Record Number of Students Re-Enroll in College

Over One Million Adults Returned to Higher Education After Previously Stopping Out

In the 2023–24 academic year, more than one million adults who had previously left college without earning a credential — known as “Some College, No Credential” (SCNC) students — returned to higher education. This finding comes from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s sixth annual Some College, No Credential report, which explores the educational pathways of the tens of millions of U.S. adults who left postsecondary education without completing a credential and are no longer enrolled.

In addition to uncovering a record number of students re-enrolling, the report also found that college stopouts — students who leave without earning a credential — declined for the second consecutive year.

“It is inspiring to see that over one million adults returned to campuses last year — the most we’ve ever recorded,” said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. “They’re reviving college aspirations that had been put on hold years before. And states and institutions are working to make it even easier for more students to do so in the future.”

While the report found that more learners are re-enrolling, the SCNC population continues to grow. The total SCNC working-age population (under 65) has grown to 37.6 million, reflecting a 2.2% rise from the previous year. However, the report uncovered some promising trends that can help turn this tide.

1: Fewer Higher Education Students are Stopping Out

The number of students stopping out of higher education declined for the second consecutive year. Between January 1, 2022, and July 31, 2023, just over 2.1 million individuals left higher education. This marks a decrease of approximately 156,000 people, or 6.9%, compared to the same timeframe a year earlier.

2: Vast Majority of States Experience Re-Enrollment Gains

Even as the SCNC population increased, 42 states and the District of Columbia saw increases in re-enrollment compared to the previous year, with Massachusetts experiencing a nationwide high re-enrollment increase of 35.2%. Among the eight states where re-enrollment declined, Louisiana and Wyoming saw relatively small drops of 0.2%, while Oklahoma had the largest decline (-13.8%).

3: States Award Credentials without Requiring Re-Enrollment

Several states have initiated programs that can award credentials to SCNC students for work already completed. For example, Colorado’s Re-Engaged (CORE) initiative allows public four-year institutions to award associate degrees to those who stopped out in the last decade with 70 credit hours under their belt. As a result, Colorado had the seventh-highest number of completers this year (2,100, +1,200 from 2022-23), boosted by associate degrees earned by SCNC individuals who did not need to re-enroll.

“These programs are a positive way to address the SCNC population and raise academic attainment levels,” said Matthew Holsapple, Senior Director of Research at the National Student Clearinghouse.

4: Re-Enrollment Rises Among Minority Students

Minority students — who represent a disproportionately larger share of the SCNC population compared to the current undergraduate population — experienced significant increases in re-enrollment during this reporting period. In 2023–24, Black, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander students re-enrolled at higher levels compared to 2021–22. 

5: Fewer Students are Stopping Out from Community Colleges

Nearly two-thirds of SCNC individuals last attended a community college — either a public two-year  or primarily associate degree-granting (PAB) institution. These colleges consistently report completion and first-year persistence rates well below the national average. Fortunately, this year’s SCNC report found that fewer students were stopping out of these institutions. The number of recent stopouts among public 2-year and PAB students declined by 10.7% and 8%, respectively.

Despite these promising signs, the growing number of adults stopping out without earning credentials remains a cause for concern. Holsapple expressed, “While it’s encouraging to see over a million SCNC students re-engage with higher education, the continued growth of this population reminds us that re-enrollment alone isn’t enough.”

To be classified as SCNC, an individual must have been stopped out of college for at least three academic terms prior to the start of the reporting year. The report also analyzes outcomes for two key subgroups of SCNC individuals:

1. Potential Completers: These are students with at least two years of full-time equivalent enrollment within the past decade. They represent 7.2% of the SCNC population — approximately 2.7 million individuals.
2. Recent Stopouts: These students were newly identified as SCNC during this reporting cycle, having stopped out between January 2022 and July 2023. They last enrolled in 2021 and account for 5.6% of the SCNC population — about 2.1 million individuals.

“We need to better understand the barriers to completion and develop targeted strategies — especially for recent stopouts and potential completers — to help more learners reach their educational goals,” shared Holsapple.

Download the full Some College, No Credential report, which was created with the support of the Lumina Foundation.

“It is inspiring to see that over one million adults returned to campuses last year — the most we’ve ever recorded. They’re reviving college aspirations that had been put on hold years before. And states and institutions are working to make it even easier for more students to do so in the future.”

Doug Shapiro
Executive Director, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center