Figure

I-12b: Advanced Placement Exams Taken per 100 Students, by Academic Field

Data Source and Other Information

Source: College Board, AP Program Participation and Performance Data, “Program Summary Report,” https://reports.collegeboard.org/ap-program-results/data-archive (for years 2005–2023) and https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/program-summary-report-2024.pdf (for 2024), data accessed summer of 2025; and National Center for Education Statistics, “Enrollment in elementary, secondary, and degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by level and control of institution: Selected years, 1869-70 through fall 2031,” in Digest of Education Statistics 2022, https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_105.30.asp (accessed July 2025). Data analyzed and presented by the Humanities Indicators (www.humanitiesindicators.org).

About the Data

The AP exams treated as part of the humanities for the purposes of this analysis are: African American studies; art history; Chinese language & culture; English language; English literature; French language & culture; German language & culture; Italian language & culture; Japanese language & culture; Latin; Spanish language & culture; Spanish literature; U.S. history; world history.

Related Indicators

For information regarding the share of AP exams in the humanities and other academic fields receiving high scores, see “Student Performance on Advanced Placement Exams in the Humanities.”

See indicators about assessments of humanities knowledge at the high school level, including those under “Trends in Basic Reading Skills Among School-Age Children,” “Writing Proficiency,” “Knowledge of U.S. History,” and “Knowledge of Civics.”

For more on precollegiate course-taking in the humanities, see “Credits Earned by Graduating High School Seniors” and “Language Instruction in Elementary and Secondary Schools.”

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The Humanities Indicators and Departmental Survey have been made possible in part by grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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