Vocational-Focused Public 2-Years Lead Spring Enrollment Rise

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Releases Current Term Enrollment Estimates Spring 2025 Report

Enrollment at community colleges (public two-year and public PABs*), which was hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, experienced a significant increase this spring, as revealed in the Current Term Enrollment Estimates (CTEE) Spring 2025 report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Undergraduate enrollment increased across major institutional sectors, with community colleges seeing the largest growth, 5.4% or 288,000 students, over the previous spring. 

Focus On Vocational and Trade Programs Driving Growth

Public two-years that focus on vocational and trade programs are driving this significant growth. Enrollment at these institutions grew by almost 20% since the spring of 2020 to 871,000 students this spring. High- and mixed-transfer public two-years, which focus on more traditional academic fields, had more modest enrollment growth this spring, an increase of 1.6% and 5.6%, respectively, but remain below spring 2020 enrollment numbers.  

“This is great news for community colleges, and especially for those with strong vocational programs,” said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. “Four-year colleges can also feel good about higher numbers of undergraduates this spring, but their growth rates are slower.” 

Enrollment at public four-year institutions grew 2.5% this spring, an increase of 183,000 students. Over 7.4 million students attended this type of institution in the spring, a 2.1% increase over 2020.  

About the Current Term Enrollment Estimates Report Series

The CTEE series is published every January and May. It provides national enrollment estimates by credential type, institutional sector, enrollment intensity, age group, gender, race and ethnicity, major field, as well as state-level enrollment estimates. View the complete Current Term Enrollment Estimates Spring 2025 report.  

*Primarily Associate Degree Granting Baccalaureate institutions 

“This is great news for community colleges, and especially for those with strong vocational programs. Four-year colleges can also feel good about higher numbers of undergraduates this spring, but their growth rates are slower.”

Doug Shapiro
Executive Director, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center