Total Higher Ed Enrollment Holds Steady in Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends Report

Early look shows community college undergraduate growth and master's enrollment declines

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Early reporting finds overall enrollment at colleges and universities this fall holding steady as community college undergraduate enrollment increases 1.2 percent and master's enrollment declines 3.7 percent, according to a preliminary report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

The new Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends report finds undergraduate enrollment growth slowing in fall 2026 to 0.6 percent—after increasing 2.4 percent in fall 2025. Community colleges are the only sector showing growth, with undergraduate enrollment increasing 1.2 percent.

"These preliminary results show enrollment holding relatively steady overall, but that stability doesn't tell the whole story," said Matthew Holsapple, Senior Director of Research at the National Student Clearinghouse. "Meaningful differences across sectors, degree levels, and fields of study reflect the complex enrollment trends unfolding across higher education this fall."

Graduate enrollment decrease driven by master's program decline: Graduate enrollment is declining 1.6 percent this fall, following little change in fall 2025. The overall decrease in graduate enrollment is driven primarily by a 3.7 percent decline in master's program enrollment, while doctoral enrollment remains relatively stable with a 0.5 percent decrease. 

Computer science enrollment falling further: Enrollment in Computer and Information Science programs continues to decline sharply, with double-digit decreases across institutions—declining 12.4 percent at undergraduate 4-year, 12.3 percent at undergraduate 2-year, and 10.4 percent at graduate institutions. In contrast, enrollment in Health majors is growing across all award and institution types, with increases ranging from 2.0 percent to 6.2 percent.

Differences among demographics: Enrollment is increasing among Black and Hispanic students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels this fall, while declining among Asian and White students. However, these changes should be interpreted with caution due to a growing number of students not reporting their race/ethnicity to their institutions. 

As preliminary data, this report reflects 7.92 million enrollments reported as of September 24, 2026, by 46.0 percent of postsecondary institutions in the U.S. that submit student enrollment to the Clearinghouse. Because of the limited data coverage, estimates provided in this report are preliminary and subject to revision. Scheduled for release in January 2027, the Final Fall Enrollment Trends report will be based on comprehensive data with additional detail and analysis and will update the preliminary findings presented in the report.

The Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends report is the first of the Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights series, designed to offer institutions, policymakers, and researchers an early look at enrollment trends for the fall. This report highlights data elements that have historically demonstrated consistent and reliable trends between preliminary and final reports. 

About the National Student Clearinghouse^® Research Center™
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center is the research arm of the National Student Clearinghouse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed in 1993. The Research Center collaborates with higher education institutions, states, school districts, high schools, and educational organizations as part of a national effort to better inform education leaders and policymakers. Through accurate longitudinal data outcomes reporting, the Research Center enables better educational policy decisions leading to improved student outcomes. To learn more, visit nscresearchcenter.org.

SOURCE National Student Clearinghouse