College enrollment declines to 62% as job growth at restaurants, theme parks and hospitality sectors

Young people appear to be shunning traditional universities, with enrollment declining and an increasing number of teenagers taking jobs or attending two-year institutions to study more blue collar pursuits.

According to the Labor Department, about 62 percent of American high school graduates aged 16 to 24 enrolled in a four-year college this year, down from 66.2 percent in 2019.

While that was the year before the pandemic, the numbers have declined from their peak in 2009, when 70 percent enrolled in a traditional university. 

The numbers appear to contrast with enrollment in community colleges and the increase in two-year majors and community colleges and trade schools.

The unemployment rate for 16 to 19 year olds in April 2023 was 9.2 percent, the lowest the country’s seen since 1953. 

Young people appear to be shunning traditional universities, with enrollment declining and an increasing number of teenagers taking jobs or attending two-year institutions to study more blue collar pursuits

That number topped out during the early sages of the pandemic at 30.2 percent but has been mostly decreasing since.

When they enter the workforce, young people who take leisure and hospitality jobs with wages that increased 30 percent for seasonal workers from 2019 to 2023 and 20 percent for year-round employees.  

After two consecutive years of falling enrollment, community colleges saw an uptick of half a percent in 2023. 

Similar to four-year colleges, two-year schools peaked in enrollment shortly after the market crash in 2010 and have been dipping ever since.

Notably, four traditionally blue collar majors saw large increases this past spring.

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services went up 9.7 percent, Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians 8.2 percent, Personal and Culinary Services up 9.7 percent and Transportation and Materials Moving growing 11.8 percent. 

Years of steep declines hit community colleges across the country. Community college enrollment rose 0.5% from the year before, after falling 8.2% and 10.1% in 2022 and 2021.

Enrollment overall in Bachelor’s Degree programs fell 1.4 percent this spring.

According to the Labor Department, about 62 percent of American high school graduates aged 16 to 24 enrolled in a four-year college this year

Notably, four traditionally blue collar majors saw large increases this past spring

‘If you can get [a job] without a B.A. and with decent wage growth, why go get a B.A.?’ ZipRecruiter Chief Economist Pollak asked. 

Pollak suggests that being able to find work during the pandemic allowed young people to put off college and, having found success, they may not come back. 

‘The pandemic disrupted college to such a degree that many people delayed going. Once they delay, they get hooked on earning and working and don’t come back’ to college,’ Pollak said.

Nearly 60 percent of 18-34 year olds said that a four-year college degree wasn’t a good investment, according to the Wall Street Journal.  

Women remain less skeptical of four-year colleges than men, with two-thirds of women enrolling last year, but nearly 10 percent fewer men. 

Doug Shapiro, the research and executive director of National Student Clearinghouse, said the numbers seem to be a response to both inflation and the changing nature of college. 

‘The opportunity costs seem to be continuing to increase for students at all levels,’ he told Axios.

‘Colleges and universities, like the rest of us, need to really think differently about the types of students that they can enroll and the types of programs and services that they need to be able to offer to bring those students in.’