Higher education not only allows people to earn more money over the course of their lifetimes but also aids in their personal development and helps them become better citizens of their communities. It also enables people to use their knowledge for the betterment of society. All of this is important to consider while you’re celebrating National Higher Education Day—a day observed annually on June 6th.

The History of National Higher Education Day

At this point in time, we’re unclear when National Higher Education Day was established or who created it. Our efforts to research the origins of this holiday have failed, but we’ll continue to search for clues about when it might have been created. Until then, allow us to introduce you to some of the following facts about higher education.

Facts About Higher Education

We wanted to include a section on higher education facts for this holiday so that people have a jumping-off point for their own research. That’s why we’ve included the following facts below. Hopefully, these facts will help enlighten everyone about higher education in the U.S.

• In 2009, over 340,000 students earned business degrees, while only 15,000 students earned mathematics degrees.
• Only about 0.4% of all undergraduates attend an Ivy League school.
• Approximately 23% of all full-time undergraduates, 24 years old or younger, work 20 or more hours a week.
• Approximately 73% of students attend public universities or colleges of some sort.
• Less than one-third of all Americans hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
• Approximately 3% of undergraduates are veterans.
• Eagles are one of the most commonly used college mascots around the country.
• Other common college mascots include big cats and hawks.
• Less than 50% of all first-time students finish their degree within 6 years.
• The pay gap between those with college degrees and those without is widening every year.
• High school dropouts have an average unemployment rate of 7.7%, while high school graduates have a 4.8% unemployment rate.
• People with bachelor’s degrees have an average unemployment rate of 2.5%.
• The majority of new jobs created since 2008 have required some type of postsecondary education beyond high school.
• College graduates are less likely to need public assistance or receive unemployment benefits.
• California has the largest system of higher education in the U.S., with 2.1 million students attending over 116 colleges.
• One out of every four community college students in the U.S. attends a California community college.

Observing National Higher Education Day

Everyone choosing to observe this holiday can do so in several different ways. First, people can share their academic goals with the world by posting them on social media with the hashtag #NationalHigherEducationDay. People can also post a photo of their highest obtained degree. Other ways to celebrate this holiday include preparing your children for the eventual trip to college or donating to a scholarship program.