Overall college enrollment dropped by more than 1.2 million from 2010 to 2017, with the percentage decrease for black students more than double that of all students. Enrollment drops in the two-year and four-year for-profit sectors, which experienced many college closings, and the two-year public-college sector contributed to the overall decrease. Percentage decreases in enrollment in the for-profit sectors were greater for all students than for black students, while black students had a greater percentage drop in enrollment in the two-year public sector than did all students. Percentage growth in the four-year public sector was nearly twice as great for all students as it was for black students.
| | Number of students per sector, fall 2010 | Number of students per sector, fall 2017 | Change in number of students from fall 2010 to fall 2017 | Percentage change in number of students from fall 2010 to fall 2017 |
| | All students | Black or African-American students | All students | Black or African-American students | All students | Black or African-American students | All students | Black or African-American students |
| 4-year public | 7,924,108 | 870,618 | 8,853,477 | 926,214 | 929,369 | 55,596 | 11.7% | 6.4% |
| 4-year private nonprofit | 3,821,799 | 415,647 | 4,058,087 | 441,618 | 236,288 | 25,971 | 6.2% | 6.2% |
| 4-year for-profit | 1,589,934 | 364,284 | 912,076 | 231,130 | -677,858 | -133,154 | -42.6% | -36.6% |
| 2-year public | 7,218,063 | 1,016,698 | 5,706,678 | 741,785 | -1,511,385 | -274,913 | -20.9% | -27.0% |
| 2-year private nonprofit | 32,379 | 7,148 | 48,125 | 16,152 | 15,746 | 9,004 | 48.6% | 126.0% |
| 2-year for-profit | 432,851 | 102,435 | 186,890 | 55,302 | -245,961 | -47,133 | -56.8% | -46.0% |
| Over all | 21,019,134 | 2,776,830 | 19,765,333 | 2,412,201 | -1,253,801 | -364,629 | -6.0% | -13.1% |
Note: Data are based on fall head counts of all full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students at U.S. degree-granting two-year and four-year institutions that were eligible for Title IV federal financial aid. Students who identify themselves as being of two or more races are excluded. Questions or comments on the Almanac should be sent to Ruth Hammond.
Source: Chronicle analysis of U.S. Department of Education data Chronicle analysis of U.S. Department of Education data
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