Preliminary Fall Report Shows Steady Undergraduate Enrollment Growth

Postsecondary Enrollment Rises for Third Consecutive Year, Driven by Community Colleges and Certificate Programs

HERNDON, VA / ACCESS Newswire / November 11, 2025 / 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 new Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends report finds that, while undergraduate enrollment grew across all sectors this fall, community colleges are seeing the strongest growth (4.0% for community colleges compared to 1.9% for public 4-year and 0.9% for private nonprofit 4-year institutions).

Graduate program enrollment remained steady, increasing by just 0.1%. Master’s program enrollment, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of graduate enrollment in the fall, is seeing a slight decline (-0.6%) while doctoral program enrollment is increasing 1.1%.

Among undergraduate credential programs, undergraduate certificates programs are seeing the largest enrollment growth this fall, continuing their strong gains from last year (6.6% for certificates compared to 3.1% for associate and 1.2% for bachelor’s).

“With half of our institutions reporting so far, the number of undergrads in colleges and universities this fall is on track to grow for the third straight year,” said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. “That’s good news all around, but especially for community colleges as students continue to gravitate towards vocational certificates and associate degrees, leaving less momentum for growth among bachelors’ seekers.”

Differences in demographics: Hispanic, Black, and Multiracial students (both undergraduate and graduate) are continuing to see enrollment growth this fall. Undergraduate White students, on the other hand, are seeing declines (-3.7%).

Computer science enrollment dives: Computer and Information Science enrollment is seeing a significant drop this fall, ranging from -15% for graduate to -5.8% for undergraduate 2-year institutions.

Trade and health majors grow: At undergraduate 2-year institutions, trade majors, such as Engineering Technologies/Technicians and Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, are continuing to maintain strong growth, up 8.3% and 10.4%, respectively.

Health majors are also continuing growth (ranging from 2.7% for graduate to 10.1% for undergraduate 2-year).

As preliminary data, this report reflects 8.5 million enrollments reported as of September 25, 2025, by 49.4% of postsecondary institutions in the U.S. that submit student enrollment to the Clearinghouse. Because of the limited data coverage, estimates provided in this report are preliminary and subject to revision. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center will release its Final Fall Enrollment Trends report based on comprehensive data with additional detail and analysis on January 15, 2026.

The Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends report is the first of the Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights series, designed to offer institutions, policymakers, and researchers an early look at enrollment trends for the fall. This report evolved from our previous Stay Informed reports that served the urgent needs of the higher education community for timely enrollment updates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report reflects enhanced methodology, clarified reporting structure, and better connections between preliminary and final data.

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About the National Student Clearinghouse^® Research Center™

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center is the research arm of the National Student Clearinghouse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed in 1993. The Research Center collaborates with higher education institutions, states, school districts, high schools, and educational organizations as part of a national effort to better inform education leaders and policymakers. Through accurate longitudinal data outcomes reporting, the Research Center enables better educational policy decisions leading to improved student outcomes. To learn more, visit nscresearchcenter.org.

CONTACT:
National Student Clearinghouse
media@studentclearinghouse.org

SOURCE: National Student Clearinghouse

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