North Carolina State University
2010 First-Year Student Survey:
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Comparisons
Background Characteristics

This document reports gender and racial/ethnic differences in respondents' general background characteristics, such as home community and household size, parent/guardian education, and musical interests. For information about the survey and analysis methods see "2010 First-Year Student Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile." Exact question wording is available on the web or by clicking on the "Q" next to the table heading.

Home Community | Household Characteristics | Parent/Guardian Income | Parent/Guardian Educational Attainment | First Generation Students | Veteran Status
GLBT Community | Religious Preference | Musical Interests | Use of Technology

Q Home community size

High school area population	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Rural area	14.3%	15.9%	12.7%	3.6%	14.0%	13.2%	15.5%	8.4%
Small town	27.6%	26.9%	28.2%	27.1%	22.6%	27.4%	28.3%	26.0%
Moderate size city	31.8%	31.2%	32.5%	33.6%	27.6%	29.2%	31.8%	39.0%
Large city	11.7%	11.4%	12.0%	15.7%	16.7%	14.2%	10.5%	14.9%
Urban area	14.6%	14.6%	14.5%	20.0%	19.0%	16.0%	13.9%	11.7%
Total (N)	2,663	1,300	1,363	140	221	106	2,042	154

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Q Household size

Number in household	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
One	1.7%	1.8%	1.6%	1.4%	3.2%	0.9%	1.4%	3.9%
Two	7.8%	9.0%	6.7%	2.9%	15.1%	16.0%	6.7%	11.7%
Three	19.8%	19.0%	20.6%	19.4%	29.7%	17.0%	19.0%	18.8%
Four	41.7%	43.2%	40.2%	36.7%	29.2%	38.7%	43.9%	36.4%
Five or more	29.0%	27.1%	30.9%	39.6%	22.8%	27.4%	29.0%	29.2%
Total (N)	2,660	1,301	1,359	139	219	106	2,042	154

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Q Number of parents'/guardians' dependents in college

Number of dependents in college	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Only self	64.9%	65.4%	64.4%	53.6%	68.8%	69.5%	64.6%	69.5%
Two	30.3%	29.7%	31.0%	38.6%	26.6%	23.8%	30.9%	25.3%
Three or more	4.8%	4.9%	4.6%	7.9%	4.6%	6.7%	4.5%	5.2%
Total (N)	2,656	1,298	1,358	140	218	105	2,039	154

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Q Parent/Guardian income

Parent's income	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
$30,000 or less	12.4%	12.4%	12.5%	29.6%	30.5%	27.6%	8.1%	16.1%
$30,001-$50,000	12.2%	12.2%	12.2%	23.7%	18.6%	18.1%	9.8%	21.0%
$50,001-$75,000	17.4%	17.1%	17.7%	14.1%	21.0%	12.4%	17.4%	18.9%
$75,001-$100,000	19.9%	19.9%	20.0%	16.3%	12.9%	16.2%	21.6%	14.7%
$100,001-$150,000	20.4%	22.6%	18.3%	7.4%	8.6%	14.3%	23.4%	14.7%
$150,001-$200,000	10.0%	9.3%	10.7%	4.4%	5.2%	6.7%	11.2%	8.4%
More than $200,000	7.6%	6.6%	8.6%	4.4%	3.3%	4.8%	8.5%	6.3%
Total (N)	2,500	1,249	1,251	135	210	105	1,907	143

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Q Parent/Guardian educational attainment

Father Education	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Less than high school	2.8%	2.7%	2.8%	11.1%	4.0%	16.7%	1.2%	4.7%
High school graduate	13.5%	14.8%	12.2%	15.6%	23.6%	13.7%	12.8%	7.4%
Some college (no degree)	12.5%	12.0%	12.9%	9.6%	15.6%	19.6%	11.9%	14.1%
2-year associate degree/certificate	9.9%	9.6%	10.1%	10.4%	12.1%	8.8%	9.3%	14.1%
4-year baccalaureate degree	35.2%	35.0%	35.5%	25.9%	26.1%	22.5%	37.8%	29.5%
Some graduate/prof. coursework (no degree)	2.5%	2.4%	2.7%	1.5%	2.0%	1.0%	2.7%	2.7%
Master's degree	14.9%	14.7%	15.2%	16.3%	10.1%	10.8%	15.5%	15.4%
Doctorate or other professional degree	8.7%	8.9%	8.5%	9.6%	6.5%	6.9%	8.7%	12.1%
Total (N)	2,597	1,273	1,324	135	199	102	2,012	149

Mother Education	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Less than high school	1.9%	1.7%	2.1%	15.9%	2.0%	14.4%	0.3%	2.0%
High school graduate	10.8%	12.1%	9.7%	18.2%	15.6%	17.3%	9.2%	14.7%
Some college (no degree)	14.1%	13.6%	14.5%	13.6%	17.6%	21.2%	13.5%	12.0%
2-year associate degree/certificate	13.9%	13.9%	13.8%	5.3%	17.1%	12.5%	14.3%	12.7%
4-year baccalaureate degree	37.1%	37.1%	37.1%	29.5%	24.4%	22.1%	39.8%	37.3%
Some graduate/prof. coursework (no degree)	3.8%	4.1%	3.4%	3.0%	3.4%	1.0%	4.0%	4.0%
Master's degree	14.6%	14.6%	14.6%	9.1%	17.1%	5.8%	15.2%	14.0%
Doctorate or other professional degree	3.8%	2.9%	4.7%	5.3%	2.9%	5.8%	3.7%	3.3%
Total (N)	2,553	1,244	1,309	132	205	104	1,962	150

First generation students	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
First generation college student	6.8%	7.4%	6.1%	19.7%	11.7%	24.5%	4.5%	6.5%
At least one parent some college/no degree	20.2%	20.7%	19.7%	21.9%	28.5%	26.4%	18.8%	20.9%
Not first generation	73.1%	71.9%	74.2%	58.4%	59.8%	49.1%	76.7%	72.5%
Total (N)	2,651	1,295	1,356	137	214	106	2,041	153

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Q Veteran Status

	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Not a veteran	99.72%	99.78%	99.66%	100.0%	99.57%	100.0%	99.68%	100.0%
Veteran	0.21%	0.14%	0.28%	0.00%	0.43%	0.00%	0.23%	0.00%
Disabled Veteran	0.04%	0.07%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.05%	0.00%
Special disabled Veteran	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Other Protected Veteran	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Newly/Recently Separated Veteran (3-year)	0.04%	0.07%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.05%	0.00%
Vietnam-Era Veteran	0.04%	0.00%	0.07%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.05%	0.00%
Armed Forces Service Medal Veteran	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Total (N)	2,837	1,386	1,451	145	235	110	2,182	165

Note: Respondents could select more than one response option.
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Q Member of GLB (gay, lesbian, bisexual) community

Member of GLB (gay, lesbian, bisexual) community	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
No	95.8%	96.1%	95.5%	97.1%	92.2%	96.2%	96.5%	90.3%
Prefer not to answer	2.1%	1.7%	2.4%	2.1%	3.2%	1.9%	1.8%	3.9%
Yes	2.1%	2.2%	2.1%	0.7%	4.6%	1.9%	1.7%	5.8%
Total (N)	2,658	1,301	1,357	140	219	105	2,039	155

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Q Member of transgender community

Member of transgender community	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
No	98.6%	98.4%	98.8%	97.1%	99.5%	95.3%	98.9%	96.8%
Prefer not to answer	0.9%	1.0%	0.8%	2.9%	0.5%	4.7%	0.4%	3.2%
Yes - female to male	0.2%	0.1%	0.3%	.	.	.	0.2%	.
Yes - male to female	0.3%	0.5%	0.1%	.	.	.	0.4%	.
Total (N)	2,662	1,300	1,362	140	218	106	2,044	154

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Q Religious preference

	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
African Methodist Episcopal	0.4%	0.2%	0.5%	0.0%	4.3%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Assemblies of God	0.8%	0.6%	1.0%	0.7%	2.1%	0.0%	0.8%	0.0%
Baha'i	0.1%	0.0%	0.1%	0.7%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Baptist	22.7%	21.8%	23.5%	5.5%	41.3%	10.0%	22.6%	20.0%
Buddhist	1.0%	0.9%	1.1%	9.7%	0.0%	0.9%	0.5%	1.2%
Catholic	13.4%	11.6%	15.2%	13.1%	2.6%	42.7%	13.0%	15.8%
Charismatic	0.2%	0.1%	0.2%	0.0%	0.0%	0.9%	0.2%	0.0%
Christian Science	0.6%	0.9%	0.3%	0.7%	0.4%	0.0%	0.7%	0.6%
Disciples of Christ	0.6%	0.5%	0.6%	0.7%	2.1%	0.9%	0.4%	0.0%
Episcopal	2.1%	1.4%	2.8%	0.0%	1.7%	0.9%	2.5%	0.6%
Great Commission	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Hindu	1.1%	1.2%	0.9%	17.2%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	3.0%
Islam/Muslim	0.7%	0.7%	0.7%	6.2%	0.9%	0.0%	0.3%	1.2%
Jehovah's Witness	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%	0.0%	0.9%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Jewish	1.1%	1.1%	1.1%	0.0%	0.4%	0.0%	1.4%	0.0%
Latter-Day Saints (Mormon)	0.2%	0.3%	0.1%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.3%	0.0%
Lutheran	2.4%	2.5%	2.4%	0.7%	0.9%	0.9%	2.8%	1.8%
Mennonite	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%	0.7%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Metropolitan Church	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Moravian	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.0%	0.0%	0.9%	0.4%	0.0%
Native American Religion	0.1%	0.1%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.6%
Nazarene	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Nondenominational/Interdenominational	7.1%	6.6%	7.6%	4.1%	13.2%	8.2%	6.5%	7.9%
Orthodoxy	0.4%	0.1%	0.7%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.5%	0.0%
Pentecostal	1.8%	1.6%	2.0%	0.0%	5.1%	3.6%	1.4%	2.4%
Presbyterian (PCA)	1.4%	1.5%	1.2%	0.0%	0.9%	0.9%	1.6%	1.2%
Presbyterian (USA)	5.6%	5.6%	5.5%	3.4%	2.1%	3.6%	6.4%	2.4%
Protestant	3.2%	4.1%	2.3%	1.4%	1.7%	2.7%	3.6%	1.8%
Quaker	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.2%	0.0%
Salvation Army	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%	0.0%
Scientology	0.1%	0.1%	0.0%	0.7%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Seventh Day Adventist	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
United Church of Christ / Congregational	0.8%	0.5%	1.1%	0.0%	2.1%	0.9%	0.7%	0.6%
Unitarian Universalist	0.5%	0.4%	0.6%	0.0%	0.4%	0.0%	0.6%	0.0%
United Methodist	10.7%	9.7%	11.6%	2.1%	2.1%	1.8%	12.9%	7.3%
Wiccan/Pagan/Druid	0.4%	0.3%	0.5%	0.0%	0.0%	1.8%	0.3%	1.2%
Agnostic	4.5%	3.9%	5.1%	6.2%	2.6%	3.6%	4.5%	6.7%
Atheist	2.9%	3.8%	2.1%	2.1%	0.9%	3.6%	3.1%	4.2%
None	6.7%	6.7%	6.8%	11.7%	5.5%	9.1%	6.0%	11.5%
Prefer not to answer	7.3%	7.7%	7.0%	9.0%	6.4%	8.2%	7.1%	9.1%
Other	4.2%	4.5%	3.9%	4.8%	6.4%	1.8%	4.1%	4.2%
Total (N)	2,837	1,386	1,451	145	235	110	2,182	165

Note: Respondents could select more than one category.
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Q Musical instrument(s)

	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Play musical instrument(s)	31.1%	35.0%	27.4%	42.6%	25.7%	31.1%	31.0%	30.1%
Total (N)	2,664	1,300	1,364	141	222	106	2,042	153

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Q Choral group participation

	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Recent participation in choral group	18.6%	12.2%	24.6%	18.7%	25.1%	22.6%	17.5%	19.7%
Total (N)	2,656	1,293	1,363	139	219	106	2,040	152

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Q Personal computer

Have personal computer	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
Yes, a laptop	94.0%	92.2%	95.7%	92.2%	86.0%	88.8%	95.3%	92.9%
Yes, a desktop	0.6%	0.6%	0.5%	.	1.4%	0.9%	0.5%	.
Yes, both laptop and desktop	2.9%	4.4%	1.4%	1.4%	3.2%	3.7%	2.7%	5.2%
No	0.6%	0.7%	0.4%	1.4%	1.8%	.	0.3%	1.3%
Don't know	2.0%	2.1%	2.0%	5.0%	7.7%	6.5%	1.1%	0.6%
Total (N)	2,685	1,309	1,376	141	221	107	2,061	155

Q Use of handheld mobile device

Access the internet via mobile handheld device	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
More than five times per day	21.3%	22.1%	20.6%	20.0%	32.4%	28.3%	19.7%	23.4%
Several times per day	18.6%	17.9%	19.3%	19.3%	26.5%	13.2%	18.2%	15.6%
Once per day	4.3%	4.0%	4.7%	2.1%	4.6%	0.9%	4.5%	6.5%
Several times per week	5.1%	5.3%	5.0%	2.9%	5.0%	5.7%	5.4%	3.2%
Several times per month	3.9%	4.6%	3.3%	1.4%	4.6%	3.8%	4.0%	3.9%
Once a month or less	3.4%	4.1%	2.8%	3.6%	4.1%	3.8%	3.5%	1.3%
Never, plan doesn't provide this/I don't use	40.4%	38.9%	41.9%	46.4%	19.6%	38.7%	42.0%	44.8%
Never, don't have handheld mobile device	2.8%	3.1%	2.6%	4.3%	3.2%	5.7%	2.7%	1.3%
Total (N)	2,678	1,307	1,371	140	219	106	2,059	154

Check email via mobile handheld device	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
More than five times per day	15.8%	16.7%	14.9%	16.4%	24.3%	21.0%	14.3%	19.5%
Several times per day	16.1%	16.1%	16.0%	15.0%	22.9%	14.3%	15.9%	11.7%
Once per day	8.1%	6.5%	9.6%	5.7%	11.0%	4.8%	8.3%	5.8%
Several times per week	6.0%	6.0%	6.0%	5.0%	6.9%	6.7%	5.9%	6.5%
Several times per month	2.6%	2.8%	2.3%	1.4%	3.7%	.	2.4%	5.2%
Once a month or less	5.1%	6.3%	4.0%	4.3%	5.5%	6.7%	5.1%	4.5%
Never, plan doesn't provide this/I don't use	43.2%	42.0%	44.4%	47.9%	22.5%	39.0%	45.1%	45.5%
Never, don't have handheld mobile device	3.1%	3.6%	2.6%	4.3%	3.2%	7.6%	2.9%	1.3%
Total (N)	2,666	1,301	1,365	140	218	105	2,049	154

Send/receive text messages via mobile handheld device	NCSU	Men	Women	Asian Amer	Black / Afr Amer	Hispanic	White	Other / Unknown
More than five times per day	77.7%	72.5%	82.7%	58.9%	80.1%	77.6%	79.0%	74.7%
Several times per day	11.9%	14.4%	9.5%	14.9%	10.9%	10.3%	12.1%	9.1%
Once per day	1.2%	1.3%	1.0%	2.1%	1.8%	.	1.0%	1.9%
Several times per week	2.9%	3.4%	2.4%	5.7%	1.8%	3.7%	2.5%	7.1%
Several times per month	2.0%	2.4%	1.5%	3.5%	1.8%	1.9%	1.8%	2.6%
Once a month or less	1.0%	1.4%	0.6%	2.1%	.	1.9%	0.9%	1.3%
Never, plan doesn't provide this/I don't use	2.5%	3.6%	1.5%	12.1%	1.4%	2.8%	1.9%	2.6%
Never, don't have handheld mobile device	0.9%	1.0%	0.7%	0.7%	2.3%	1.9%	0.7%	0.6%
Total (N)	2,682	1,309	1,373	141	221	107	2,059	154

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For more information on the 2010 First-Year Student Survey contact:
Dr. Nancy Whelchel, Associate Director for Survey Research
Office of Institutional Planning and Research
Box 7002
NCSU
Phone: (919) 515-4184
Email: Nancy_Whelchel@ncsu.edu

Posted: January 2011

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