Nearly 1 million fewer students have enrolled in college since the beginning of the pandemic.
Between the sky-high costs and hefty student loan debt, would-be freshmen are struggling to see the value in a degree. At the same time, more companies are hiring workers straight out of high school, amid an ongoing labor shortage.
Nationwide, fewer students went back to school again this year, dragging undergraduate enrollment down another 3.1% from last year, according to a recent report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center based on data from colleges.