Enrollment in education after high school peaked in 2010, with 21 million students enrolling in two-or four-year degree programs that fall. Since then, enrollment has steadily declined, and even projections that predict a modest increase in the coming years top out at 20 million enrollees in 2031. The steepest declines in enrollment were seen at two-year colleges, where enrollment dropped by more than one-third between 2010 and 2020.
People hold a variety of theories as to why this is happening, and there is probably at least a bit of truth in each of them. But one thing most people agree is that this is a big problem, for higher education and for our nation.
Fortunately, most people are wrong on this one. Declining enrollments may be disruptive, and they will cause more pain for some than others. Overall, however, the falling demand for higher education is going to bring about positive change for students, taxpayers,…
