Starting off this new year of 2026, I often like to reflect on the many blessings in my life that I’m grateful for, and one thing in particular I’ve been thinking about and am especially appreciative of to this day is my college degree and education. The skills I learned during my college years and the experience I took away from it all helped to set the direction of my life and where I am today.
I’ve been seeing more than a few articles in the national news about declining college student enrollment numbers recently, citing various reasons for the changing trend, whether it be because of the shifting perceived importance of higher education, the economy, or a “demographic cliff.” It’s definitely a mix of all of those factors and more.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, between fall 2010 and fall 2021, the total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions decreased by 15% (from 18.1 million to 15.4 million students). It is also noted that these numbers continued the downward trend in undergraduate enrollment observed before the coronavirus pandemic. About 42% of this decline in undergraduate enrollment between fall 2010 and fall 2021 occurred during the pandemic. Despite this noted decline though, total undergraduate enrollment is projected to increase by 9% (from 15.4 million to 16.8 million students) between 2021 and 2031. Time will tell how that projection shifts, if at all.
