Sources of Financial Support
(Click here for section tables/graphs)
The survey provided a list of possible sources of financial support to ascertain the various ways that students may be financing their education. Therefore the categories are not mutually exclusive. Undergraduate respondents most often indicate part-time job (47.5%), family assistance (36.3%), full-time job (34.9%), and grants (34.3%) as sources of financial support. However, more upper division respondents report full-time employment as a source of financial support (42.6%) than those in the lower divisions (12.5%). Post-baccalaureates respondents most often report having a full-time job (59.9%). Fewer post-baccalaureate respondents indicate the next most popular choices of student loan (28.7%), family assistance (25.2%), and part-time job (25.2%). Loans, savings and grants are all tied at 18%.
There are some differences between the ethnic groups as detailed below:
Twice as many African Americans (UG, 38.3%; PB, 44.0%) than respondents from other ethnic groups have student loans: White (UG, 19.3%; PB, 21.1%), Hispanics (UG, 20.1%; PB, 25.6%) or Asians (UG, 19.0%; PB, 36.4%).
Fewer White respondents report that they are getting financial support from grants (UG, 12.5%; PB, 8.8%) compared to the other ethnic groups: African American (UG, 39.6%; PB, 32.0%), Hispanic (UG, 39.4%; PB, 14.0%), or Asians (UG, 32.8%; PB, 22.7%).
Somewhat more White respondents report working full-time (UG, 48.9%; PB, 73.7%) than is the case for the other ethnic groups: African American (UG, 37.4%; PB, 64.0%), Hispanic (UG, 25.7%; PB, 53.5%), or Asians (UG, 27.6%; PB, 36.4%).
More Asian respondents indicate that they get financial support from their family (UG, 55.2%; PB, 40.9%) than is the case for the other ethnic groups: African American (UG, 32.9%; PB, 26.0%), Whites (UG, 26.1; PB, 24.6%), or Hispanics (UG, 40.5%; PB, 20.9%).