Research Center: Fall Postsecondary Enrollment Rebounds Above Pre-Covid Levels

The latest Current Term Enrollment Estimates report, from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, reveals total postsecondary enrollment surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time. This fall, enrollment grew 4.5%, up 817,000 students compared to the previous year.

The report finds that undergraduate enrollment increased by 4.7%, reaching nearly 16 million students, just slightly below 2019 levels. Freshman enrollment saw a larger overall increase of 5.5%, adding 130,000 new students, with 63,000 enrolling at community colleges. Graduate enrollment also grew, reaching 3.2 million with an additional 100,000 students.

“It is encouraging to see the total number of postsecondary students rising above the pre-pandemic level for the first time this fall,” said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. “It is also promising that freshman enrollment increased this fall – the growth is driven by older first-year students, as 18-year-olds are still below their 2019 numbers.”

Other key findings include:

• Community colleges (public 2-year and public PABs combined) grew 5.9%, or by 325,000 additional students.
• Undergraduate certificate program enrollment grew 9.9%, an increase of over 101,000 students.
• Enrollment in bachelor’s and associate degree programs also increased (+2.9% and +6.3%, respectively) but remained below 2019 levels.
• Public 2-year institutions with high vocational program focus saw double-digit growth for the second year in a row (+13.6%).

The Current Term Enrollment Estimates (CTEE) series is published every January and May. It provides national enrollment estimates by credential type, institutional sector, enrollment intensity, age group, gender, major field as well as state-level enrollment estimates. View the complete Current Term Enrollment Estimates report. The press release is available here.

“It is encouraging to see the total number of postsecondary students rising above the pre-pandemic level for the first time this fall. It is also promising that freshman enrollment increased this fall – the growth is driven by older first-year students, as 18-year-olds are still below their 2019 numbers.”

Doug Shapiro
Executive Director, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Additional Resources:

• Read the Current Term Enrollment Estimates report
• Visit the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center