College Enrollment Increases Again, Now Approaches Prepandemic Level
Senior Contributor.
Total college enrollment increased again this spring to an estimated 18.4 million students.
The nation’s colleges and universities received good news on the enrollment front.
Total college enrollment grew by 3.2% this spring compared to spring 2024 and now stands at about 18.4 million students nationally, just 0.9% less than the prepandemic level of spring 2020. This year’s gain is equivalent to about 562,000 students.
The latest numbers are contained in the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Current Term Enrollment Estimates Spring 2025 report. Undergraduate enrollment grew 3.5%, reaching 15.3 million, which is about 2.4% (378,000 students) fewer than the pre-pandemic level.
Enrollment in graduate programs increased 1.5% (46,000 more students) compared to last year. Graduate enrollment now totals slightly more than 3.1 million, 7.2% higher than in 2020. That cumulative gain represents 209,000 more graduate students than the pre-pandemic number.
Community Colleges See Largest Undergraduate Growth
While undergraduate enrollment increased across all higher education sectors, community colleges experienced the largest growth at 5.4%, or 288,000 more students, compared to last spring.
Undergraduate enrollment increased 3.3% at private for-profit schools, 2.7% at public, four-year institutions, and 1.9% at nonprofit, private colleges. Historically Black Colleges and Universities enjoyed very positive numbers, with undergraduate enrollment increasing by 4.6%.
Undergraduate certificate program enrollment increased by 4.8%, propelling it to a 20% higher level than in 2020. But other types of degrees increased as well, with enrollments in associate degree programs growing by 6.3% and bachelor’s programs up 2.1%.
Institutions focused on vocational/trade programs saw particularly strong gains. High vocational public two-year schools grew enrollment by 11.7%, or 91,000 students. Enrollment at these trade-focused institutions has increased almost 20% since the spring of 2020 and now comprises 19.4% of public two-year enrollment.
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