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| 2021 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 205.45. | Number and percentage distribution of private elementary and secondary students, number of teachers and pupil/teacher ratio, and number and average enrollment size of schools, by religious affiliation of school: Fall 1999, fall 2009, and fall 2019 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Religious affiliation of school | Students1 | Teachers, 20192 | Schools, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fall 1999 | Fall 2009 | Fall 2019 | Number | Pupil/teacher ratio | Number | Average enrollment size | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total number | Percentage distribution | Total number | Percentage distribution | Total number | Percentage distribution | Number in prekindergarten through grade 8 | Number in grades 9 through 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 6,018,280 | (30,179) | 100.0 | (†) | 5,488,490 | (35,857) | 100.0 | (†) | 5,485,800 | (37,869) | 100.0 | (†) | 4,066,180 | (29,123) | 1,419,620 | (13,656) | 481,200 | (3,060) | 11.4 | (0.03) | 30,490 | (192) | 180 | (1.0) | ||||||||||||
| Religiously affiliated | 4,853,780 | (26,450) | 80.7 | (0.11) | 4,236,440 | (32,943) | 77.2 | (0.16) | 4,077,260 | (36,499) | 74.3 | (0.25) | 3,031,830 | (28,402) | 1,045,430 | (11,963) | 325,970 | (2,712) | 12.5 | (0.03) | 20,240 | (162) | 201 | (1.1) | ||||||||||||
| African Methodist Episcopal | 1,630 | (†) | # | (†) | 2,190 | (†) | # | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Amish | 20,480 | (1,483) | 0.3 | (0.02) | 49,630 | ! | (21,679) | 0.9 | ! | (0.39) | 42,220 | (1,075) | 0.8 | (0.02) | 42,120 | (1,075) | 110 | (†) | 2,480 | (60) | 17.0 | (0.02) | 1,410 | (30) | 30 | (0.1) | ||||||||||
| Assembly of God | 91,170 | (682) | 1.5 | (0.01) | 51,660 | (846) | 0.9 | (0.02) | 35,490 | (†) | 0.6 | (#) | 30,010 | (†) | 5,480 | (†) | 2,580 | (†) | 13.8 | (†) | 200 | (†) | 179 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Baptist | 374,740 | (4,831) | 6.2 | (0.07) | 289,480 | (7,176) | 5.3 | (0.13) | 248,830 | (14,028) | 4.5 | (0.24) | 199,540 | (10,856) | 49,290 | (3,644) | 20,390 | (1,014) | 12.2 | (0.19) | 1,760 | (87) | 141 | (8.0) | ||||||||||||
| Brethren | 9,490 | (†) | 0.2 | (#) | 8,150 | (†) | 0.1 | (#) | 4,840 | (†) | 0.1 | (#) | 3,170 | (†) | 1,670 | (†) | 430 | (†) | 11.2 | (†) | 50 | (†) | 99 | (†) | ||||||||||||
Calvinist |
43,360 | (†) | 0.7 | (#) | 28,770 | (2,809) | 0.5 | (0.05) | 31,610 | (†) | 0.6 | (#) | 24,810 | (†) | 6,790 | (†) | 2,250 | (†) | 14.1 | (†) | 110 | (†) | 292 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Christian (no specific denomination) |
609,210 | (13,920) | 10.1 | (0.20) | 699,800 | (11,027) | 12.8 | (0.18) | 804,810 | (16,278) | 14.7 | (0.26) | 606,990 | (12,573) | 197,830 | (5,506) | 69,840 | (1,412) | 11.5 | (0.07) | 4,450 | (102) | 181 | (3.1) | ||||||||||||
| Church of Christ | 57,060 | (†) | 0.9 | (#) | 35,510 | (†) | 0.6 | (#) | 30,200 | (†) | 0.6 | (#) | 21,010 | (†) | 9,190 | (†) | 2,270 | (†) | 13.3 | (†) | 120 | (†) | 250 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Church of God | 19,120 | (949) | 0.3 | (0.02) | 14,260 | (515) | 0.3 | (0.01) | 9,990 | (†) | 0.2 | (#) | 7,080 | (†) | 2,920 | (†) | 720 | (†) | 13.8 | (†) | 60 | (†) | 176 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Church of God in Christ | 3,710 | (321) | 0.1 | (0.01) | 4,100 | ! | (1,348) | 0.1 | ! | (0.02) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||||
Church of the Nazarene |
--- | (†) | --- | (†) | 18,490 | ! | (8,673) | 0.3 | ! | (0.16) | 7,320 | (†) | 0.1 | (#) | 6,140 | (†) | 1,180 | (†) | 490 | (†) | 15.0 | (†) | 50 | (†) | 150 | (†) | ||||||||||
| Disciples of Christ | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 1,420 | (†) | # | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Episcopal | 135,100 | (16,971) | 2.2 | (0.28) | 112,710 | (919) | 2.1 | (0.02) | 121,360 | (3,389) | 2.2 | (0.06) | 86,440 | (3,389) | 34,920 | (†) | 13,440 | (571) | 9.0 | (0.18) | 390 | (20) | 315 | (7.8) | ||||||||||||
| Friends | 18,760 | (471) | 0.3 | (0.01) | 22,140 | (†) | 0.4 | (#) | 20,150 | (†) | 0.4 | (#) | 14,360 | (†) | 5,780 | (†) | 2,480 | (†) | 8.1 | (†) | 80 | (†) | 255 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Greek Orthodox | 5,520 | (†) | 0.1 | (#) | 4,670 | (†) | 0.1 | (#) | 5,750 | ! | (2,010) | 0.1 | ! | (0.04) | 5,630 | ! | (2,010) | 120 | (†) | 470 | ! | (174) | 12.1 | (0.27) | 40 | ! | (14) | 139 | (1.5) | |||||||
Islamic |
20,450 | (993) | 0.3 | (0.02) | 34,550 | (1,547) | 0.6 | (0.03) | 49,210 | (†) | 0.9 | (0.01) | 41,980 | (†) | 7,240 | (†) | 5,300 | (†) | 9.3 | (†) | 280 | (†) | 173 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Jewish | 198,580 | (465) | 3.3 | (0.02) | 256,250 | (14,752) | 4.7 | (0.26) | 298,080 | (10,916) | 5.4 | (0.19) | 238,200 | (8,880) | 59,880 | (2,127) | 31,000 | (862) | 9.6 | (0.10) | 1,070 | (27) | 279 | (4.8) | ||||||||||||
| Latter Day Saints | 710 | (†) | # | (†) | 1,720 | (†) | # | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod |
211,360 | (1,658) | 3.5 | (0.03) | 163,750 | (33) | 3.0 | (0.02) | 155,370 | (3,623) | 2.8 | (0.07) | 133,330 | (3,578) | 22,050 | (569) | 9,990 | (244) | 15.6 | (0.11) | 940 | (21) | 165 | (1.2) | ||||||||||||
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America |
32,530 | (348) | 0.5 | (0.01) | 20,370 | (†) | 0.4 | (#) | 14,830 | (†) | 0.3 | (#) | 14,570 | (†) | 270 | (†) | 830 | (†) | 17.9 | (†) | 100 | (†) | 145 | (†) | ||||||||||||
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod |
37,230 | (†) | 0.6 | (#) | 35,420 | (†) | 0.6 | (#) | 38,320 | (†) | 0.7 | (#) | 31,180 | (†) | 7,140 | (†) | 2,520 | (†) | 15.2 | (†) | 320 | (†) | 120 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Other Lutheran | 5,100 | (70) | 0.1 | (#) | 5,300 | (†) | 0.1 | (#) | 7,170 | (†) | 0.1 | (#) | 6,740 | (†) | 420 | (†) | 440 | (†) | 16.4 | (†) | 70 | (†) | 101 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Mennonite | 24,800 | (1,337) | 0.4 | (0.02) | 29,260 | (3,261) | 0.5 | (0.06) | 26,180 | (535) | 0.5 | (0.01) | 21,850 | (535) | 4,320 | (†) | 2,530 | (38) | 10.3 | (0.06) | 470 | (19) | 55 | (1.1) | ||||||||||||
| Methodist | 41,920 | (1,401) | 0.7 | (0.02) | 37,980 | (1,437) | 0.7 | (0.03) | 45,030 | (13,331) | 0.8 | (0.24) | 42,710 | ! | (13,331) | 2,320 | (†) | 1,910 | (151) | 23.6 | (5.16) | 310 | (76) | 147 | (7.8) | |||||||||||
| Pentecostal | 38,370 | (599) | 0.6 | (0.01) | 20,570 | (2,628) | 0.4 | (0.05) | 24,740 | (4,194) | 0.5 | (0.08) | 20,080 | (3,478) | 4,660 | (716) | 2,210 | (243) | 11.2 | (0.72) | 310 | (37) | 79 | (5.9) | ||||||||||||
Presbyterian |
50,990 | (†) | 0.8 | (#) | 51,530 | (360) | 0.9 | (0.01) | 49,070 | (†) | 0.9 | (0.01) | 40,670 | (†) | 8,400 | (†) | 3,700 | (†) | 13.3 | (†) | 210 | (†) | 237 | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Roman Catholic | 2,660,420 | (4,831) | 44.2 | (0.24) | 2,160,220 | (3,494) | 39.4 | (0.25) | 1,913,700 | (17,601) | 34.9 | (0.27) | 1,323,640 | (12,903) | 590,060 | (8,817) | 140,000 | (1,141) | 13.7 | (0.03) | 6,450 | (52) | 297 | (2.4) | ||||||||||||
| Seventh-Day Adventist | 63,540 | (240) | 1.1 | (0.01) | 53,820 | (365) | 1.0 | (0.01) | 51,330 | (788) | 0.9 | (0.02) | 38,180 | (788) | 13,150 | (†) | 3,740 | (9) | 13.7 | (0.18) | 720 | (6) | 71 | (1.6) | ||||||||||||
| Other | 76,690 | (8,847) | 1.3 | (0.14) | 22,720 | (†) | 0.4 | (#) | 36,020 | (2,906) | 0.7 | (0.05) | 27,630 | (2,458) | 8,400 | (1,265) | 3,550 | (238) | 10.2 | (0.14) | 230 | (8) | 156 | (7.1) | ||||||||||||
Not religiously affiliated |
1,164,500 | (8,156) | 19.3 | (0.11) | 1,252,050 | (8,849) | 22.8 | (0.16) | 1,408,540 | (12,355) | 25.7 | (0.25) | 1,034,350 | (9,824) | 374,190 | (4,221) | 155,230 | (1,461) | 9.1 | (0.05) | 10,250 | (109) | 137 | (1.3) | ||||||||||||
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #Rounds to zero. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| !Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Includes students in prekindergarten in schools that offer kindergarten or higher grade. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Reported in full-time equivalents (FTE). Excludes teachers who teach only prekindergarten students. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Tabulation includes schools that offer kindergarten or higher grade. Some counts in this table are based on a census of schools in a given category rather than a sample; for these counts, standard errors are not applicable. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 1999-2000, 2009-10, and 2019–20. (This table was prepared November 2021.) |
