A study reported in 1982 comparing U.S. government projections (taken from Projections of Educational Statistics) for the number of graduates from library science degree programs with actual numbers of graduates from such programs showed that for all 3 kinds of library degrees the long-term projections were extremely inaccurate and even the shortest- term projections were quite inaccurate except for doctoral candidates. For example:
in 1979-80, 73 doctoral degrees in library science were actually granted, while the projected number of doctoral degrees for 1979-80 in 1971 was 40, in 1973 was 60, in 1976 was 90, and in 178 was 80;
in 1979-80, 5,374 master’s degrees in library science were actually granted, while the projected number of master’s degrees for 1979-80 in 1971 was 19,280, in 1973 was 10,940, in 1976 was 10,250, and in 1978 was 8,920;
in 1979-80, 398 bachelor’s degrees in library science were actually granted, while the projected number of bachelor’s degrees for 1979-80 in 1971 was 1,580, in 1973 was 1,520, in1976 was 1,410, and in 1978 was 940. (Source)
Ibid…. showed thatthe number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in library science rose from 439 in 1960-61 to a high of 1,164 in 1973-74 and declined to 398 in 1979-80. (Source)
