Community college enrollment decreased by 11.3 percent in the spring, compared to a decrease of 9.5 percent in the fall of 2020, according to the most recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Four-year college enrollment also declined in the spring with a decrease of 5.9 percent compared to the spring of 2020.
Trends of enrollment decline varied across student groups. For students between the ages of 18 and 20, the enrollment decline was about 7 percent at four-year colleges and about 15 percent at community colleges. Comparatively, enrollment for students between the ages of 21 and 24 and 25-29 declined by about 5 percent. When examining trends by race and ethnicity, Native Americans had the greatest enrollment declines with a 13 percent drop in spring 2021. Black, Latino and white students had relatively equal enrollment declines, approximately eight percent. However, Latino student enrollment in community colleges shifted the most during the pandemic compared to other student groups, decreasing approximately 14 percent. This is particularly notable because before the pandemic, Latino enrollment was increasing in these programs.
Regarding program type, associate degree programs saw a greater enrollment drop than bachelor’s degree programs, however both types still saw a decrease (-10.9 and -2.2 percent respectively). Concerning specific majors and programs, healthcare and related clinical science programs did relatively well during the pandemic compared to other majors and programs. These programs were among the top five most common fields for those pursing an associate degree, and among the top 10 for those pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
Comments