The report summarizes data on higher education degrees conferred in the United States in the decade between 1976-77 and 1986-87. Information is given in textual and tabular form, and data are detailed by race/ethnicity; sex; and field of study for bachelor's, master's, doctor's, and first professional degrees. Data on degrees awarded to nonresident aliens and associate degrees conferred are also provided. Data were compiled from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the Higher Education General Information Survey. Among highlights of the report are the following: the number of bachelor's degrees awarded increased 8.3% during the period with all of the increase attributable to increased degrees earned by women; bachelor's degrees awarded to black students declined slightly; the number of master's degrees declined slightly but doctor's and first professional degrees increased; all racial/ethnic groups earned substantially more first professional degrees in 1986-87 than in 1976-77; most doctor's degrees were in education or the sciences; the number of doctor's degrees earned by nonresident aliens increased sharply; most first-professional degrees were in law, with medicine the second most popular field. (DB)