Undergraduate Degree Earners Decrease 2.8% in 2022-2023 Academic Year

The total number of students earning undergraduate credentials, which includes bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, and certificates, decreased by almost 100,000 students, the second year of declines after years of gradual increases, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s newly released Undergraduate Degree Earner’s report.

“As expected, the enrollment declines of the pandemic years are now showing up in falling numbers of degree earners as well,” said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, explaining why we are seeing these declines. “Although shorter term certificates have picked up some of the slack, accelerating declines in associate and bachelor’s degree earners mean fewer new college graduates this year.”

While the overall number has decreased, there has been an uptick in certificate earners, who reached their highest level in the past ten years. Contrasting with this record, this year’s number of associate degree earners is the lowest in the past decade, and bachelor’s degree earners also decreased to their lowest level since 2015-2016.

The report also presents data on students who had previously earned a degree or certificate, and this year saw notable declines in the number of students with a prior credential earning a new one.

The Undergraduate Degree Earners Report provides in-depth findings by various demographics (gender, age, race/ethnicity), major field, credentials attained since the 2013-2014 academic year. Findings are presented nationally, as well as by state and region. Highlights include:

• Race/Ethnicity: The number of total credential and first-time earners decreased across all ethnoracial groups. First-time Hispanic and Multiracial completers declined for the first time after years of growth (Hispanic completers: -1.9%, -7,800; Multiracial completers: -1.9%, -1,900).
• Gender: Women earning their first-ever certificate grew more than men this year (women: +6.2%, +14,000; men: +5.3%, +10,100); this contrasts with last year when men’s growth outpaced women’s 4 to 1.
• Age: The number of completers declined for all age groups except those age 20 and younger. Half of this year’s growth in first-time certificate earners is attributable to 18-20-year-olds (+11.3%, +13,900).
• States and Regions: Declines in completers were widespread across regions, with limited pockets of growth.
• Major Fields: First-time certificate earner growth built on last year’s gains in trade fields such as Mechanic and Repair Technologies (+7.6%), Precision Production (+11.3%), and Construction Trades (+6.1%).

View the complete Undergraduate Degree Earners Report with its interactive data dashboard.

“As expected, the enrollment declines of the pandemic years are now showing up in falling numbers of degree earners as well. Although shorter term certificates have picked up some of the slack, accelerating declines in associate and bachelor’s degree earners mean fewer new college graduates this year.“

Doug Shapiro
Executive Director, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Additional Resources:

• Read the Undergraduate Degree Earner’s report
• Read the Fall 2023 Transfer and Progress Report
• Visit our Research Center