Enrollment in colleges and other types of postsecondary education has bounced back to levels last seen before the pandemic but the landscape is shifting as more students seek skills certifications and other alternatives to traditional degrees.¹

Postsecondary enrollment was up 4.5% in the fall 2024 from the prior year, according to the latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. There are nearly 16 million undergraduates and 3.2 million graduate students in the U.S. — slightly above the combined numbers last seen in 2019.²

Much of the enrollment boost came from alternative credential and certificate programs, which jumped almost 10% last year and are up nearly 29% since 2019. Enrollment in 4-year bachelor’s degree programs grew 2.9% and remains slightly below 2019 levels. Students seeking two-year associate degrees increased 5.8%, but that category is also below 2019 levels.³

Read more: The price of college admission

Focus on skills 

The number of non-degree certificate programs available at community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities has surged in recent years thanks to strong demand from both students and employers looking to fill skills gaps.⁴ More than 670,000 students earned an undergraduate certificate in 2023.⁵

Such programs often focus on teaching specialized skills within a wide variety of job fields from healthcare and cybersecurity to construction, among others. Certifications are often earned in one year or less, allowing quick entry into the job market.⁶

There were more certificate earners between 18 and 20 years old than any other age group in 2023.⁷ But there’s been strong interest from students of all ages, including bachelor’s degree holders and those looking to quickly acquire new jobs skills or shift careers.⁸  

The trend shows no signs of letting up as public attitudes shift regarding traditional college degrees, especially as tuition costs rise. Nearly 50% of respondents to a Pew Research Center survey said a four-year degree is less important for landing a well-paying job than it was 20 years ago.⁹

Job requirements shift 

In a bid to broaden talent pools and diversify workforces, companies including IBM, Delta Airlines, Accenture, Dell, and Google have dropped educational requirements for a larger share of entry- and mid-level roles in recent years. Some companies have launched their own apprenticeship programs while others are recruiting more talent from community colleges, the military, and job training programs.¹⁰    

Job search platform Indeed has seen a five-year decline in job postings requiring a four-year degree, from 20.4% of listings in 2019 to 17.8% in 2024. Educational requirements have loosened the most in occupational sectors and tech jobs such as information design and software development.¹¹

Palantir Technologies just launched a four-month “Meritocracy Fellowship” for high school graduates with excellent grades and test scores, but no plans to attend college. Programming experience helps and successful interns will be invited to apply for full-time roles at the data analytics and artificial intelligence company.¹²

Read more: Where the job market is heading in 2025: 7 trends to anticipate

Degree required 

Even though the landscape is shifting, many job fields are expected to continue requiring bachelor’s degrees or advanced degrees. This includes many areas of healthcare, education, law, business management, and finance.¹³ 

In addition to four-year degrees, student interest in graduate programs grew a solid 3.3% in 2024 to 3.2 million students, with institutions of all types — private for-profit, private non-profit, and public universities— seeing enrollment gains.¹⁴  

Applications for full-time MBA programs  jumped 11% in 2024 with strong interest in both traditional management fields and the evolving business landscape in areas like AI, data analytics and sustainability.¹⁵  

It’s been a similar story at medical schools, where enrollment has been steadily increasing for a decade and is approaching 100,000 students for the first time.¹⁶ Law school enrollment is also up 26% in the last two years, with students hoping to get a decent return on sizeable tuition outlays.

But some fields that usually require advanced degrees, such as accounting, have become more flexible with education requirements, allowing students to substitute greater amounts of on-the-job training for some coursework. 

With more industries working directly with schools to design new programs and address talent shortages, the educational pathways to well-paying jobs are expected to grow even more diverse going forward.¹⁷   

Read more: Lawyer up: Why more students are turning to law school