Recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center has revealed a concerning trend: Black college and university enrollment in the United States has been steadily decreasing. This decline compounds an already significant drop of 22 percent between 2010 and 2020, equating to more than 650,000 fewer Black students pursuing higher education.
The latest figures indicate an additional 7 percent decrease since 2020, painting a stark picture of the challenges faced by Black Americans in accessing and affording higher education. Despite a decline in white student enrollment as well, the disparity between the proportions of white and Black students graduating with degrees has widened over the years, exacerbating existing inequalities.
Economic factors emerge as a primary contributor to this alarming trend. The disparity in household income between Black and white families underscores the financial obstacles faced by Black students.
The average Black household earns about half as much as the average white household, and white families have eight times the median wealth of Black families — $188,200, compared to $24,100 — a gap that also has been getting wider, the Federal Reserve reports.
Justin Nalley, a senior policy analyst at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, highlights the failure of education to serve as an equalizer in closing these economic gaps. Despite the belief that a college degree would lead to improved job prospects and financial stability, outcomes suggest otherwise, with Black graduates facing lower earnings and higher levels of debt compared to their white counterparts.
Discrimination in the workplace further compounds the challenges faced by Black graduates, with disparities in hiring practices and salaries persisting even after obtaining a degree. Wisdom Cole, national director of the NAACP youth and college division, emphasizes the systemic barriers that hinder Black Americans from achieving economic security despite investing in higher education.
The result is that “people end up with a degree, debt and a not very good job,” said Martha Snyder, a managing director at the education consulting firm HCM Strategists.
Black college and university graduates earn an average of 15 percent less than their white classmates and are more likely to be underemployed, the NAACP finds. Almost 40 percent default on their college loans within 12 years, compared to 12 percent of white graduates, The Institute for College Access and Success says.
But the other reasons Black enrollment has been declining begin much earlier than college, with the quality of the education Black students receive in kindergarten through grade 12.
Forty-five percent of Black children go to high-poverty primary and secondary schools, compared to 8 percent of white students.
The current FAFSA delays are presenting Black students with yet an additional hurdle this academic year as students wait to see what kind of financial aid package they might have. Normally, about 17 million students submit the complete their FAFSA, so far, this year, 5.5 million students have been able to filed, according to the US Department of Education.
The repercussions extend beyond individual students to affect entire households, with a significant portion of Black parents saddled with student loan debt despite not having attained a degree themselves. These challenges underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to address systemic inequalities and ensure equitable access to higher education for all Americans, regardless of race or socioeconomic status.