US College Enrollment Rises as Number of Campuses Drops, Report Finds

New data from the U.S. Department of Education reflect an unusual time for traditional higher education programs: Overall college enrollment is slowly increasing again for the first time since the pandemic, even though 99 institutions closed last year. The federal agency’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on Aug. 21 reported that the number of colleges and universities in the U.S. in 2023–24 dropped 2 percent from the previous academic year,  from 5,918 to 5,819. The tuition and fees at private and public colleges and universities, adjusted for inflation, decreased by amounts ranging from 5 percent to 8 percent from the previous year. Of the 99 schools that closed, 54 were private for-profit institutions (four-year, two-year, and certificate programs), 17 were private four-year schools, 15 were public two-year schools, seven were private two-year schools, and two were public four-year schools, according to the report. It also noted the closing of four institutions that offered certificate programs, categorized as “less than two years.” Three were public, and one was private....