Across the country, colleges are reporting something we haven’t heard in a while: growth.
This fall, many of our clients are celebrating record-breaking or renewed enrollment momentum. Southern California University of Health Sciences continues its upward enrollment trajectory and now serves the largest student population in its history. Point Park University saw a 25% increase in its freshman class. University of Puget Sound shared that Fall 2026 apps are up by 200% compared to last year. Central Penn College is on track for its strongest fall enrollment since 2020. Dominican University of New York and Allegheny College also reported gains in applications and enrollments.
After years of enrollment uncertainty and slow recovery post-pandemic, these numbers represent more than just institutional wins—they mark signs of stabilization for the higher education landscape. But as we’re hearing from campuses coast to coast, the rebound is far from uniform.
The Uneven Nature of Growth
While some institutions are experiencing a surge in enrollment, others are still feeling the headwinds of demographic shifts, affordability pressures, and competition for attention and value.
As my colleague Dave Black, vice president of market research and consulting at Paskill, recently noted in a team conversation,
Growth is not even across the board. We’re seeing mixed results by college type. The final Fall 2025 reports are not published yet, but we’ve talked to colleges that have growth and some that missed their numbers. Seems everyone is cautious about Fall 2026.
That perspective resonates deeply. Every institution’s context, including mission, market position, academic offerings, and student experience, plays a significant role in whether they’re seeing an upswing or continuing to struggle. We’re seeing that regional publics, small privates, and professional-focused institutions are experiencing very different realities right now.
The National Picture: A Slow But Steady Rebound
Looking at the data helps frame the broader story. According to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) report for Spring 2025, higher ed enrollment has rebounded, even if enrollment often remains below pre-pandemic levels.
- Public four-year undergraduate enrollment increased by 183,000 students compared to Spring 2024.
- Private four-year undergraduate enrollment rose by more than 87,000 students in the same comparison.
- Community college enrollment increased by almost 286,000 students since Spring 2024, accounting for over half of undergraduate enrollment growth.
Those are meaningful gains. They indicate not only that students are returning to higher education, but that confidence in the college experience as a path to purpose, belonging, and career success is strengthening again.
Still, not every part of the country is seeing the same gain. The South saw a total increase in enrollment of 4% since 2024, while other US regions hover between 2-3%. Some states, including Alaska, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, and Vermont, saw declines in enrollment.
Growth isn’t consistent across programs of study, either. Degrees in business and health professions accounted for more than half of the growth in undergraduate four-year enrollment. Meanwhile, programs in the humanities, English literature, and communication all saw a decline.
Renewed Confidence—And Better Enrollment Marketing
Three factors appear to be driving this rebound:
- Renewed student confidence: After years of uncertainty, students (and their families) are re-engaging with higher education as a stable and valuable investment, particularly when institutions articulate clear outcomes and community connections.
- Strategic enrollment marketing: Institutions that leaned into personalized digital outreach, belonging-based storytelling, and clear differentiation during the pandemic years are now reaping the benefits of sustained brand equity.
- Strength in transfer and adult markets: Many colleges are reporting growth not just in traditional freshman enrollment but in transfer, continuing education, and adult student segments — signals of shifting student behaviors that value flexibility and applied learning.
What Comes Next: Planning for Fall 2026 and Beyond
If Fall 2025 has been about recovery, Fall 2026 will be about resilience.
Demographic challenges, especially in the Northeast and Midwest, will continue to apply pressure. The competition for fewer college-bound students will intensify. And even as enrollment rebounds, the cost-value conversation is far from resolved.
That’s why institutions cannot afford to assume that this year’s growth automatically signals smooth sailing ahead. The campuses seeing sustainable success are those already asking:
- How do we sustain momentum in an unpredictable market?
- How do we deepen student belonging and connection beyond the first year?
- How do we align academic offerings with changing student goals and workforce trends?
These are the questions that will define the next era of enrollment strategy.
The Takeaway
Yes, higher education is rebounding, and that’s worth celebrating. The data tells a story of resilience, creativity, and renewed trust in the value of college. But it also reminds us that not every institution is feeling that lift equally.
As we continue to partner with campuses nationwide, we’re inspired by the ones leaning into this moment: those that are not only counting the numbers but understanding the “why” behind them. Because in a time when headlines can swing between “crisis” and “comeback,” the real story is being written in the strategies, relationships, and communities that make this growth possible.
