US College Enrollment Increase Highest in 40 years

According to a study released in June by the Pew Research Center, freshman enrollment at the U.S. ‘s 6,100 post-secondary institutions surged by 144,000 students from the fall of 2007 to the fall of 2008. This 6% increase was the largest in 40 years.  Interesting, almost three-quarters of the increase came from minority freshman enrollment growth.

Community colleges, trade schools, and large public universities accounted for much of the enrollment increases due to cheaper tuition fees and more open admissions policies. Still, the gains in minorities were seen at almost all levels of higher education, with white enrollment dipping to 53 percent at community colleges and 62 percent at four-year colleges.

California, the District of Columbia, Arizona, Alabama and Nevada had the largest freshman enrollment increases in 2008, with gains ranging from 11 percent to 21 percent. States registering declines included Minnesota, Nebraska, Delaware and Oklahoma, which dropped as much as 5 percent.