US colleges record third year of autumn enrolment growth
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The Eliot House dormitory on Harvard University's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
PHOTO: Bloomberg
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US colleges and universities recorded a third year of enrolment growth this autumn, according to preliminary data from the National Student Clearinghouse. Total headcount rose 2 per cent, with undergraduate enrolment up 2.4 per cent.
While undergraduate enrolment saw growth across all sectors, community colleges and certificate programmes added the most students to their rolls. Community college headcount was up 4 per cent and enrolment in certificate programmes increased 6.6 per cent.
“The preliminary figures highlight evolving trends as institutions and students continue to respond to new opportunities and challenges,” said Dr Matthew Holsapple, the National Student Clearinghouse’s senior director of research.
“The signals are clear that students are looking for practical, affordable and career-relevant education.”
Meanwhile, graduate enrolment was close to flat, rising just 0.1 per cent over 2024’s numbers.
Master’s programmes – which make up nearly two-thirds of graduate enrolment in the autumn – is down 0.6 per cent. Computer science studies saw a steep decrease in students, with graduate programmes losing up to 15 per cent and undergraduate ones losing close to 6 per cent.
The preliminary data did not provide information on international student enrolment
Dr Holsapple said many international students enrol in computer science studies and graduate programmes. The research centre will release final numbers for autumn 2025 enrolment in January 2026, which will include data on international student enrolment.
“It’s possible that when we have the final numbers we’ll see connections there,” Dr Holsapple said. “All these data points are interconnected and we can see trends pop up in different ways.” BLOOMBERG
