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Age
Enrollment statistics at a glance
In the mid-80s to early 90s enrollments of older students provided enrollment growth which was followed by a surge in enrollment by younger students from the early 90s to 2000. Recently, the numbers of older students have been increasing, at both the graduate and undergraduate level.
- At the undergraduate level, 66 percent are younger than 25 years old. Four-year institutions have a higher percent of undergraduates in this group, 82 percent; than two-year institutions with 50 percent.
- Undergraduates aged 25 to 34 have increased dramatically in recent years and are enrolling in increasing numbers at two-year institutions.
Enrollment by Age, Fall 2011
| Age | Undergraduate | Graduate | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 & Younger | 91,883 | 27% | 27 | 0% | 91,910 | 20% |
| 20 to 24 | 132,771 | 39% | 9,253 | 8% | 142,024 | 31% |
| 25 to 34 | 67,379 | 20% | 46,399* | 41% | 113,778 | 25% |
| 35 & Older | 48,904 | 14% | 58,185* | 50% | 107,089 | 23% |
| Unknown | 1,638 | 0% | 826 | 1% | 2,464 | 1% |
| Total | 342,575 | 100% | 114,690 | 100% | 457,265 | 100% |
*Capella and Walden Universities, two online institutions providing national enrollment data had 22,158 graduate students in the 25 to 34 age category and 45,113 graduate students in the 35 and older age category.
Age of Undergraduates in Minnesota Postsecondary Institutions Fall 2002 to 2011
Data do not include high school students enrolled in college.
Source: Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Large undergraduate enrollment gains at Minnesota two-year institutions
The most dramatic change in undergraduate enrollments from fall 2005 to fall 2011 has occurred at two-year institutions (includes public community and technical colleges and private career schools). Two-year institutions have seen their enrollment increase 25 percent compared to a 4 percent increase at four-year institutions. By age categories, two-year institutions saw increases in all age categories, but especially large increases in students aged 20 to 24 years old, 15 percent increase; aged 25 to 34 years old, 65 percent increase; and students aged 35 and older, 42 percent increase. At four-year institutions, the increases were 4 percent, 14 percent and 2 percent respectively.
Two-year institutions offer occupationally-specific programs that can help older adults meet their educational goals quicker. Older adults are more likely to have family or other personal obligations making them more place bound. Minnesota has more two-year institutions than four-year institutions located in more communities around the state.
Programs in health science fields and business are popular choices for students who earn credentials at two-year institutions regardless of their age.
- Educational certificates earned by all undergraduates
- Associate degrees earned by all undergraduates
Undergraduate enrollment change in two- and four-year institutions, fall 2005, fall 2008 and fall 2011
Data do not include high school students enrolled in college.
Source: Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Undergraduate enrollment change by age categories, fall 2005, 2008 and 2011
| 2-year institutions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Fall 2005 | Fall 2008 | Fall 2011 | Numeric Change 2005 to 2011 | Percent Change 2005 to 2011 | |
| 19 and younger | 23,681 | 27,489 | 24,671 | 990 | 4% | |
| 20 to 24 | 43,094 | 48,844 | 49,628 | 6,534 | 15% | |
| 25 to 34 | 26,731 | 36,701 | 44,169 | 17,438 | 65% | |
| 35 and over | 21,726 | 25,600 | 30,875 | 9,149 | 42% | |
| Age unknown | 4,801 | 4,129 | 1,259 | (3,542) | -74% | |
| Total | 120,033 | 142,763 | 150,602 | 30,569 | 25% | |
| 4-year institutions | ||||||
| Age | Fall 2005 | Fall 2008 | Fall 2011 | Numeric Change 2005 to 2011 | Percent Change 2005 to 2011 | |
| 19 and younger | 39,059 | 41,370 | 41,556 | 2,497 | 6% | |
| 20 to 24 | 78,851 | 79,913 | 81,981 | 3,130 | 4% | |
| 25 to 34 | 14,922 | 15,472 | 17,003 | 2,081 | 14% | |
| 35 and over | 9,115 | 8,753 | 9,255 | 140 | 2% | |
| Age unknown | 1,676 | 1,065 | 209 | (1,467) | -88% | |
| Total | 143,623 | 146,573 | 150,004 | 6,381 | 4% | |
- 2-year institutions include the community and technical colleges plus the private career schools
- 4-year institutions include the state universities, the University of Minnesota and the private colleges
- Data do not include high school students enrolled in college.
Enrollment in Minnesota Postsecondary Institutions by Single Years of Age, Student Level, Gender (tab-delimited text file)
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