In recent years, the college enrollment rate has been fluctuating, and the trend of decline is very obvious. The fluctuation of the college enrollment rate not only reflects that people’s views on the education degree level are changing, but also reflects the impact of many factors, such as socio-economic and technological progress on the college enrollment rate. This guide will analyse the factors leading to the recent decline in college enrollment rates by studying statistical data on college enrollment rates in American universities. If you are still struggling with the choice of further education, then this guide is prepared for you!
How Many College Students Are in the U.S.?
In recent years, college enrollment in the United States has been on a downward trend. With the increasing economic pressure, tuition fees have continued to rise. Consequently, many students are turning to alternative forms of education such as online learning and vocational training. Against this backdrop, the question of how many college students there are in the US has attracted widespread attention. According to the latest statistics released by the U.S. Department of Education, the total number of college students in the country (including both undergraduate and graduate students）stands at approximately 19 to 20 million.
Through studying statistical data, we found that the number of college students in the United States seems to be decreasing year by year. The factors contributing to the college enrollment rate decline may be multifaceted. Firstly, the continuous rise in tuition fees has driven up the overall cost of education. This forces many students to re-evaluate their ability to afford the cost of university education. In addition, the rise of online platforms has also provided students with more choices. This has a direct impact on the university enrollments rate. At the same time, there has been a shift in society’s perception of university education, with more and more students choosing courses that align with their career development. Next, we will conduct an in-depth analysis of the impact of Institution Type, Gender, Race and Ethnicity, Age, Degree on university enrollment rates.
College Enrollment by Institution Type
The vast majority of college students choose to study full-time courses at four-year public degree-granting institutions. According to college enrollment statistics, the following information can be obtained:
- Among high school graduates, 16.9% choose to enter two-year universities and 45.1% choose four-year universities. This indicates that the vast majority of high school graduates are more inclined to choose academic paths with a longer duration. Two-year colleges can still attract some students to apply.
- The proportion of students enrolled in public institutions reaches 73.2%, and this proportion will remain relatively stable from 2020 to 2025. This highlights the dominant position of public universities in the American higher education system.
- The proportion of enrollment in public institutions peaked at 76.8% in 2000. On the other hand, the proportion of students in private and for-profit colleges has been at a relatively low level for a long time.
| Years of Study | Number | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Private four-year | 1907 | Elite Ivy League, NYU, William College… |
| Private two-year | 450 | Typically vocational-focused like Berea College, Paul Quinn College… |
| Public four-year | 772 | State-funded, cheaper for in-state students, like the University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, UVA… |
| Public two-year | 853 | Community colleges like Santa Monica College, Lone Star College, Miami Dade College… |
According to the previous analysis, the differences in attractiveness of different types of schools in American university admissions are mainly reflected in tuition fees and academic resources. Public institutions continue to attract the majority of students due to their lower tuition fees and wider academic resources. Especially in the context of high economic pressure, it has become the first choice for many students. In contrast, although private colleges have higher tuition fees, they can still attract a small number of students with high-quality education and strong alumni networks.
Both public and private four-year colleges continue to be the preferred choice for most students due to their comprehensive academic training and long-term career development prospects. However, the enrollment in two-year colleges is relatively small. However, due to its advantages of lower tuition fees and the ability to provide more career-oriented courses, it still meets the needs of students pursuing vocational skills.
Overall, tuition fees and academic resources remain the main driving forces for students to choose colleges.
College Enrollment by Gender
Through analysing the data about enrollment at American University, we can observe some significant trends in gender in higher education:
- Women have outnumbered men in college since 1979.
- In spring 2025, an estimated 8.3 million women and 6.1 million men were enrolled in undergraduate programs.
- Among first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seekers, females are 32.3% more likely to complete their degree at the first institution they enrolled in and within 6 years compared to men.
- Among all postsecondary students, graduate and undergraduate, 42.1% are male and 57.9% are female.
At present, the relevant data is limited and cannot fully reflect other gender groups besides the binary gender. If the data collection is updated in the future, this type of data should be able to be counted.
| Fall Post-secondary Enrollment (Undergraduate & Graduate) from 1976 to 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | % Female Enrollment | % Female Racial or Ethnic Minority Enrollment |
| 2022 | 57.94% | 27.19% |
| 2021 | 58.37% | 26.91% |
| 2020 | 58.56% | 26.80% |
| 2019 | 57.39% | 25.89% |
| 2018 | 57.03% | 25.21% |
| 2017 | 56.66% | 24.64% |
| 2016 | 56.47% | 24.11% |
| 2015 | 56.36% | 23.71% |
| 2014 | 56.47% | 23.45% |
| 2010 | 56.96% | 21.55% |
| 2000 | 56.10% | 16.53% |
| 1990 | 54.28% | 11.06% |
| 1980 | 51.44% | 8.80% |
| 1976 | 47.23% | 7.85% |
According to the above data analysis, the change in the proportion of male and female students enrolled in American universities shows a continuous increase in the number of female college enrollments. This reflects the gradual promotion of gender equality education by society. With the increasing participation of women in higher education, the job market is demanding higher levels of education for women, and opportunities for women in academia and careers are constantly increasing.
These data emphasize the importance of creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students, and also remind us that gender balance remains a multidimensional issue.
College Enrollment by Race and Ethnicity
By analysing current university enrollment data, we can better understand the participation of different races and ethnicities in higher education:
- 52.3% of college students are White or Caucasian; excluding nonresident noncitizens or international students.
- 58.9% of White or Caucasian students enroll at 4-year institutions.
- As a percentage of total student enrollments, the rate of enrollment of students of color has increased from 15.36% in 1976 to 45.23% in 2022, an absolute increase of 29.87%.
- Black and African American student enrolment has seen an absolute increase of 3.1% since 1976 relative to total enrollment.
- It’s important to consider that a substantial number of students — 19% of undergraduate students and 21% of graduate students — did not report their race or ethnicity.
| College Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity, 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Enrollment | Graduate Enrollment | |
| Total Enrollment | 15,253,244 | 3,114,726 |
| White | 5,980,551 | 1,276,687 |
| Hispanic | 2,807,267 | 308,391 |
| Black | 1,739,940 | 340,624 |
| Asian | 914,759 | 247,864 |
| Native American | 98,360 | 17,007 |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 38,503 | 5,367 |
| Multiracial | 695,565 | 121,846 |
| International | 153,685 | 151,098 |
| Unknown or unreported | 2,827,464 | 645,844 |
Based on the above data, it can be seen that the racial and ethnic composition of American college students is becoming increasingly diverse. The corresponding educational backgrounds behind this are also diverse. White students are still the largest, accounting for 52.3% of the total college enrollment. However, over the years, the proportion of people of color (including Black, Latinx, and Asian students) attending college has increased. It can be seen from this that multiculturalism has an increasingly significant impact on university enrollment. Especially for Latinx girls, the rate of college enrollment has increased significantly. This indicates that this group has access to an increasing number of educational opportunities.
However, there are also some ethnic groups that have risen relatively slowly, such as American Native Americans and Alaska Native Americans. Their enrollment is only slightly higher. It is evident that they still find it difficult to participate in higher education. This situation is mostly related to family economic conditions, uneven distribution of educational resources, and a lack of educational opportunities in the past.
Currently, people increasingly value educational equity. In future education policies and resource allocation, more support should be given to ensure that all ethnic groups can have equal access to universities, especially those who rarely enter universities.
College Enrollment Statistics in the U.S.
According to the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Education, we can see that:
- 11.91 million undergraduates and graduate students are enrolled full-time, representing 60.7% of postsecondary students.
- 62.0% of high school (or equivalent) graduates go on to postsecondary study.
- College enrollment reached its peak in 2010, at 21.02 million, a significant increase from previous years. Afterwards, the number of current enrolled students decreased to 19.568 million in 2025.
- The enrollment in 2025 is 19.568 million, slightly increasing from 19.247 million in 2024. This indicates that although there has been an overall decline since 2010, the number of enrollments is still showing a slow upward trend.
- In 2022, the total enrollment was 18.58 million, with public institutions continuing to dominate. 72.6% of students choose to attend public universities and colleges.
| College Enrollment (Undergraduate & Graduate Students) from 1950 to 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Total | %Public Institution |
| 2025 | 19,567,692 | 73.20% |
| 2024 | 19,247,640 | 73.20% |
| 2023 | 18,939,568 | 73.20% |
| 2022 | 18,580,026 | 72.60% |
| 2021 | 18,658,756 | 72.60% |
| 2020 | 19,027,410 | 73.00% |
| 2015 | 19,988,204 | 72.90% |
| 2010 | 21,019,438 | 72.00% |
| 2005 | 17,487,475 | 74.50% |
| 2000 | 15,312,289 | 76.80% |
| 1995 | 14,261,781 | 77.80% |
| 1990 | 13,818,637 | 78.50% |
| 1985 | 12,096,895 | 77.40% |
| 1980 | 12,096,895 | 78.20% |
| 1975 | 11,184,859 | 79.00% |
| 1970 | 8,580,887 | 74.90% |
| 1965 | 5,920,864 | 67.00% |
| 1960 | 4,145,065 | 61.80% |
| 1955 | 2,653,034 | 55.60% |
| 1950 | 2,281,298 | 50.00% |
College Enrollment Trends
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), undergraduate college enrollment peaked in 2010 at around 18.1 million undergraduate students. From there, it declined steadily. In fall 2025, about 15.4 million undergraduate students were enrolled in college.
Here are a few more college enrollment decline statistics to consider:
- Between 1985 and 2010, college enrollment increased at an average rate of 2.2% a year.
- From 2012-2022, enrollment decreased at an average rate of 1.4% a year.
- In 2022, college enrollment was 14.8% below peak enrollment in 2010.
Although the university enrollment has slightly increased in 2024 and 2025, the overall trend is still decreasing compared to the enrollment in 2010.
Why Is College Enrollment Declining?
Based on previous analysis of enrollment trends at American universities, the enrollment at top universities in the United States, especially the top 10 us colleges with declining enrollment, is actually caused by a combination of multiple factors. Specifically, this trend is closely related to factors such as the overall reduction in enrollment scale, the subsequent impact of the epidemic, the economic pressure of education and further education, and the shift in society’s perception of the value of university education.
- Rising Cost of Higher Education: Over the years, the cost of college in the US has been increasing. The combined expenses of tuition, accommodation, and textbook fees put a lot of pressure on many students. This economic pressure forces some students to give up opportunities for higher education enrollment or choose more cost-effective educational paths. This further exacerbates the phenomenon of college enrollment decline.
- Demographic Shift: As the birth rate decreases, the size of the young population gradually shrinks. The decrease in the teenage population in some states directly leads to a decline in the number of college students in the US. At the same time, the participation of some ethnic groups in higher education has increased. However, some ethnic groups may choose not to enter the higher education system due to multiple economic and social factors.
- Emergence of Online Learning Platforms: Online learning platforms have rapidly emerged in recent years, with more and more students choosing to pursue degrees or receive vocational training through online courses. This type of platform combines the advantages of flexible learning time and low cost, attracting many students who are unwilling to bear traditional university tuition and living expenses
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Conclusion
Overall, the college enrollment decline in the United States is a comprehensive reflection of multiple social, economic, and cultural factors working together. The trend of declining university enrollment rates year after year is due to the interweaving and superposition of multiple factors, which have jointly caused the current dilemma of declining enrollment rates. At the same time, rising tuition fees, increased employment pressure, and a shift in society’s perception of the value of university education further influence students’ choices for further education and participation in higher education.
These data not only provide us with a clear understanding of the current state of higher education in the United States, but also offer valuable references for future education policy formulation. By understanding these trends, we can better help future college students cope with the constantly changing educational environment with ease.
FAQs
Are less people going to college?
Yes, fewer people are going to college, which is reflected in the college enrollment decline over recent years. Several factors contribute to this trend, including rising tuition costs, economic uncertainties, and changing perceptions of the value of a college degree.
How many colleges students are in the U.S.?
Currently, approximately 19.6 million students are enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, according to the most recent college enrollment statistics. This number represents both undergraduate and graduate students across all types of institutions.
why is college enrollment declining?
College enrollment decline can be attributed to multiple factors, such as the rising cost of education, demographic shifts, and changing attitudes toward higher education. Economic barriers like increasing tuition fees and living expenses deter many potential students.
What does enrolled in college mean?
Being enrolled in college means that a student has officially registered to attend a higher education institution, either full-time or part-time, to pursue a degree or certification. This status indicates that the student has met the necessary prerequisites and has been accepted by the institution.
How to increase college enrollment?
To increase college enrollment, key steps would include making higher education more affordable, improving access to scholarships, and addressing financial barriers such as high tuition fees.
What is the current college enrollment in the U.S.?
The current college enrollment in the U.S. stands at approximately 19.6 million students. This figure includes both undergraduate and graduate students. While the numbers have fluctuated over the years, a slight upward trend has been observed recently, following a period of decline post-2010.
