Alaska saw the greatest percentage decline in higher education enrollment from fall 2018 to fall 2019.
Student numbers in the state fell from 24,910 in fall 2018 to 22,268 in fall 2019—a 10.1% year-to-year drop.
Nationwide, postsecondary enrollment at U.S. institutions decreased 1.3% in fall 2019, or more than 231,000 students, compared with the previous fall, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.
The clearinghouse's Fall 2019 Current Term Enrollment Estimates report says fall 2019 higher education enrollment was 17.9 million students.
For the first time in the decade, the nation’s fall unduplicated enrollments fell below 18 million students, the clearinghouse found.
Here are the 10 states (including Washington, D.C.) that experienced the greatest percentage year-to-year higher education enrollment decline in fall 2019:
State fall 2019 fall 2018 % decline
Alaska 22,268 24,910 -10.61%
Florida 933,180 985,508 -5.31%
Arkansas 143,895 151,238 -4.85%
Missouri 323,361 338,230 -4.40%
Vermont 38,207 39,965 -4.40%
Wyoming 27,644 28,904 -4.36%
Washington D.C. 70,717 73,813 -4.19%
Kansas 178,623 184,721 -3.30%
Iowa 190,209 196,511 -3.21%
Wisconsin 295,341 304,478 -3.00%
