COVID-19: Stay Informed
Recognizing the urgency of COVID-19’s impact on students and institutions, the Research Center’s Stay Informed series tracks outstanding college enrollment trends in near real-time during the COVID-19 era.
Current Term Enrollment Estimates
Enrollment declines continued to worsen this spring. Total postsecondary enrollment fell to 16.2 million this spring, marking a one-year decline of 4.1 percent or 685,000 students. Enrollment declined this spring at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Following a 3.5 percent drop last spring, postsecondary institutions have lost nearly 1.3 million students since spring 2020.
Current Term Enrollment Estimates – Fall 2019
In fall 2019, overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.3 percent or more than 231,000 students from the previous fall to 17.9 million students.
Current Term Enrollment – Spring 2019
In the current term (spring 2019) overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.7 percent from the previous spring.
Current Term Enrollment – Fall 2018
In the current term (fall 2018) overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.7 percent from the previous fall.
Current Term Enrollment – Spring 2018
In the current term (spring 2018) overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.3 percent from the previous spring.
Current Term Enrollment – Fall 2017
In fall 2017, overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.0 percent from the previous fall.
Current Term Enrollment – Spring 2017
In spring 2017, overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.5 percent from the previous spring.
Current Term Enrollment – Fall 2016
In fall 2016, overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.4 percent from the previous fall.
Current Term Enrollment – Spring 2016
In spring 2016, overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.3 percent from the previous spring.
Current Term Enrollment- Fall 2015
In the current term (fall 2015 overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.7 percent from the previous fall.
Current Term Enrollment – Spring 2015
In the current term (spring 2015), overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.9 percent from the previous spring. This report includes national enrollment estimates as well as subtotals by institutional sector, state, enrollment intensity, age group, and gender.
Current Term Enrollment – Fall 2014
In fall 2014, overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.3 percent from the previous fall. In fall 2014, enrollments decreased among two-year public institutions (-6.0 percent) and four-year for-profit institutions (-0.4 percent). Enrollments increased among four-year public institutions (+2.2 percent) and four-year private non-profit institutions (+1.6 percent).
Current Term Enrollment – Spring 2014
In the current term (spring 2014), overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 0.8% from the previous spring. Enrollments decreased among four-year for-profit institutions (-4.9 percent) and two-year public institutions (-2.7 percent). However, enrollments increased slightly among four-year public institutions (+0.7%) and four-year private non-profit institutions (+2.0%).
Current Term Enrollment – Fall 2013
In fall 2013, overall postsecondary enrollments decreased 1.5% from the previous fall. In fall 2013, enrollments decreased among four-year for-profit institutions (-9.7 percent) and two-year public institutions (-3.1 percent). However, enrollments increased slightly among four-year public institutions (+0.3%) and four-year private non-profit institutions (+1.3%).
Current Term Enrollment – Spring 2013
In the current term (spring 2013), enrollments have decreased, compared to the previous spring, in every sector except four-year private nonprofits, with the largest decreases taking place among four-year for-profits (-8.7 percent) and two-year publics (-3.6 percent).
Current Term Enrollment – Fall 2012
In the current term (fall 2012), enrollments have decreased in every sector except four-year private nonprofits, with the largest decreases taking place among four-year for-profits (-7.2 percent) and two-year publics (-3.1 percent).