Enrollment at colleges and universities rose a modest 1 percent this spring, but the number of students eschewing traditional four-year universities for technical certificate programs rose much more sharply, a June 4 report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found.
More than 18.6 million students enrolled in postsecondary academic programs in Spring 2026, according to “Clearinghouse’s Enrollment Insights: Final Spring Enrollment Report.” Total undergraduate enrollment increased 1.3 percent to 15.5 million students, but enrollment in undergraduate certificate programs at community colleges spiked 12.1 percent, adding 82,873 students to reach a total of 767,662.
Community colleges also recorded the biggest enrollment gains of full- and part-time students among all postsecondary institutions. Full-time enrollment rose 2.6 percent to 1,984,556 students, while part-time junior college enrollment climbed 3.3 percent to 3,827,796 students. Community college students accounted for just under 32 percent of total postsecondary enrollment….