unknown disciplines. These unlisted disciplines awarded 25,798 degrees in 2008.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 43: Master's Degrees Conferred on Men, Women, Minorities and Foreign Students, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 44: Master's Degrees Awarded at New England Colleges and Universities by Selected Fields of Study, 1971 to 2008

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Notes: Data from 1971 to 2001 reflect 10-year intervals and data from 2003 to 2008 reflect one-year intervals. Disciplines not listed include: Physcial Science, Geosciences, Math and Computer Science, Psychology, Science and Engineering Technologies, Interdisciplinary or other Sciences, Religion and Theology, Arts and Music, Architecture and Environmental Design, Communication and Librarianship, Law, Social Service Professions, Vocational Studies and Home Economics and unknown disciplines. These unlisted disciplines awarded 12,947 degrees in 2008.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 45: First-Professional Degrees Conferred on Men, Women, Minorities and Foreign Students, 2008

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Note: 2008 is an optional year for institutions reporting First-Professional and Doctorate degrees. IPEDS is implementing new categories for the these programs.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 46: First-Professional Degrees Awarded at New England Colleges and Universities by Field of Study, 1971 to 2008

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Note: 2008 is an optional year for institutions reporting First-Professional and Doctorate degrees. IPEDS is implementing new categories for these programs. Data from 1971 to 2001 reflect 10-year intervals and data from 2003 to 2008 reflect one-year intervals. 2008 is an optional year for institutions reporting First-Professional and Doctorate degrees. IPEDS is implementing new categories for these programs.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 47: Doctorates Conferred on Men, Women, Minorities and Foreign Students, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 48: Doctorates Awarded at New England Colleges and Universities by Selected Field of Study, 1971 to 2008

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Note: Disciplines not listed include: Geosciences, Math and Computer Science, Science and Engineering Technologies, Interdisciplinary or other Sciences, Religion and Theology, Arts and Music, Architecture and Environmental Design, Business and Management, Communication and Librarianship, Law, Social Service Professions, Vocational Studies and Home Economics and unknown disciplines. These unlisted disciplines awarded 3,495 doctorates in 2008.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

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• More than 928,000 students were enrolled at New England’s colleges and universities in 2008, up by more than 100,000 students over the decade.
• Nearly half of New England college students attend private institutions, compared with just over one-quarter nationally.
• Women students began to outnumber men on New England college and university campuses in 1978, and the imbalance has grown to about 531,000 women to 397,000 men.
• African-American and Hispanic college enrollments have grown in all New England states, but the groups together still account for only 13% of New England college students. Moreover, since 1990, the U.S. Education Department has provided a mechanism for U.S. citizens and resident aliens who do not wish to designate a racial/ethnic category. The category called “Race/Ethnicity unknown” has mushroomed. Also in a multiracial society, U.S. students increasingly choose to identify themselves with two or more races, though America’s multiracial president chose only one box on the U.S. Census form: "Black, African Am., or Negro.”
• Nearly 52,000 foreign students are enrolled on New England campuses, up from about 18,000 in 1980. More than one-quarter of the foreign students in New England are from India or China; nearly half are studying business or engineering.

Fig. 20: Public vs. Private College Enrollment in New England, 1998 to 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 21: Undergraduate vs. Graduate Enrollment in New England, 1998 to 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 22: Full-Time vs. Part-Time College Enrollment in New England, 1998 to 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 23: Total Higher Education Enrollment by Gender in New England, 1977 to 2008

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Source: NSF WebCASPAR Database System.

Fig. 24: New England Institutions with the Largest Undergraduate Enrollments, Fall 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 25: New England Cities with the Largest College Enrollments, 2008

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Note: Total enrollment includes full-and part-time undergraduate, graduate and non-degree students.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 26: Enrollment at New England Colleges and Universities by Race/Ethnicity, 2008

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Note: The U.S. Department of Education's designations of race and ethnicity differ from those of the U.S. Bureau of the Census used in other figures.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 27: Minority Enrollment by State and Race/Ethnicity, 1998 and 2008

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Note: Table does not include enrollment at military academies. African-American, Asian-American, Native American and White totals reflect non-Hispanic population. Does not include the category non-resident alien. United States data are for 2007, the most recent data available.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 28: Public and Private College Enrollment in New England by Race/Ethnicity and Type of Institution, 2008

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Fig. 29: Foreign Enrollment at New England Colleges and Universities and Share of U.S. Foreign Enrollment, 1980 to 2009

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Fig. 30: Foreign Students in New England by Countries of Origin and Fields of Study, 2009

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of Institute of International Education data.

Fig. 31: Estimated Economic Impact from International Students, 2007-08

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Note: U.S. funding includes support from a U.S. college or university, the U.S. government, a U.S. private sponsor or current employment.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of NAFSA: Association of International Educators data.

Fig. 32: New England Institutions Enrolling More than 1,000 Foreign Students, 2009

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of Institute of International Education data.

Fig. 33: New England Institutions with More than 10% of Undergraduates Studying Abroad, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of Institute of International Education data.

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• Fewer than half of New England students who finish high school have completed the necessary courses and mastered the skills to be considered “college ready.” But New England states perform above the national norm on most indicators of college readiness.
• In Massachusetts, a new “Vision Project” has five goals: increase the rate of high school graduates who attend college; increase the graduation and success rates at colleges; align degree programs with needs of businesses; become the national leader in academic achievements; and ensure that minority, poor and male and female students have comparable grades and graduation rates.
• Most college-bound high school seniors in New England name health or business fields as their intended college majors.
• The number of high school students declaring an interest in business fields has been declining since 2000, and has plunged in the past 18 months along with the perception of business professions during the nation’s deep recession, according to the National Research Center for College & University Admissions.

Fig. 12: Indicators of College Readiness: A State-by-State Comparison

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Notes: For Maine, preschool data refer to 4-year-olds only; New Hampshire and Rhode Island have no distinct state preschool programs. NAEP Achievement Levels represent the percentage of students that scored proficient on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exams. In order to have a "College-Ready Transcript" students must have taken at least four years of English, three years of math, and two years of natural science, social science and foreign language before graduating from high school.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, National Institute for Early Education Research, Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, The College Board, National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, Kids Count, Annie E. Casey Foundation, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Manhattan Institute.

Fig. 13: Projection of High School Graduates and Non-graduates in New England and the United States

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of Editorial Project in Education (EPE) Research Center data, Diplomas Count 2008.

Fig. 14: Percent of High School Graduates Enrolled in College the Fall after Graduating High School, 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of National Center for Higher Education Management Systems data.

Fig. 15: Migration of First-Time Freshmen to and from New England, 2008

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Note: 2007 was a voluntary reporting year for institutions reporting on migration; 2008 is a mandatory reporting year which may result in greater totals.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

Fig. 16: Intended College Majors of College-Bound Seniors in New England, 2009

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Source: The College Board.

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• Since 1990, New England’s population has grown by just 9%, compared with 23% for the nation as a whole and more than 62% for the Mountain states.
• New England’s slow population growth has scared off potential employers and threatened the region’s clout in the population-based U.S. House of Representatives.
• Massachusetts is among eight states in the Northeast and Midwest that could lose a seat in Congress after the 2010 Census is completed. Conversely, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and Utah could all gain a seat, and Texas may gain four.
• For the first time in more than 200 years, the population of New Hampshire exceeds that of Maine, making it the third most populous New England state behind Massachusetts and Connecticut.
• Nationally, nearly half of the 4 million children born in the U.S. between July 2008 and July 2009 were minorities, up from about 40% a decade earlier, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.

Fig. 1: Change in Population, 1990 to 2009, New England States and Other Regions

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Note: Middle Atlantic includes New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania. East North Central includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin. West North Central includes Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas. South Atlantic includes Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. East South Central includes Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi. West South Central includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas. Mountain includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada. Pacific includes Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data

Fig. 2: Population of New England by Race, 2008

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Note: The above categories reflect the U.S. Census Bureau Guidance on the Presentation and Comparison of Race and Hispanic Origin.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. 3: Components of Resident Population Change, 2000 to 2009

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Note: Total population change includes a residual. This residual represents the change in population that cannot be attributed to any specific demographic component. See State and County Terms and Definitions at http://www.census.gov/popest/topics/terms/states.html. Net international migration includes the international migration of both native and foreign-born populations. Specifically, it includes: (a) the net international migration of the foreign born, (b) the net migration between the United States and Puerto Rico, (c) the net migration of natives to and from the United States, and (d) the net movement of the Armed Forces population between the United States and overseas.

The April 1, 2000 Population Estimates base reflects changes to the Census 2000 population from the Count Question Resolution program and geographic program revisions. Dash (-) represents zero or rounds to zero. See Geographic Terms and Definitions for a list of the states that are included in each region.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data

Fig. 4: Racial Composition of Northern and Southern New England, 2009

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Fig. 5: Growth in the Number of Persons Obtaining Legal Permanent Resident Status in New England, 1998 to 2008

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Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Homeland Security data.