College enrollment falls everywhere except Historically Black Colleges and Universities

College enrollment declined for the third consecutive year but at a lower rate than it previously had.

A report by the National Student Clearinghouse found that total undergraduate enrollment fell by 1.1% between 2021 and 2022. College enrollment was already in decline but was greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Total undergraduate enrollment has declined by 4.2% since the fall of 2020.

There was a slight difference based on gender. Male undergraduate enrollment fell by 1.7% whereas female enrollment fell by 2.4%.

It is not all bad news for colleges. The rate of decline has slowed since the pandemic. And not all types of schools saw a decline in enrollment. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), actually saw an increase in enrollment by 2.5%. Online institutions saw a 3.2% increase.

The pandemic may have exacerbated the college enrollment situation however there were already many obstacles to attending college. Rising costs for tuition have been cited as a deterrent as well as unease about job prospects.

Read the full report here. (National Student Clearinghouse)

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