U.S. College Enrollment Tops Pre‑COVID Levels as Students Shift to Short‑Term Job Training

New National Student Clearinghouse figures released Jan. 15 show total U.S. college enrollment reached 19.4 million students in fall 2025, up 1% from 2024 and finally surpassing pre‑pandemic levels, but with big differences by sector and program. Public four‑year universities and community colleges gained students, while private four‑year schools and master’s programs lost ground, and short‑term workforce credentials at community colleges jumped 28% year over year as more people seek cheaper, flexible, job‑focused options. Researchers say public confidence in college is returning but is tightly tied to cost, flexibility and clear career payoff, a pattern that fits a softening job market where uncertain workers test the waters locally rather than commit to four‑year degrees. The data also show a roughly 10,000‑student drop in international graduate enrollment after years of growth, which analysts link to Trump‑era visa disruptions and large cuts to federal research funding, and a notable decline in computer and information sciences majors that experts tie both to fewer foreign students and to tech‑layoff and AI fears. For U.S. policymakers and families, the numbers underscore that higher ed isn’t “back” in the old form: growth is being driven by public institutions and compressed credentials while traditional private colleges and some graduate programs lose appeal.