College Enrollment Statistics (2026 stats)

Last updated: April 29, 2026 Source: College Scorecard

TL;DR

Here are the headline numbers: National median: $543.50; National average: $2,600.43; Total: 14,484,370. Comprehensive enrollment data including total enrollment, demographics, and breakdowns by institution type and

Key Facts

  • National median: $543.50
  • National average: $2,600.43
  • Total: 14,484,370

Download the data

Download CSV Download JSON

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 10,573,165, followed by private non-profit institutions with 2,786,748.

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 63.8% of total enrollment, while men represent 36.2%. 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-level values for college enrollment statistics
State Total Mean Count
NH 201,244 7,453.48 27
UT 355,292 6,021.90 59
AZ 511,703 5,168.72 99
CA 2,158,168 3,759.87 574
MD 253,216 3,376.21 75
CO 256,174 3,370.71 76
TX 1,239,434 3,322.88 373
DC 55,908 3,288.71 17
GA 427,018 3,163.10 135
RI 62,567 3,128.35 20
IN 309,215 3,061.53 101
CT 152,356 3,047.12 50
ID 99,609 3,018.45 33
AL 220,166 2,975.22 74
DE 44,606 2,973.73 15
VA 382,545 2,920.19 131
WI 228,156 2,851.95 80
FL 857,173 2,828.95 303
NC 422,418 2,725.28 155
MN 229,048 2,663.35 86
NV 95,795 2,660.97 36
WA 226,333 2,514.81 90
MS 124,254 2,436.35 51
MI 368,899 2,411.10 153
VT 28,653 2,387.75 12
MA 311,375 2,358.90 132
OR 159,039 2,338.81 68
IL 467,912 2,316.40 202
SC 200,978 2,310.09 87
NE 89,648 2,298.67 39
NJ 316,789 2,199.92 144
NY 800,389 2,145.82 373
KY 174,956 2,107.90 83
HI 41,568 2,078.40 20
WY 19,683 1,968.30 10
NM 80,490 1,963.17 41
TN 245,429 1,859.31 132
IA 134,174 1,838 73
KS 130,768 1,767.14 74
LA 186,739 1,729.06 108
ME 55,272 1,727.25 32
OK 157,080 1,653.47 95
MO 208,656 1,642.96 127
OH 429,559 1,639.54 262
PA 469,126 1,628.91 288
AK 15,491 1,549.10 10
WV 101,533 1,538.38 66
AR 114,619 1,508.14 76
SD 35,477 1,478.21 24
ND 36,454 1,458.16 25
MT 36,239 1,342.19 27
PR 144,549 1,224.99 118

FAQ

Enrollment, completion & pathways

What is the difference between enrollment and completion statistics?

Enrollment counts students attending during a term or year. Completion tracks credentials conferred within standard time horizons—definitions differ by sector and governing agency.

Why are dropout or stop-out rates hard to compare across colleges?

Students transfer, enroll part-time, or stop for work—IPEDS and Scorecard use different timelines (150% of normal time, etc.). Match the same cohort rule before contrasting schools.

How should transfer pathways be interpreted?

Transfer counts depend on articulation agreements and student intent. High transfer activity can look like “dropout” if outcomes are measured only at the first institution.

Do online or adult-serving campuses report differently?

Often yes—part-time and adult cohorts take longer to complete, so traditional six-year graduation rates understate success if stop-outs later finish elsewhere.

Using this page

What does this page cover on “College Enrollment Statistics”?

Comprehensive enrollment data including total enrollment, demographics, and breakdowns by institution type and state.

Which sources power the numbers here?

Figures draw on College Scorecard, and Census ACS. Use Data Sources for exact tables, APIs, and methodology notes.

Why might these figures differ from another chart or headline?

If another outlet shows a different total, check whether the cohort (all borrowers vs undergraduates only), academic year, and data source match. Mixing definitions is the most common reason charts appear to conflict.

How often is this page updated?

We refresh when upstream federal releases change and the site rebuild ships new CSV/JSON extracts. The Last updated line points to the latest editorial pass on this HTML.

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