College Enrollment Growth Slows, Graduate Programs Decline in Fall 2026

Preliminary data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center indicates that overall undergraduate enrollment increased by 0.6% in Fall 2026, a slowdown from the previous year. Graduate student enrollment, however, declined by 1.6%, with master's programs seeing a 3.7% drop, possibly due to new loan caps. This trend could impact higher education institutions and future workforce demographics.