Michigan Colleges Lose 9% of Students in Enrollment Downturn
Article courtesy of TuitionHero.
- College crisis hits Michigan as schools lose 9% of students.
- Idaho crowned college boom state with 16% enrollment surge as neighbors lose thousands of students.
- Expert reveals divide with 34 states losing students while 11 states manage growth.
A new study has exposed dramatic shifts in America’s college landscape, with some states watching student numbers crash while others enjoy surprising booms in higher education enrollment.
The analysis by student finance experts TuitionHero, which analyzed National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) college enrollment figures from between 2014-2018 and 2018-2022, found 34 states have experienced college enrollment numbers fall while just 16 managed to hold steady or attract more students.
Top 5 States with Largest College Enrollment Decreases
| Rank | State | 2018-2022 Enrollment | 2014-2018 Enrollment | Percentage Change |
| 1 | District of Columbia | 58,937 | 73,286 | -20% |
| 2 | Alaska | 38,706 | 45,983 | -16% |
| 3 | South Dakota | 47,126 | 52,183 | -10% |
| 4 | Michigan | 649,542 | 713,332 | -9% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 84,012 | 92,683 | -9% |
Top 5 States with Largest College Enrollment Increases
| Rank | State | 2018-2022 Enrollment | 2014-2018 Enrollment | Percentage Change |
| 1 | Idaho | 124,186 | 107,064 | 16% |
| 2 | Utah | 272,161 | 250,532 | 9% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 60,657 | 56,587 | 7% |
| 4 | Alabama | 322,745 | 308,205 | 5% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 613,465 | 589,508 | 4% |
“These numbers should set alarm bells ringing for college administrators across half the country,” warned Jesse Villanueva, CEO of TuitionHero. “We’re seeing clear regional patterns that point to economic troubles and population shifts driving students away from traditional higher education paths.”
The college crisis map shows striking regional differences across America. Southern states largely dodge the enrollment collapse, with education giants Texas and Louisiana both growing their student bodies by 2%.
The once-dominant Northeast has taken repeated hits, with Maine, Massachusetts, and Maryland all suffering identical 5% enrollment crashes. The region’s prestigious education reputation appears to be losing its traditional pull.
America’s biggest population centers told different stories: California has lost students at the 3% national rate, and Florida has flatlined with zero change in student numbers.
“Make no mistake, these massive enrollment shifts will reshape state economies for decades,” Villanueva warned. “States bleeding college students now face looming skills gaps and workforce crises, while the education boom states are building intellectual capital that will pay dividends for generations.”
The state-by-state student crash matches what the National Center for Education Statistics found when they looked at how COVID chaos wrecked college numbers nationwide before small bouncebacks recently.
“Our analysis goes well beyond just the COVID years and reveals which states are winning or losing the battle for America’s students,” Villanueva explained. “The numbers scream for completely different approaches to fix college affordability and accessibility problems that vary enormously between regions.”
Sources:
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Methodology:
Researchers tracked college and graduate school enrollment population estimates across all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, comparing 2014-2018 figures against 2018-2022 numbers.
Full Ranking of College Enrollment Changes by State (2014-2018 to 2018-2022)
| State | Enrollment 2018-2022 | Enrollment 2014-2018 | Percentage change in college enrollment |
| Idaho | 124,186 | 107,064 | 16% |
| Utah | 272,161 | 250,532 | 9% |
| North Dakota | 60,657 | 56,587 | 7% |
| Alabama | 322,745 | 308,205 | 5% |
| New Jersey | 613,465 | 589,508 | 4% |
| Louisiana | 283,059 | 278,113 | 2% |
| Texas | 1,893,797 | 1,856,230 | 2% |
| Connecticut | 272,069 | 270,167 | 1% |
| Montana | 60,680 | 60,284 | 1% |
| Nevada | 168,261 | 166,895 | 1% |
| Vermont | 48,282 | 47,780 | 1% |
| Colorado | 382,810 | 384,244 | 0% |
| Florida | 1,370,031 | 1,371,059 | 0% |
| Georgia | 710,157 | 713,187 | 0% |
| Rhode Island | 93,701 | 93,715 | 0% |
| Nebraska | 133,294 | 135,161 | -1% |
| North Carolina | 688,525 | 694,953 | -1% |
| Tennessee | 394,843 | 399,546 | -1% |
| Washington | 457,024 | 462,108 | -1% |
| New York | 1,429,162 | 1,451,752 | -2% |
| Pennsylvania | 818,868 | 834,039 | -2% |
| Wyoming | 36,716 | 37,434 | -2% |
| California | 3,109,159 | 3,209,069 | -3% |
| Oklahoma | 237,305 | 245,092 | -3% |
| US (National Average) | 431,097 | 442,567 | -3% |
| Arizona | 455,533 | 476,995 | -4% |
| Delaware | 64,530 | 66,879 | -4% |
| Oregon | 256,795 | 267,549 | -4% |
| South Carolina | 303,001 | 314,890 | -4% |
| Virginia | 619,619 | 643,582 | -4% |
| Indiana | 407,360 | 429,146 | -5% |
| Kansas | 199,811 | 210,090 | -5% |
| Maine | 77,054 | 80,983 | -5% |
| Maryland | 445,576 | 471,138 | -5% |
| Massachusetts | 560,003 | 589,820 | -5% |
| Minnesota | 344,042 | 363,327 | -5% |
| Mississippi | 189,545 | 199,218 | -5% |
| Hawaii | 89,458 | 95,644 | -6% |
| Iowa | 207,121 | 221,409 | -6% |
| New Mexico | 138,371 | 147,157 | -6% |
| Illinois | 831,950 | 895,919 | -7% |
| Kentucky | 251,406 | 269,585 | -7% |
| West Virginia | 94,177 | 101,734 | -7% |
| Wisconsin | 363,269 | 389,022 | -7% |
| Arkansas | 165,557 | 180,069 | -8% |
| Missouri | 367,886 | 399,267 | -8% |
| Ohio | 694,606 | 757,283 | -8% |
| Michigan | 649,542 | 713,332 | -9% |
| New Hampshire | 84,012 | 92,683 | -9% |
| South Dakota | 47,126 | 52,183 | -10% |
| Alaska | 38,706 | 45,983 | -16% |
| District of Columbia | 58,937 | 73,286 | -20% |
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