Continued Progress in Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Attainments by African Americans

Preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Education for degree attainments in the 2005-06 academic years shows that African Americans are continuing to make major progress. The data shows that the number of African Americans earning bachelor’s degrees was up 4.5 percent from the previous year. At the master’s degree level, blacks achieved a hefty 7.6 percent increase in the number of degrees earned. This continues a major surge in master’s degree attainments by blacks that has occurred over the past decade.

The news is not good on the professional degree level. The preliminary data shows a slight 2 percent decline in professional degrees awarded to African Americans.