Students

74.9 million — The number of people enrolled in school throughout the country—from nursery school to college. That amounts to more than one- fourth of the U.S. population age 3 and older.

School Enrollment

About 60% — Percentage of 3- and 4- year-olds enrolled in nursery school, up from about 6% in 1964, when these data were first collected.

65% — Percentage of children enrolled in kindergarten who attend all day, up from 20% three decades earlier.

54.6 million — The projected number of students to be enrolled in the nation's elementary and high schools (grades K- 12) this fall. That number exceeds the 1970 total of 51.3 million, when virtually all of these students were "baby boomers," who swelled school enrollments.

12% — Projected percentage of elementary and high school students enrolled in private schools this fall.

Rewards of staying in school

$74,602 — Average annual earnings of workers age 18 and over with an advanced degree. This compares with $51,206 a year for those with bachelor's degrees, $27,915 for those with a high school diploma only and $18,734 for those without a high school diploma.

Graduation

3.1 million — Projected number of high school diplomas that will be awarded this school year.

2.7 million — Number of college degrees expected to be conferred this school year.

Government Spending on Education

$8,019 —The per- pupil expenditure on elementary and secondary education nationally in 2003. The District of Columbia ($13,328) spent the most among states or state- equivalents, followed by New Jersey ($12,202), New York ($12,140), Connecticut ($10,372), and Vermont ($10,322).