Freshman enrollment in US universities has experienced its largest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. While overall enrollment in higher education institutions has increased by 3 percent, first-year enrollment dropped by over 5 percent — a sharp contrast to last year’s 1 percent rise. Enrollment among 18-year-olds, specifically, saw a 6 percent decrease.
“It’s startling to see such a substantial drop in freshmen, the first decline since the start of the pandemic in 2020 when they plunged nearly 10%,” said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Shapiro noted that overall undergraduate numbers are bolstered by increases among returning students or those resuming studies after a break, particularly at community colleges, which he described as “at least some good news for students and schools alike.”
Four-year institutions with larger proportions of low-income students experienced the most significant declines in freshman enrollment, a trend likely tied to this year’s flawed rollout of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which affected new enrollments.
Freshman enrollment at colleges with high shares of Pell Grant recipients dropped by over 10 percent. According to the National College Attainment Network, FAFSA completion rates for incoming freshmen are approximately 9 percent lower than last year.
As freshman enrollment declines, there has been a 7.3 percent rise in students pursuing short-term education certificates. Bachelor’s-level fields showing the largest enrollment growth include public administration, social service professions, engineering, business programs, and health professions. In contrast, majors like liberal arts, general studies, humanities, and English saw the steepest declines.
