College Enrollment Decline Equates to $2 Trillion Lost Income - Report

Scott Winstead

Over 2.1 million fewer students are enrolled in college now than a decade ago - a 12.8% decline. In the new report from MyElearningWorld.com, we examine the massive economic impact of that decline.
After crunching the numbers, we found that the total potential loss of lifetime earnings by the over 2 million students skipping out on college could exceed $2 trillion.
You can view the methodology, as well as data visualizations here: https://myelearningworld.com/college-enrollment-decline-economic-cost/
Other Interesting Data:
  • 63% of students who enroll end up earning a bachelor's degree. Of the 2,091,550 lost students over the last decade, that's 1,317,677 bachelor degrees lost.
  • Of those lost bachelor's degrees, 366,898 would have gone on to get their master's and 78,903 would have gotten their doctorates. 
  • The cost of attending college has risen at 3x the rate of inflation over the last 40 years, while real average wages have barely budged.
We are happy to provide unique quotes for your coverage, and feel free to use any of the 5 graphs. 

Views: 63

▶ Reply to This

JOIN SL 2.0

SUBSCRIBE TO

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP 2.0

Feedspot named School Leadership 2.0 one of the "Top 25 Educational Leadership Blogs"

"School Leadership 2.0 is the premier virtual learning community for school leaders from around the globe."

---------------------------

 Our community is a subscription-based paid service ($19.95/year or only $1.99 per month for a trial membership)  that will provide school leaders with outstanding resources. Learn more about membership to this service by clicking one of our links below.

 

Click HERE to subscribe as an individual.

 

Click HERE to learn about group membership (i.e., association, leadership teams)

__________________

CREATE AN EMPLOYER PROFILE AND GET JOB ALERTS AT 

SCHOOLLEADERSHIPJOBS.COM

New Partnership

image0.jpeg

Mentors.net - a Professional Development Resource

Mentors.net was founded in 1995 as a professional development resource for school administrators leading new teacher induction programs. It soon evolved into a destination where both new and student teachers could reflect on their teaching experiences. Now, nearly thirty years later, Mentors.net has taken on a new direction—serving as a platform for beginning teachers, preservice educators, and

other professionals to share their insights and experiences from the early years of teaching, with a focus on integrating artificial intelligence. We invite you to contribute by sharing your experiences in the form of a journal article, story, reflection, or timely tips, especially on how you incorporate AI into your teaching

practice. Submissions may range from a 500-word personal reflection to a 2,000-word article with formal citations.

© 2025   Created by William Brennan and Michael Keany   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service