Fall 2021 enrollment trends at Nebraska’s public and independent colleges and universities were substantially better than enrollment trends nationwide. Overall fall 2021 enrollment in Nebraska fell by 1.1% from fall 2020, from 135,601 to 134,072, while nationally, estimated fall enrollment fell 2.6%. Nebraska’s community colleges fared particularly well compared to two-year institutions nationally, with enrollment rising 3.1% from fall 2020 to fall 2021 compared to a national decline of 6.0%. Across two years, from pre-pandemic fall 2019 to fall 2021, enrollment in Nebraska institutions fell 1.6% compared to a 5.8% decline nationally. The differences in community college enrollment in Nebraska compared to the nation are even more stark for the two-year period. Nebraska community colleges have experienced a 2.6% decline over two years compared to a 14.8% decline nationally. Details for Nebraska can be found on here. National estimates from the National Student Clearinghouse can be found on their website.
