College Enrollment Declines

College enrollment has declined for the second year in a row, according to the Census Bureau. In the fall of 2013, the nation's two-year, four-year, and graduate schools enrolled 19.5 million students. This was 463,000 fewer students than in the fall of 2012 and 930,000 fewer students than in the fall of 2011—the peak year, when college enrollment reached 20.4 million.

Two-year schools accounted for almost all the enrollment decline between 2012 and 2013 (-560,000), while four-year schools made gains (+128,000). This was a reversal of the 2011-12 pattern of loss, when four-year schools accounted for almost all the enrollment decline (-580,000) and two-year schools made gains (+125,000). The nation's graduate schools experienced small declines in both years (-31,000 in 2012-13 and -13,000 in 2011-12).

Source: Census Bureau, School Enrollment