5 Highlights from the Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends Report

New preliminary data finds that overall higher education enrollment is holding relatively steady this fall, but enrollment trends differ across institution types, degree levels, fields of study, and student demographics.  

Undergraduate enrollment growth is slowing in fall 2026, with enrollment increasing by 0.6 percent, compared to the 2.4 percent increase recorded in fall 2025, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends.  

“These preliminary results show enrollment holding relatively steady overall, but that stability doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Matthew Holsapple, Senior Director of Research at the National Student Clearinghouse. “Meaningful differences across sectors, degree levels, and fields of study reflect the complex enrollment trends unfolding across higher education this fall.” 

This report provides an early look at emerging fall enrollment trends, using a consistent panel of institutions that reported by the same point in the semester for three consecutive years. This allows for reliable year-over-year comparisons even before fall reporting is complete. As additional data are reported, these estimates may shift, with the comprehensive fall enrollment picture coming in January. 

Here are five highlights from the preliminary data: 

1. Community Colleges Are the Only Sector Showing Undergraduate Growth
   Undergraduate enrollment growth is slowing overall this fall, and community colleges are the only institutional sector showing growth. Community college undergraduate enrollment is increasing by 1.2 percent compared to the previous year. 
2. Master’s Enrollment Decline Drives Overall Graduate Enrollment Decrease
   Graduate enrollment is declining by 1.6 percent this fall, following little change in fall 2025. The decline is being driven primarily by the 3.7 percent decrease in master’s program enrollment. Doctoral enrollment remains relatively stable, with a 0.5 percent decline.  
3. Computer Science Enrollment Declines While Health Majors See Growth
   Enrollment patterns also vary across fields of study in fall 2026. Computer and Information Science undergraduate enrollment is declining at both 4-year and 2-year institutions, decreasing by 12.4 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively. Graduate enrollment is also declining by 10.4 percent. In contrast, enrollment in health majors is increasing across all award and institution types, with growth ranging from 2.0 percent to 6.2 percent. 
4. Enrollment Trends Vary Across Demographics
   Enrollment is increasing among Black and Hispanic students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels this fall, while declining among Asian and White students. However, these changes should be interpreted with caution, particularly at the undergraduate level, because of a growing number of students not reporting their race or ethnicity to their institutions (missing/unknown account for about 15% of the learners included in this report.). 
5. Undergraduate Enrollment Trends Vary at the State Level
   State-level data shows that undergraduate enrollment trends differ across the country. The largest declines are occurring in Vermont, Arkansas, and Wyoming, where enrollment is decreasing by 3.4 percent, 3.2 percent, and 2.7 percent, respectively.Meanwhile, the largest increases are being recorded in Louisiana, North Carolina, and Kentucky, with enrollment growing by 7.8 percent, 3.1 percent, and 2.7 percent, respectively. 

Looking Forward  

The Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends report is the first of the Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights series, designed to offer institutions, policymakers, and researchers an early look at enrollment trends for the fall. This report highlights data elements that have historically demonstrated consistent and reliable trends between preliminary and final reports. The Research Center will release its Final Fall Enrollment Trends report in January 2027, which will update the findings presented in the Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends report. 

“These preliminary results show enrollment holding relatively steady overall, but that stability doesn’t tell the whole story. Meaningful differences across sectors, degree levels, and fields of study reflect the complex enrollment trends unfolding across higher education this fall.”

Matthew Holsapple
Senior Director of Research, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center