The latest "Undergraduate Degree Earners" report, unveiled on Thursday, revealed a concerning trend: nearly 100,000 fewer individuals earned bachelor’s and associate degrees or certificates during the 2022–23 academic year, marking a 2.8 percent decrease. This decline mirrors the previous year's trend, indicating a worrying pattern of diminishing degree attainment.
Doug Shapiro, the executive director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, expressed alarm at the severity of the decline, dubbing it "the steepest that we've ever recorded."
Charles Ansell, vice president for research, policy, and advocacy at Complete College America, emphasized that higher education has yet to rebound from the enrollment losses induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly affecting vulnerable students balancing work and other commitments.
Moreover, the faltering implementation of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) was identified as a potential exacerbating factor, dissuading prospective students and further dampening enrollment rates.
The report also shed light on the decreasing number of students pursuing additional credentials. Notably, fewer previous graduates returned to college to earn further degrees, with a 2.5 percent decrease in students with certificates and associate degrees, and a 3.3 percent decrease in associate degree holders pursuing bachelor’s degrees.
Of particular concern is the decline in transfer rates from associate to bachelor’s degree programs, a critical pathway for disadvantaged students. Shapiro highlighted this trend as "very bad news," underscoring the importance of transfer pathways in facilitating access to bachelor’s degrees for lower-income and disadvantaged students.
FAMU has seen declines as well
In a separate observation, it was noted that over the past five years, FAMU has witnessed a decline of 183 bachelor’s degrees awarded, reflecting broader national trends of decreasing degree attainment.
While the report offered some glimmers of hope, such as an increase in students earning certificates and completing bachelor’s degrees, the overall decline in degree earners underscores the urgent need for interventions to support college access and completion, particularly for marginalized communities.