Senior Research Analyst Howard University, United States
Session Abstract: Public federal datasets like IPEDS can provide insights into the evolving higher education landscape. With mentorship from the NCES Data Institute, we analyzed IPEDS enrollment data to (1) quantify the extent of enrollment decline vs. enrollment growth at 4-year institutions from 2019 to 2023 and (2) identify patterns in admissions, cost of attendance, and student composition associated with changing enrollment rate. Thirty percent of U.S. 4-year institutions declined over 10% in first-time in college enrollment from 2019–2023; yet, public institutions with larger initial enrollment, access-oriented admissions, and greater recruitment of underrepresented students saw growth. Institutional strategies like expanding access and targeted recruitment may offer promising responses to a shifting demographic landscape. Attendees will learn about differences across institutions in recent 4-year enrollment trends and the process of applying public datasets in institutional research.
Keywords: IPEDS, enrollment trends, NCES Data Institute, public data, 4-year institutions
