Undergraduate Enrollment Growth Slows, Master's Programs Decline in Fall 2026

Preliminary data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center indicates that undergraduate enrollment increased by only 0.6% in Fall 2026, a significant slowdown from the 2.4% growth seen in the previous year. Community colleges drove the modest increase, while master's program enrollment saw a 3.7% decline, contributing to an overall 1.6% decrease in graduate enrollment.