Enrollment declines and underfunding have hit the higher education system hard. A number of colleges are in financial jeopardy.
Source: Colleges struggle with enrollment declines, underfunding post-Covid
The next cohorts of college students are smaller than the past.
College costs have been one of the fastest growing items in the economy, only surpassed by health care. Many degrees do not lead to a positive return on investment and some potential students see greater ROI along other pathways.
In fact, recent data shows the value of Masters degree is diminishing too:
Update
This chart appeared on Reddit. It shows the change in 4-year college enrollment by sex and year since 2012. Young woman (purple line) have declined a little bit each year, while young men (green line) have plummeted after 2016. Additionally, the overall number of persons aged 18 each year, has also declined (as expected from the fertility rate charts).
