Colleges with Declining Enrollment – Why & What They Can Do to Reverse the Slump

The latest higher education enrollment rates paint a bleak picture. Since 2017, total US postsecondary enrollment has fallen every year, resulting in a 9% overall drop. This equates to over 1.9 million less students in higher education. 

Colleges with declining enrollment feature across sectors and regions. Community public colleges have been worst hit with enrollment dropping by 6.7% from fall 2020-2021. In the same time period, the Midwest has seen the largest enrollment decline at 1.1%. 

The list of colleges with declining enrollment is vast. In this article, we will explore the major causes for this declining enrollment in colleges and universities and suggest some strategies that can be adopted to reverse the trend. 

For a full breakdown of the latest enrollment data, you can download our report – The College Enrollment Decline – A Complete Breakdown of the Data. Find out how your college has performed over the past few years. 

The College Enrollment Decline – A Complete Breakdown of the Data

Find out the figures behind the college enrollment decline, with the latest enrollment data broken down by sector, region, gender, and major.

Get the data

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Why is College Enrollment Declining? 

The reasons for the college enrollment decline across North America are varied and complex. However, there are 4 major factors that are generally agreed to be driving this trend. 

1. Declining birth rates 

As birth rates have declined across North America, so too has the number of college-aged individuals who may enter higher education. This trend has been particularly pronounced in smaller colleges and universities that often rely on local enrollment to maintain their student bodies. Ultimately, the declining birth rate has led to increased competition among institutions for a smaller pool of students. 

2. Rising inflation and affordability issues 

The rising cost of education amidst inflation has had a considerable impact on prospective students’ decisions to enter higher education and why there are many colleges with declining enrollment. Some students are choosing to delay their enrollment, attend part-time, or pursue alternative and more affordable educational options.  

3. Disruption caused by Covid-19 

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on enrollment rates as many students have put their education on hold due to financial difficulties, health concerns, and other pandemic-related challenges. 

4. Growing postsecondary education alternatives 

There are more alternatives to traditional postsecondary education than ever before, driven by a variety of factors, including rising tuition costs, greater flexibility, concerns over student debt, and a changing job market that demands new skills and credentials. Vocational schools and online courses lead these alternatives – 30% of all students enrolled in higher education in 2021 were enrolled online, according to the National Center of Higher Education Statistics. This reveals a key reason why there are many colleges with declining enrollment. 

What Can Colleges do to Reverse the Enrollment Decline? 

Introduce live chat to break down barriers to engagement 

When students were polled on what communication channels they preferred, live chat was ranked number one. Live chat allows students to quickly and conveniently connect with potential schools in real-time, breaking down a key barrier to engagement – particularly compared to the traditional and outdated channels of telephone and even email, to an extent. 

Deliver 24/7 support with AI 

In a pre-enrollment survey, prospective students were asked – ‘How important it is for a school to provide 24/7 support?’. An incredible 99% agreed that it is ‘at least somewhat important’ to them. The only viable and cost-effective way to offer 24/7 support is through chatbots – and thankfully students are happy to use them. In the same poll as above, 95% of students said they were open to using chatbots to receive support from their school. 

Focus on connection with personalization 

When asking prospective students what they value when choosing which school to join, 92% said it was important they were treated like an individual. This makes personalization key, and omnichannel student engagement software essential. This technology connects every communication channel together into one platform, while integrating other key data systems. This gives the agent a detailed understanding of every student they speak to so they can provide personalized and helpful support. 

Adopt SMS to boost engagement 

Today’s students are inundated with information as brands clamor to get their attention. For admissions teams to get a slice of this attention, SMS is a key channel. In fact, it is statistically the most effective channel for connecting with students as text messages have an open rate of 98%. Through Comm100 Outreach, admissions departments can send bulk and personalized SMS messages to prospective students to keep them engaged and avoid student melt. 

Wrap up 

For a full breakdown of the latest enrollment data, you can download our report – The College Enrollment Decline – A Complete Breakdown of the Data. Take a look at this data to find out how your college has performed over the past few years and discover the colleges with declining enrollment. 

The College Enrollment Decline – A Complete Breakdown of the Data

Find out the figures behind the college enrollment decline, with the latest enrollment data broken down by sector, region, gender, and major.

Get the data

Slides