Health Professions’ enrollment grew for the third consecutive year in spring 2026, topping two million undergraduate students nationwide, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Final Spring Enrollment Trends. Gains were seen across four-year, two-year, and PAB institutions, with nursing remaining the largest area of study.
The new Persistence and Retention Report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows that nearly 86% of students who started college in fall 2024 returned for their second semester, with over 77% returning in fall 2025. The report revealed decade-high persistence and retention rates among Black, Hispanic, Native American, and part-time students.
Nearly 86 percent of the 2.62 million students who entered college in the fall of 2024 returned for their second semester — and more than 77 percent returned the next fall, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Those rates held steady from the prior year.
Check out the live webinars available from the Clearinghouse Academy in July 2026
The final Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) reporting period begins July 1st, and the National Student Clearinghouse has resources to support you throughout the process.