College, University Enrollment Down 5th Straight Year

College and university enrollment fell during the semester just coming to an end, marking a fifth straight year of decline.

Students over 24 represented the bulk of the dropoff, with for-profit institutions suffering the most, the figures, from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, show.

The trend threatens the national goal—already behind schedule—of increasing the proportion of the population with degrees. It also signals further problems for not only for-profit colleges and universities, but private nonprofit ones for which tuition is the principal source of revenue.

“These forces show no sign of slowing and will continue to challenge institutions in their planning,” said Doug Shapiro, the center’s executive research director.

Enrollment in all of higher education was down 1.4 percent from the previous fall. For-profit institutions saw a nearly 15 percent decline and community colleges 2.6 percent.

For-profits in particular have been affected by a slide in the number of students over 24, who now make up 40 percent of undergraduate and graduate enrollment.

Rather than expanding services for older students, many colleges and universities have been cutting back.