A recent study report shows that the number of students enrolled in American universities has exceeded pre-COVID-19 levels for the first time in five years.
According to a report released on Thursday (January 23) by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center in the United States, the total enrollment at American colleges in the fall of last year increased by 4.5% compared to the same period in 2023, adding 817,000 students, which is 0.4% higher than the enrollment in 2019.
Specific data reveals that the enrollment in certificate programs for undergraduate studies showed the largest increase, rising for the fourth consecutive year by 9.9% compared to fall 2023, marking a 28.5% increase from 2019.
Enrollment in bachelor’s and associate degree programs also saw increases of 2.9% and 6.3%, respectively, but remained below the levels of 2019.
Community colleges experienced the most robust growth, with an additional 63,000 new students in the fall of 2024, showing a 7.1% increase from the growth in fall 2023. The overall enrollment of 18-year-old freshmen at universities in fall 2024 also increased by 3.4%, adding 59,000 individuals.
Public two-year institutions focusing on vocational programs saw double-digit growth for the second consecutive year at 13.6%. Currently, the enrollment at these institutions accounts for 19.5% of all two-year public colleges, up from 15.3% in 2019.
In the fall of 2024, enrollment increased in all regions throughout the United States. Schools in the Northeast saw a 4.7% increase in enrollment, marking the first growth in the region since the fall before the COVID-19 outbreak. The South and West experienced similar growth rates of 4.7% and 4.6% respectively, followed by the Midwest with a 3.1% increase.
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, a non-profit organization in the education industry, releases the Current Term Enrollment Estimates (CTEE) report twice a year, in January and May. The latest report published on January 23 displayed data from the fall of 2024.