""Higher education has stabilized and is growing again," says Matthew Holsapple, senior director of research at the center."
""We're continuing to see students shifting out of some of the more traditional pathways into these shorter-term, these more flexible, perhaps more job- and career-oriented fields," explains Holsapple."
""Confidence in college is coming back, but it is conditional," says Courtney Brown, who studies public opinion on colleges for the Lumina Foundation, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit aimed at improving higher education."
""The public's been telling us that cost, flexibility and career relevance shape their view of college's worth," Brown says. "So people aren't turning away from education they're just getting more precise about what kind of education they want.""
Total college enrollment in the U.S. reached 19.4 million students in the fall, a 1.0% increase from fall 2024 and above prepandemic levels. Growth was uneven across sectors: enrollment declined at private four-year colleges and master's degree enrollments fell, while public four-year universities and community colleges saw increases. Short-term workforce credentials at community colleges rose 28% year-over-year. Students are shifting from traditional pathways into shorter-term, more flexible, and career-oriented programs. Public confidence in college is recovering but conditional on cost, flexibility, and career relevance. Economic uncertainty and hiring slowdowns are influencing education choices.
Read at www.npr.org
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