College Enrollment Sees First Increase Since Start of Pandemic, Though Freshman Numbers Decline

Community colleges and online institutions record significant gains; minority enrollment increases while white student numbers fall.

College undergraduate enrollment has seen a 2.1% rise this fall, marking the first increase since the COVID-19 pandemic; community colleges reported a more significant 4.4% increase.
Despite overall enrollment improvements, freshman enrollment fell 3.6%, with most declines observed in bachelor’s programs at public and private nonprofit four-year institutions.
Increases in enrollment were more significant among minority students, particularly Black, Hispanic, and Asian students, while white student enrollment has continued to decline.
Online institutions and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) reported substantial enrollment gains of 10.2% and 6.1% respectively.
Healthcare programs and majors are witnessing a resurgence in enrollment after an initial decline during the pandemic, highlighting a trend in student preference for shorter-term credentials such as undergraduate certificate programs, which saw a 9.9% increase in enrollments.