Research Center: Postsecondary Enrollment Rises as Academic Trends Shift
Undergraduate Enrollment at Community Colleges and Public 4-year Programs Leads the Way
The Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Final Fall Enrollment Trends report reveals total postsecondary enrollment in the U.S. increased by 1.0% in fall 2025, primarily due to growth in undergraduate enrollment at community colleges and public four-year institutions. This year’s report uncovered a noteworthy shift in student enrollment patterns.
Public Sector Schools See Growth, While Private Schools Decline
Undergraduate enrollment rose by 1.2% this fall, signaling a modest but positive shift in overall postsecondary participation, according to the report. The growth was driven primarily by a 3.0% surge in community college enrollment, reflecting renewed interest in affordable and flexible education options. Public four-year institutions also contributed to the increase, posting a 1.4% increase, suggesting continued demand for traditional degree pathways. However, the trend was not uniform across all sectors. Private four-year colleges faced enrollment challenges, with nonprofit institutions declining by 1.6% and for-profit schools dropping by 2.0%, underscoring ongoing pressures in the private education market.
“Overall enrollment is up slightly, but the real story is the shift between sectors,” said Matthew Holsapple, Senior Director of Research at the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. “Community colleges and public universities are gaining ground, while private colleges are down, a clear departure from the broad-based growth of recent years.”
International Student Enrollment Shifts
After several years of consistent growth, graduate-level international enrollment declined by 5.9%, roughly 10,000 fewer students. In contrast, undergraduate international enrollment continued to rise, increasing by 3.2% (about 5,000 students). However, this growth was significantly less than last fall’s surge of 8.4%, indicating a cooling trend in new international undergraduate admissions. These figures suggest changing dynamics in global student mobility, with graduate programs facing heightened challenges while undergraduate programs maintain modest gains.
“Graduate-level international enrollment is dropping, which is a big change from the steady growth we’ve seen in past years,” Holsapple said. “Undergraduate international enrollment did go up by about 3%, but that’s less than half the growth we saw last fall, showing that international student enrollment is slowing down.”
Major Field Trends Are Shifting Too
Enrollment in Computer and Information Science programs fell across all award levels and institution types this fall, marking a significant departure from previous growth trends. Declines ranged from a modest 3.6% at primarily associate-baccalaureate institutions to a steep 14.0% drop at the graduate level.
Within the Engineering major field, Computer Engineering programs also saw decreases, while other engineering specialties, such as Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil Engineering, posted double-digit gains, highlighting contrasting trends within the broader STEM landscape. Meanwhile, health professions continued their upward trajectory for the second consecutive year, with growth across all award levels and institution types ranging from 2.0% to 11.2%. Registered nursing programs were a key driver of this increase, showing consistent growth across the board, though gains at two-year undergraduate institutions remained relatively stable.
Certificate Programs Keep Growing
Undergraduate certificate programs continued their upward climb, outpacing growth in traditional bachelor’s degrees. Enrollment in certificate programs rose by 1.9%, while associate degrees grew by 2.2%, compared to just 0.9% growth in bachelor’s programs. Community colleges have been a major driver of this trend, now enrolling 752,000 students in certificate programs, a remarkable 28.3% increase since fall 2021 after four consecutive years of growth. “This surge highlights the growing appeal of short-term, skills-focused credentials as some students seek faster, more affordable pathways to career opportunities,” said Holsapple.
The Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights series is designed to provide higher education institutions, policymakers, and researchers with a continuous, cohesive understanding of enrollment trends. It includes three reports released throughout the academic year.
The Final Fall Enrollment Trends report (previously known as the Current Term Enrollment Estimates fall report, typically released in January) provides the final enrollment estimates for the fall term based on comprehensive data.
“Overall enrollment is up slightly, but the real story is the shift between sectors. Community colleges and public universities are gaining ground, while private colleges are down, a clear departure from the broad-based growth of recent years.”
Matthew Holsapple
Senior Director of Research, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center
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