Dual enrollment is linked to stronger higher education outcomes. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Tracking Transfer report shows that students who enter community college with dual enrollment experience are more likely to persist, transfer to four-year institutions, and ultimately complete a bachelor’s degree.
The latest Undergraduate Degree Earners report finds 3.4 million learners earned undergraduate credentials in 2024–25, up 3.2% from the prior year, driven by faster, more flexible pathways. More students are completing credentials earlier, often through dual enrollment before finishing high school. “Stacking” awards is rising, with many earning an associate degree before a bachelor’s and maintaining momentum toward workforce goals.
Community colleges serve as a key entry point to higher education, yet fewer than one in five students who start at community colleges earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Tracking Transfer report provides detailed insights into the transfer pathways and degree completion outcomes of community college students from the 2018 cohort.
Dual enrollment has emerged as one of the most influential predictors of long‑term student higher education success. Insights from recent National Student Clearinghouse research reports and data available to high school and district users through our StudentTracker service show that high school students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to enroll in college and complete a postsecondary credential.
Postsecondary enrollment in fall 2025 grew by 1.0%, according to the Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Final Fall Enrollment Trends report. However, students are shifting their preferences among fields of study, reflecting evolving career interests and workforce demands.
According to the Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Final Fall Enrollment Trends report, total postsecondary enrollment in the U.S. rose by 1.0% in fall 2025. The increase was primarily due to growth in undergraduate enrollment at community colleges and public four-year institutions. This year’s report also revealed a noteworthy shift in student enrollment patterns.