Early reporting finds total enrollment at colleges and universities this fall grew 2.0%, driven by a 2.4% increase in undergraduate enrollment, according to a preliminary report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that over 86 percent of the college freshman class of 2023 returned for their second semester.
The number of students leaving college without earning a credential — or “stopping out” — has declined for the second year in a row, reports the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Community colleges, which were hit especially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, experienced a significant increase in spring enrollment as revealed in the Spring 2025 Current Term Enrollment Estimates report. The growth is being driven by community colleges that focus on vocational and trade programs.
The number of students enrolled in undergraduate programs continues to climb toward pre-pandemic highs, while enrollment in graduate programs has surpassed its spring 2020 level, according to a new report on spring enrollment from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.