Postsecondary Enrollment Rises in Fall 2023, Marking First Increase in Over a Decade

WASHINGTON (January 7, 2025) — Fall 2023 marked a growth in postsecondary enrollment across most institution sectors and student subgroups. There were notable increases in enrollment of Hispanic or Latino students, students of two or more races, and U.S. Nonresident students, according to new Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data released today from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.

“The Fall 2023 enrollment data marks a turnaround in recent trends, showing a 2.5 percent overall increase compared to Fall 2022," said NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr. "This growth is evident across both undergraduate and graduate levels, with four-year institutions leading the way, alongside more modest gains at two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.”

Overall, postsecondary enrollment in Fall 2023 increased by 476,522 students (2.5 percent) compared to Fall 2022. This marks a shift from the enrollment decline seen in Fall 2022, which had dropped by 83,453 students (-0.44 percent) compared to Fall 2021. The increases in enrollment were observed across undergraduate and graduate levels, with four-year institutions leading the way, alongside modest increases at two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.

Four-year institutions saw the largest increase in undergraduate enrollment, increasing by 369,157 students (3.4 percent) from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023. The increase was broad-based and seen among all student subgroups, but it was especially pronounced among students of two or more races (6.8 percent), Hispanic or Latino students (6.8 percent), and American Indian or Alaska Native students (6.7 percent). Smaller increases were observed among Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students (1.7 percent), White students (1.2 percent), and U.S. Nonresident students (0.5 percent).

Two-year institutions also saw an increase in undergraduate enrollment compared to Fall 2022, adding 67,336 students (1.4 percent). While increases were seen among Hispanic or Latino students (4.5 percent), students of two or more races (4.7 percent), and U.S. Nonresident students (4.1 percent), there were declines for some groups, especially students whose race/ethnicity is unknown (-1.6 percent), Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students (-1.4 percent), and White students (-0.7 percent)

Less-than-two-year institutions reported the smallest increase in undergraduate enrollment, with a gain of 8,760 students (3.1 percent). While increases in enrollment of U.S. Nonresident students (22.7 percent), Hispanic or Latino students (13.4 percent), and Native Hawaiian or

Other Pacific Islander students (9.9 percent) contributed to the growth, declines were observed for students whose race/ethnicity was unknown (-11.3 percent), Asian students (-4.7 percent), White students (-0.1 percent), and American Indian or Alaska Native students (-0.06 percent).

Meanwhile, total graduate enrollment grew by 31,269 students (1.0 percent) in Fall 2023. Most subgroups saw increases, although there were slight declines in enrollment for part-time students (-0.8 percent), as well as for some specific racial/ethnic groups, specifically Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students (-1.9 percent), White students (-2.4 percent), and those with unknown race/ethnicity (-2.9 percent).

Distance education enrollment presented a mixed picture. Undergraduate enrollment in exclusively distance education programs increased at four-year institutions, with 131,453 more students participating in Fall 2023 compared to Fall 2022 (5.9 percent). However, enrollment in exclusively distance education programs declined at two-year institutions (-6.1 percent) and less-than-two-year institutions (-37.0 percent). Graduate students enrolled in exclusively distance education programs rose by 23,304 (1.9 percent) from Fall 2022, continuing a trend of growth in remote learning options at the graduate level.

The new fall enrollment, human resources, finance, and academic libraries NCES data being released today are from IPEDS. IPEDS is a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by NCES. IPEDS gathers information from U.S. colleges, universities, and technical and vocational institutions eligible to participate in any of the Title IV federal student financial aid programs.

To access the IPEDS data released today, please visit IPEDS Data Explorer.

• 2023 Fall student enrollment is up from 2022.
  • • Fall 2022 to Fall 2023: Increase of 476,522 (2.5 percent)
    • Fall 2021 to Fall 2022: Decrease of 83,453 (-0.44 percent)
  • For undergraduate students, the increase was greatest for four-year (3.4 percent) institutions, followed by less-than two-year institutions (3.1 percent). Two-year institutions saw the smallest increase (1.4 percent).
    • Four-year institutions
      • Fall 2022 to Fall 2023: Increase of 369,157 (3.4 percent)
        • Enrollment increased for all student subgroups.
          • The greatest increases were seen for students reported as
            • Two or more races (6.8 percent);
            • Hispanic or Latino (6.8 percent); and
            • American Indian or Alaska Native (6.7 percent).
          • The smallest increases were seen for students reported as
            • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (1.7 percent);
            • White (1.2 percent); and
            • U.S. Nonresident (0.5 percent).
    • Two-year institutions
      • Fall 2022 to Fall 2023: Increase of 67,336 (1.4 percent). While overall enrollment increased, enrollment decreased for some student subgroups.
        • Enrollment decreased for
          • Students whose race/ethnicity was unknown (-1.6 percent);
          • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students (-1.4 percent);
          • White students (-0.7 percent); and
          • American Indian or Alaska Native students (-0.4 percent).
        • Enrollment increased the most for
          • Students of two or more races (4.7 percent);
          • Hispanic or Latino students (4.5 percent); and
          • U.S. Nonresident students (4.1 percent).
    • Less-than-two-year institutions
      • Fall 2022 to Fall 2023: Increase of 8,760 (3.1 percent). While overall enrollment increased, enrollment decreased for some student subgroups.
        • Enrollment decreased for
          • Students whose race/ethnicity was unknown (-11.3 percent);
          • Asian students (-4.7 percent);
          • White students (-0.1 percent); and
          • American Indian or Alaska Native students (-0.06 percent).
        • Enrollment increased the most for
          • U.S. Nonresident students (22.7 percent);
          • Hispanic or Latino students (13.4 percent); and
          • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students (9.9 percent).
  • Graduate student enrollment increased by 31,269 students (1.0 percent) from Fall 2022 (3,182,618) to Fall 2023 (3,213,887). Enrollment increased for most subgroups. However, there were decreases in enrollment for some subgroups.
    • • Enrollment decreased for
        • Part-time students (-0.8 percent);
        • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students (-1.9 percent);
        • White students (-2.4 percent); and
        • Students whose race/ethnicity was unknown (-2.9 percent).
• The number of students enrolled exclusively in distance education increased by 64,369 students (1.3 percent) from Fall 2022 (4,918,059) to Fall 2023 (4,982,428).
  • For undergraduate students, the increase was driven by four-year institutions, which saw an increase of 131,453 students enrolled exclusively in distance education (5.9 percent). Both two-year and less-than-two-year institutions saw a decrease in students enrolled exclusively in distance education.
    • Enrollment at two-year institutions decreased by 88,926 (-6.1 percent).
    • Enrollment at less-than two-year institutions decreased by 1,462 (-37.0 percent).
  • The number of graduate students enrolled exclusively in distance education increased by 23,304 (1.9 percent).

Title IV institutions are those with a written agreement with the U.S. Department of Education that allows the institution to participate in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs. The U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy are not Title IV eligible but are included in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System universe because they are federally funded and open to the public.

The IPEDS Spring Collection data released today, were collected between December 6, 2023, and April 3, 2024, and are provisional. NCES completes an extensive quality control process when the provisional data is released to the public. Along with additional follow-up with institutions, blank data are imputed, using the Nearest Neighbor method to estimate missing data. NCES plans to forecast the final national results in the winter 2026, after some institutions revise their data.

Additional information regarding these data may be found in the IPEDS release memo.