Helpful Background Statistics for Proposal Writers

The U.S. Census Bureau provides the latest data on school enrollment from several different surveys and, depending on your needs, one survey may be more suitable than another.

In addition, the Career Services Network and Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University offer current information on recruiting trends, including hiring outlook and starting salaries, among other topics.

The U.S. Census Bureau school enrollment data tables provide information by age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, family income, type of college, employment status, nativity, foreign-born parentage, attendance status (full or part time), type of school (public or private), and vocational course enrollment. They also delve into topics such as nursery school and kindergarten enrollment, the likelihood of being enrolled in an age appropriate grade, and the percentage of young adults enrolled in college. Historical tables are also provided.

To view the complete list of surveys, see the U.S. Census Bureau School Enrollment webpage.

The Career Services Network and Collegiate Employment Research Institute (CERI) at Michigan State University 2015-16 Recruiting Trends Report Briefs provide information drawn from 4,723 employers that seek college talent through their interactions with college career service offices. The data show improvement over the calendar year across all industry sectors. Of the respondents, 91% reported that they hired at least one new college graduate during the 2014-15 academic year. All but 3% of these respondents plan to hire new graduates again this year. Among those who did not hire last year, only 25% will not be hiring anyone this year. In addition, 84% (up two percentage points) described the new college labor market within their sector as good to excellent.

To view the complete list of report briefs, see the CERI 2015-16 Recruiting Trends Report Briefs webpage.