The Education Data Initiative reported that 19.4 million students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities during the Fall 2025 semester, down nearly 7.7% from peak enrollment of more than 21.0 million in 2010. The decline in college enrollment comes despite an increase in the number of recent high school graduates. The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) projected a record 3.9 million students would graduate from U.S. high schools in 2025. This number is expected to fall in the coming years, with WICHE forecasting that U.S. high school graduates will total just 3.4 million in 2041.