College Enrollment Statistics (2026 stats)
TL;DR
National median: $569; National average: $2,646.46.
Key Facts
- National median: $569
- National average: $2,646.46
- Total: 14,468,221
Download the data
Downloads reflect the processed dataset used to generate this page’s charts and tables.
Total Enrollment by Institution Type
Enrollment Distribution by Institution Type
Public institutions enroll the most students with 10,593,004, followed by private non-profit institutions with 2,857,505.
Total student enrollment broken down by institution type. Source: College Scorecard (2024 data).
Gender Distribution in Higher Education
Gender Distribution in Higher Education
Women represent 63.7% of total enrollment, while men represent 36.3%. This reflects the growing gender gap in higher education enrollment.
Percentage breakdown of enrollment by gender. Source: College Scorecard (2024 data).
Data by State
| State | Total | Mean | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 201,244 | 7,453.48 | 27 |
| Utah | 355,204 | 6,342.93 | 56 |
| Arizona | 531,808 | 5,371.80 | 99 |
| California | 2,134,322 | 3,811.29 | 560 |
| District of Columbia | 55,676 | 3,479.75 | 16 |
| Colorado | 256,128 | 3,461.19 | 74 |
| Maryland | 253,178 | 3,421.32 | 74 |
| Texas | 1,240,605 | 3,389.63 | 366 |
| Georgia | 426,705 | 3,208.31 | 133 |
| Rhode Island | 62,567 | 3,128.35 | 20 |
| Indiana | 309,065 | 3,090.65 | 100 |
| Connecticut | 152,356 | 3,047.12 | 50 |
| Idaho | 99,609 | 3,018.45 | 33 |
| Alabama | 220,102 | 3,015.10 | 73 |
| Delaware | 44,606 | 2,973.73 | 15 |
| Virginia | 382,210 | 2,962.87 | 129 |
| Wisconsin | 227,817 | 2,920.73 | 78 |
| Florida | 855,761 | 2,881.35 | 297 |
| North Carolina | 421,744 | 2,756.50 | 153 |
| Nevada | 95,381 | 2,725.17 | 35 |
| Minnesota | 228,926 | 2,693.25 | 85 |
| Washington | 225,805 | 2,565.97 | 88 |
| Michigan | 368,613 | 2,473.91 | 149 |
| Massachusetts | 310,977 | 2,448.64 | 127 |
| Oregon | 158,796 | 2,443.02 | 65 |
| Mississippi | 124,254 | 2,436.35 | 51 |
| South Carolina | 199,420 | 2,402.65 | 83 |
| Vermont | 28,653 | 2,387.75 | 12 |
| Nebraska | 89,523 | 2,355.87 | 38 |
| Illinois | 467,073 | 2,335.36 | 200 |
| New Jersey | 316,789 | 2,199.92 | 144 |
| Hawaii | 41,521 | 2,185.32 | 19 |
| New York | 800,099 | 2,180.11 | 367 |
| Kentucky | 174,937 | 2,159.72 | 81 |
| Wyoming | 22,174 | 2,015.82 | 11 |
| New Mexico | 80,152 | 2,003.80 | 40 |
| Tennessee | 245,221 | 1,900.94 | 129 |
| Iowa | 134,174 | 1,838 | 73 |
| Louisiana | 186,008 | 1,788.54 | 104 |
| Kansas | 130,768 | 1,767.14 | 74 |
| Maine | 55,272 | 1,727.25 | 32 |
| Oklahoma | 157,061 | 1,670.86 | 94 |
| Ohio | 429,089 | 1,669.61 | 257 |
| Missouri | 208,336 | 1,666.69 | 125 |
| Pennsylvania | 468,960 | 1,662.98 | 282 |
| Alaska | 15,491 | 1,549.10 | 10 |
| Arkansas | 114,592 | 1,527.89 | 75 |
| West Virginia | 99,042 | 1,523.72 | 65 |
| South Dakota | 35,477 | 1,478.21 | 24 |
| North Dakota | 36,454 | 1,458.16 | 25 |
| Montana | 36,239 | 1,342.19 | 27 |
| Puerto Rico | 141,809 | 1,243.94 | 114 |
FAQ
What does the College Enrollment Statistics (2026 stats) dataset measure?
It summarizes the metrics shown on this page (charts and tables) using the sources listed in the Data Sources section, with national aggregates and breakdowns where available.
What is the primary data source?
College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Some pages also incorporate Census ACS context where noted.
How often is this page updated?
Pages update when the underlying processed datasets are refreshed and the HTML is regenerated; the Last updated date reflects the most recent build.
Analysis & insights
The national headcount in this frame lands near 14,468,221 students. Public institutions still carry most of the weight in national totals; California, Texas, and New York dominate raw numbers because they are simply enormous. Private nonprofits and for-profits operate at different typical scale—median campus size is not the same story as total enrollment. Completion reflects cost, support, and many factors a single enrollment table cannot model. These are reporting-year snapshots; they will not line up with every IPEDS fall tally.
Two-year and four-year systems play different roles by state. Transfer students can pass through more than one institution while a single year’s count looks steady. Demographics and regional economies push enrollment; funding politics matter as well, though the table does not isolate causes. State-to-state comparisons skew when online enrollment shares differ.
Data Sources
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and enrollment data
- Data year: 2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Census ACS - U.S. Census Bureau
- Demographic and workforce data
- Data year: 2023
- Source: census.gov