With rising student demand and workforce prowess, degrees embracing these digital STEM fields can reap high enrollment and grant impressive ROI. Some institutions have already adopted it into their longstanding programs this year.

Despite shaky short-term forecasts, edtech is still poised for long-term growth, and AI is currently driving the buzz at edX, the popular online learning platform. Reports focused on decade-wide analysis rather than year-to-year changes reaffirm the viability of edtech: The market is expected to be near $1 trillion by the end of the decade.

To fend off college stop-out rates and invite more underrepresented students to enroll, non-profits are creating battle-tested blueprints to raise the bar.

The U.S. has seen a record-high heat wave this summer, and with it, a cluster of turnovers in higher education's top position.