INDIANA – After more than a decade of declines, Indiana’s college-going rate and overall college enrollment are starting to turn around.
The college-going rate for high school graduates from the class of 2021 pursuing some form of postsecondary education held steady at 53 percent. Additionally, this fall, Indiana colleges and universities saw nearly 5,000 more students enroll, a two-percent increase in enrollment. More students are completing their degree programs with the state seeing a nearly 9 percent increase in on-time completion over five years. Indiana’s college-going rate holds steady at 53 percent
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s most recent data show that 53 percent of the high school graduating class of 2021 enrolled in college immediately following graduation. This includes students who pursued less than a one-year certificate up through a four-year degree.
“Last year, the Commission sounded the alarm on Indiana’s falling college-going rate,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery. “This made clear that thoughtful, robust action must be taken to reverse the present trend. The Commission, with support from partners in education, business, community- and faith-based organizations, philanthropy, and government began advocating for and implementing ground-breaking policies and programs that directly impact the affordability of higher education in Indiana. The flattening of the college-going rate, coupled with 2023 enrollment data, is encouraging. The Commission remains laser-focused on closing persistent gaps.”
- 21st Century Scholars continue to enroll in college at higher rates than their non-Scholar, low-income peers (81 percent compared to 30 percent).
- Roughly 43 percent of Hispanic or Latino high school graduates enrolled in college in 2021, followed closely by 45 percent of Black students compared to 55 percent of White students.
- Men continue to go to college at a lower rate than women with 46 percent of men enrolling in college compared to 60 percent of women.
The Commission publishes interactive dashboards for users to view historical data by county, school corporation, institution, gender, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and more.
View Indiana’s 2023 college-going data at che.in.gov/readiness. Graphics for college-going data are available here.
Higher education is a great value in Indiana
Higher education in Indiana is ranked in the top 10 nationally for providing the best value.
- Indiana ranks first in the Midwest and fifth in the nation in providing need-based financial aid.
- The state’s four-year institutions are sixth best in the nation at holding the line in tuition and mandatory fees over the past decade.
“These rankings combined with the newly implemented policy and programmatic changes make me hopeful for the future of our state,” said Lowery. “I am bullish on the prospects for rapid improvements to Indiana’s college-going rate to ensure more Hoosier students can access the opportunities that education and training beyond high school provide leading to better outcomes for individuals, for employers, for communities, and for our state.”
Indiana sees largest year-over-year college enrollment increase since 2010
College enrollment increased by nearly 5,000 students, or two percent, compared to the fall 2022 school year making 2023 the first year enrollment in Indiana has increased in the past 13 years. Over 244,000 students, both undergraduate and graduate, enrolled in one of Indiana’s public higher education institutions during the fall 2023 school year.
- Enrollment at statewide public institutions increased by nearly 5,000 students from fall 2022.
- Resident enrollment increased by nearly two percent.
- At the undergraduate level, enrollment improved by nearly three percent from fall 2022 while graduate enrollment declined by less than one percent.
- Both four- and two-year institutions experienced a year-over-year increase in enrollment.
“After a historic investment in education from Indiana’s General Assembly, this is promising news for the future of students and a glimpse at how the state’s college-going rate will be impacted,” said Lowery. “Critical policy changes such as the 35-percent increase to the Frank O’Bannon Grant made the cost of higher education even more affordable to Hoosier students and families this fall. The Commission is looking forward to seeing the impact of additional policies including 21st Century Scholars automatic enrollment, revised Outcomes-Based Performance Funding formula, aggressive expansion of the Indiana College Core and Indiana Pre-Admissions: Your Path to College will have on the state’s college-going rate and enrollment in the coming years.”
The full fall 2023 census enrollment summary can be found at https://www.in.gov/che/data-and-research/reports-andanalyses/.
More students are completing a degree or credential
Also, there have been marked improvements in Indiana’s college completion rates over the past five years at both two and four-year campuses. On-time completion rates have increased by nearly 6 percentage points at four-year campuses and 9.3 percentage points at two-year campuses. Extended-time completion rates (within six years for any degree type) have had similar improvements.
- Nearly 70 percent of all students graduated in an extended timeframe. This is an over 8-percentage-point increase in five years.
- Over 80 percent of students at a four-year main campus graduated within six years.
- Nearly 3 out of 4 students (73 percent) at any four-year campus graduated within six years.
- Extended-time graduation rates at two-year campuses are up over 11 percentage points in five years.
“Indiana’s revised Outcomes-Based Performance Funding formula continues to encourage institutions to keep their foot on the gas of improving college completions,” said Lowery. “It is encouraging to see improvements in both on-time and extended-time completion rates, but more can be done to ensure all students finish their degree program of choice. Automatically enrolling 21st Century Scholars allows the Commission and its partners to shift its focus from one of enrollment to one of college and career success. Additionally, the Commission is pleased to receive support from the State Budget Committee to embed success coaches in higher education institutions around the state.”
View Indiana’s 2023 college completion data at che.in.gov/completion. Interactive dashboards are available for users to view historical data by institution, institution type, gender, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and more.
