First conducted in the 1970s, the National Survey of College Graduates is collected every two to three years.  The previous survey occurred in 2010; the most recent in 2013.  The 2013 survey target population consists of all U.S. residents under age 76 with at least a bachelor’s degree as of January 1, 2012. 

In the past, the NSCG sample was drawn from the decennial census long form universe.  Beginning in 2010, the Census discontinued the long form and began using the American Community Survey.  At the recommendation of the Committee on National Statistics (part of the National Academy of Sciences), the NSCG sample was drawn from the ACS – first in 2010, again in 2013, and currently for the 2015 NSCG.

The 2015 NSCG includes returning sample from the 2013 NSCG as well as new sample selected from the 2013 ACS.  The majority of the 2015 NSCG sample – over 90,000 cases – were selected from the 2013 NSCG returning sample.  The other portion of the 2015 NSCG sample, the 42,000 new sample cases, were derived from the 2013 ACS.

There are two different versions of the questionnaire, one for each cohort.  The main difference in the two questionnaires is the collection of historical educational information and basic demographic information in the new sample questionnaire.