National trends
Biggest movers
The colleges that changed the most, measure by measure. Each list ranks only colleges that were big enough at the start for a change to mean something, and leaves out closed campuses, mergers, and reporting errors (the ). Changes in rates are in ; costs are .
Fall 2019 to fall 2024 for admissions and enrollment; each list gives its own years.
This window spans the pandemic. Applications, enrollment, and test policies all shifted during it, so a five-year change can reflect a dip and a recovery as much as a trend.
Applications surged
, fall 2019 to fall 2024
Median college: +20.0% (945 colleges ranked)
- 1South Carolina State University+318.7%2,631 → 11,017
- 2Grambling State University+317.4%3,109 → 12,976
- 3Fisk University+276.4%3,034 → 11,421
- 4Chicago State University+240.3%3,126 → 10,638
- 5Rutgers University-Camden+214.2%10,451 → 32,840
- 6Edward Waters University+198.6%3,444 → 10,283
- 7Hawaii Pacific University+196.8%4,787 → 14,206
- 8Moravian University+191.1%2,127 → 6,192
- 9Morgan State University+186.5%8,155 → 23,366
- 10Morehouse College+182.4%2,030 → 5,733
- 11University of Michigan-Flint+179.1%4,254 → 11,873
- 12West Virginia State University+174.9%2,242 → 6,163
- 13The University of Tennessee-Knoxville+174.6%21,764 → 59,764
- 14Auburn University+172.5%20,205 → 55,056
- 15College of Charleston+168.9%11,783 → 31,680
- 16Rutgers University-Newark+167.9%13,732 → 36,793
- 17Caldwell University+165.5%3,527 → 9,364
- 18Arkansas State University+161.3%4,689 → 12,252
- 19Illinois Wesleyan University+157.0%3,719 → 9,558
- 20University of Missouri-St Louis+152.6%2,452 → 6,193
- 21University of Connecticut-Stamford+150.1%4,373 → 10,937
- 22Alabama A & M University+144.4%9,579 → 23,406
- 23North Carolina A & T State University+142.0%15,083 → 36,496
- 24Illinois Institute of Technology+142.0%5,049 → 12,216
- 25Webster University+139.6%2,173 → 5,206
Who's ranked: colleges with 2,000+ applicants in fall 2019. Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (2); colleges under 300 undergraduates today (2); for-profit colleges (1); (16); figures that jumped more than threefold in a year at either end (3).
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2019 to Fall 2024;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Got much harder to get into
, fall 2019 to fall 2024
Median college: +3 pts (958 colleges ranked)
- 1Fisk University−56 pts93% → 37%
- 2Morehouse College−56 pts100% → 44%
- 3Grambling State University−52 pts97% → 45%
- 4University of Lynchburg−48 pts91% → 43%
- 5Regent University−47 pts86% → 38%
- 6The University of Tennessee-Knoxville−37 pts79% → 42%
- 7Washington College−35 pts92% → 57%
- 8Auburn University−35 pts81% → 46%
- 8Jacksonville University−35 pts92% → 57%
- 10Alabama A & M University−34 pts92% → 58%
- 11Lindenwood University−31 pts88% → 57%
- 12Texas A&M University-Texarkana−30 pts94% → 64%
- 13University of Indianapolis−26 pts93% → 67%
- 14Millsaps College−26 pts69% → 43%
- 15Middle Tennessee State University−25 pts94% → 69%
- 16University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez−24 pts80% → 57%
- 17Fairfield University−24 pts57% → 33%
- 18Anna Maria College−24 pts74% → 50%
- 19Huston-Tillotson University−23 pts63% → 39%
- 20Lawrence Technological University−23 pts79% → 56%
- 21University of New Haven−23 pts83% → 60%
- 22Northern Kentucky University−23 pts90% → 68%
- 23Centre College−22 pts76% → 54%
- 24Caldwell University−22 pts93% → 71%
- 25Illinois Wesleyan University−21 pts61% → 39%
Who's ranked: colleges with 2,000+ applicants in fall 2019. Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (2); colleges under 300 undergraduates today (2); figures that jumped more than threefold in a year at either end (7).
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2019 to Fall 2024;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Got much easier to get into
, fall 2019 to fall 2024
Median college: +3 pts (958 colleges ranked)
- 1Benedictine University+54 pts42% → 95%
- 2East Texas A&M University+49 pts43% → 92%
- 3Texas A&M University-San Antonio+49 pts44% → 93%
- 4Barton College+49 pts45% → 94%
- 5Alice Lloyd College+49 pts27% → 75%
- 6College for Creative Studies+48 pts44% → 92%
- 7Liberty University+48 pts51% → 99%
- 8Culver-Stockton College+47 pts52% → 99%
- 9Charleston Southern University+47 pts50% → 96%
- 10Florida Memorial University+45 pts40% → 85%
- 11Purdue University Northwest+44 pts29% → 72%
- 12William Peace University+44 pts50% → 94%
- 13Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro+44 pts26% → 70%
- 14California State University-Los Angeles+43 pts48% → 91%
- 15St. Thomas University+43 pts55% → 98%
- 16Central State University+42 pts57% → 99%
- 17Texas A&M University-Victoria+40 pts56% → 96%
- 18Texas Lutheran University+40 pts56% → 96%
- 19Rockford University+39 pts54% → 93%
- 20Lander University+38 pts43% → 81%
- 21California State University-Fullerton+38 pts53% → 91%
- 22University of North Texas at Dallas+38 pts47% → 84%
- 23Metropolitan State University of Denver+38 pts61% → 99%
- 24California State University-Fresno+37 pts58% → 95%
- 25Christian Brothers University+37 pts50% → 87%
Who's ranked: colleges with 2,000+ applicants in fall 2019. Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (2); colleges under 300 undergraduates today (2); figures that jumped more than threefold in a year at either end (7).
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2019 to Fall 2024;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Grew the most
, fall 2019 to fall 2024
Median college: −7.6% (1,153 colleges ranked)
- 1St. Thomas University+61.3%1,373 → 2,214
- 2Spelman College+61.2%2,118 → 3,414
- 3University of St Thomas+57.3%2,047 → 3,220
- 4Howard University+56.5%6,461 → 10,108
- 5Beth Medrash Govoha+47.7%2,726 → 4,027
- 6Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel+46.7%2,016 → 2,957
- 7University of Mount Saint Vincent+46.2%1,841 → 2,692
- 8The Master's University and Seminary+43.0%1,134 → 1,622
- 9Morgan State University+39.9%6,449 → 9,019
- 10Eastern University+38.5%1,736 → 2,404
- 11South Carolina State University+38.3%2,122 → 2,934
- 12Franciscan University of Steubenville+35.7%2,138 → 2,901
- 13Florida Polytechnic University+33.7%1,263 → 1,689
- 14The University of Tennessee-Knoxville+31.4%23,152 → 30,418
- 15Central State University+31.1%1,999 → 2,620
- 16Bard College+30.9%1,844 → 2,414
- 17Maryville University of Saint Louis+30.0%4,351 → 5,658
- 18Purdue University-Main Campus+29.5%34,376 → 44,503
- 19Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College+29.1%23,706 → 30,594
- 20Nova Southeastern University+28.9%5,618 → 7,240
- 21AdventHealth University+28.3%1,061 → 1,361
- 22Savannah College of Art and Design+27.1%11,992 → 15,243
- 23Morehouse College+27.1%2,238 → 2,844
- 24University of Mississippi+26.8%16,932 → 21,473
- 25Fairfield University+26.4%4,250 → 5,373
Who's ranked: colleges with 1,000+ undergraduates in fall 2019. Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (17); for-profit colleges (23); (50).
Sources:College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Shrank the most
, fall 2019 to fall 2024
Median college: −7.3% (1,226 colleges ranked)
- 1Ohio Christian University−61.2%2,219 → 862
- 2Whittier College−56.8%1,770 → 764
- 3University of Bridgeport−52.6%3,233 → 1,534
- 4Baker College−52.3%6,343 → 3,026
- 5Chowan University−52.1%1,259 → 603
- 6Westminster University−52.0%1,716 → 823
- 7American InterContinental University-Atlanta−51.9%1,527 → 734
- 8Bloomfield College of Montclair State University−51.5%1,609 → 781
- 9Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro−50.9%5,313 → 2,607
- 10Henderson State University−50.9%2,965 → 1,456
- 11Park University−50.1%9,133 → 4,555
- 12Universidad Central de Bayamon−49.8%1,074 → 539
- 13Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies−48.9%1,236 → 632
- 14Berkeley College-New York−48.4%2,810 → 1,449
- 15Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez−48.0%1,067 → 555
- 16Lourdes University−47.2%1,029 → 543
- 17Fresno Pacific University−46.2%2,872 → 1,544
- 18Azusa Pacific University−46.2%5,128 → 2,759
- 19Academy of Art University−45.4%6,570 → 3,587
- 20Bethel University−45.3%2,829 → 1,547
- 21La Salle University−45.0%3,552 → 1,953
- 22Lesley University−44.8%2,031 → 1,122
- 23New England College−44.7%1,849 → 1,022
- 24Columbia College−44.6%8,939 → 4,950
- 25University of Baltimore−44.4%2,038 → 1,133
Smaller can be deliberate: a college ending programs or a system consolidating campuses shrinks on purpose. The list shows how much, not why. 17 colleges that closed, merged, or are winding down aren't listed.
Who's ranked: colleges with 1,000+ undergraduates in fall 2019. Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (17).
Source:College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Students pay much less
(in 2023–24 dollars), 2018–19 to 2023–24
Median college: −11.9% (1,133 colleges ranked)
- 1Wiley University−54.2%$17,380 → $7,959
- 2University of Tulsa−54.2%$32,315 → $14,813
- 3Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel−52.0%$14,996 → $7,202
- 4Virginia Union University−48.1%$27,136 → $14,082
- 5Bridgewater College−47.8%$24,453 → $12,757
- 6Bethune-Cookman University−42.3%$22,576 → $13,029
- 7Livingstone College−41.3%$22,278 → $13,077
- 8Cumberland University−40.9%$33,913 → $20,037
- 9Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus−38.2%$16,044 → $9,911
- 10University of Pikeville−37.6%$25,377 → $15,829
- 11New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology−37.5%$19,756 → $12,349
- 12Indiana University of Pennsylvania−37.5%$29,592 → $18,506
- 13Colorado State University Pueblo−36.9%$28,122 → $17,739
- 14La Salle University−36.9%$35,755 → $22,577
- 15Fort Valley State University−36.8%$18,205 → $11,504
- 16Oklahoma Panhandle State University−36.4%$13,769 → $8,757
- 17Hampshire College−36.2%$44,117 → $28,129
- 18University of the Cumberlands−35.8%$23,247 → $14,923
- 19Willamette University−34.7%$45,025 → $29,421
- 20Morehead State University−34.4%$16,900 → $11,086
- 21Mount St. Mary's University−34.3%$36,734 → $24,121
- 22Northern Illinois University−34.0%$23,538 → $15,527
- 23University of La Verne−34.0%$39,281 → $25,931
- 24Ferris State University−32.9%$17,580 → $11,793
- 25Indiana State University−32.9%$22,254 → $14,940
Who's ranked: colleges with 1,000+ undergraduates and an average cost over $5,000 in 2018–19. Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (2); figures that jumped more than threefold in a year at either end (3).
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2018–19 to 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2018–19 to 2023–24;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2018 to Fall 2024;inflation: BLS CPI-U, school-year averagesAbout the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Students pay much more
(in 2023–24 dollars), 2018–19 to 2023–24
Median college: −11.9% (1,133 colleges ranked)
- 1AdventHealth University+66.2%$23,320 → $38,765
- 2Jackson State University+41.2%$18,590 → $26,256
- 3Cameron University+34.4%$12,800 → $17,202
- 4Bloomfield College of Montclair State University+32.0%$26,110 → $34,454
- 5Dominican University New York+31.7%$30,401 → $40,036
- 6Mississippi Christian University+29.0%$22,278 → $28,746
- 7Ave Maria University+28.0%$20,137 → $25,781
- 8Howard University+26.1%$26,658 → $33,612
- 9Pepperdine University+25.7%$54,897 → $69,013
- 10William Carey University+24.5%$13,272 → $16,519
- 11University of Mount Saint Vincent+22.5%$26,596 → $32,571
- 12Northwest Nazarene University+20.9%$26,262 → $31,752
- 13The University of Texas Permian Basin+20.1%$17,208 → $20,670
- 14Henderson State University+19.3%$17,716 → $21,131
- 15University of Missouri-St Louis+16.8%$18,878 → $22,047
- 16Fayetteville State University+16.6%$9,679 → $11,288
- 17Middle Georgia State University+16.4%$13,828 → $16,101
- 18The University of Texas at Tyler+16.1%$15,282 → $17,737
- 19Bellevue University+15.6%$18,088 → $20,909
- 20Fort Lewis College+14.9%$24,436 → $28,074
- 21Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce+14.8%$13,863 → $15,917
- 22Florida State University+13.9%$17,090 → $19,462
- 23Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University+13.5%$35,261 → $40,019
- 24Benedict College+13.4%$17,010 → $19,287
- 25Lewis-Clark State College+13.1%$18,971 → $21,464
Who's ranked: colleges with 1,000+ undergraduates and an average cost over $5,000 in 2018–19. Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (2); figures that jumped more than threefold in a year at either end (3).
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2018–19 to 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2018–19 to 2023–24;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2018 to Fall 2024;inflation: BLS CPI-U, school-year averagesAbout the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Graduation rate climbed
, Classes entering fall 2013 to fall 2018
Median college: 0 pts (1,113 colleges ranked)
- 1University of Hawaii-West Oahu+22 pts28% → 50%
- 2Liberty University+18 pts47% → 65%
- 3Alcorn State University+16 pts41% → 57%
- 4Eastern Oregon University+16 pts27% → 43%
- 5Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus+15 pts71% → 86%
- 6Mars Hill University+15 pts30% → 45%
- 7West Liberty University+15 pts45% → 60%
- 8Viterbo University+15 pts54% → 68%
- 9Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico+14 pts14% → 28%
- 10Columbia College+14 pts28% → 42%
- 11Southern Illinois University-Carbondale+14 pts48% → 62%
- 12Miami University-Hamilton+14 pts11% → 25%
- 13University of Pikeville+14 pts28% → 42%
- 14Shawnee State University+14 pts35% → 48%
- 15University of Maine at Augusta+14 pts13% → 27%
- 16Miami University-Middletown+14 pts18% → 32%
- 17Jacksonville State University+13 pts41% → 55%
- 18Freed-Hardeman University+13 pts58% → 71%
- 19The University of Texas at El Paso+13 pts37% → 50%
- 20Jackson State University+13 pts38% → 51%
- 21La Sierra University+12 pts47% → 60%
- 22Florida Atlantic University+12 pts50% → 63%
- 23University of West Florida+12 pts46% → 59%
- 24The University of Texas at Tyler+12 pts42% → 54%
- 25Andrews University+12 pts59% → 72%
Who's ranked: colleges with 1,000+ undergraduates when the first class entered and 200+ students in both entering classes (classes entering fall 2013 and fall 2018). Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (11).
Sources:College Scorecard (graduation by entering class), classes entering fall 2013 to fall 2018;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2013 to Fall 2024;College Scorecard (graduation by race and ethnicity), classes entering fall 2013 to fall 2018About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
More students from out of state
, fall 2019 to fall 2024
Median college: 0 pts (410 colleges ranked)
- 1Augusta University+28 pts5% (fall 2020) → 33%
- 2Oregon State University+15 pts27% (fall 2020) → 42%
- 3North Carolina A & T State University+14 pts27% (fall 2020) → 41%
- 4Fayetteville State University+14 pts7% (fall 2020) → 21%
- 5University of Connecticut-Stamford+13 pts7% (fall 2020) → 20%
- 6University of Mississippi+13 pts57% (fall 2020) → 69%
- 7University of Connecticut+13 pts29% (fall 2020) → 42%
- 8Henderson State University+12 pts11% (fall 2020) → 23%
- 9Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College+12 pts28% (fall 2020) → 39%
- 10Louisiana Tech University+11 pts1% (fall 2020) → 12%
- 11University of Utah+10 pts32% (fall 2020) → 42%
- 12Temple University+10 pts27% (fall 2020) → 37%
- 13Coastal Carolina University+9 pts57% (fall 2020) → 67%
- 14Purdue University-Main Campus+9 pts38% (fall 2020) → 47%
- 15Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University+9 pts25% (fall 2020) → 34%
- 16University of Alaska Fairbanks+9 pts11% (fall 2020) → 20%
- 17University of Arkansas+9 pts47% (fall 2020) → 56%
- 18San Diego State University+8 pts15% (fall 2020) → 23%
- 19Alabama A & M University+8 pts46% (fall 2020) → 54%
- 20Alabama State University+8 pts44% (fall 2020) → 52%
- 21Western Kentucky University+8 pts25% (fall 2020) → 33%
- 22Rutgers University-New Brunswick+8 pts5% (fall 2020) → 13%
- 23Florida Atlantic University+8 pts11% (fall 2020) → 19%
- 23Emporia State University+8 pts7% (fall 2020) → 15%
- 25University of Arizona+8 pts37% (fall 2020) → 45%
Who's ranked: public colleges with 500+ enrolled first-years in fall 2019.
Sources:IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2020 to Fall 2024;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2019 to Fall 2024;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2019 to Fall 2024About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
Pell gap closed most
, Classes entering fall 2013 to fall 2018
Median college: 0 pts (792 colleges ranked)
- 1University of Bridgeport−35 pts24 pts → −10 pts
- 2Hartwick College−29 pts15 pts → −14 pts
- 3Tennessee State University−28 pts29 pts → 1 pts
- 4Anderson University−27 pts40 pts → 13 pts
- 5Southeastern University−21 pts33 pts → 11 pts
- 6Elmhurst University−21 pts14 pts → −7 pts
- 7Lewis & Clark College−18 pts21 pts → 3 pts
- 8Chadron State College−17 pts14 pts → −3 pts
- 8Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus−17 pts24 pts → 6 pts
- 10St Bonaventure University−17 pts28 pts → 11 pts
- 11Illinois Institute of Technology−16 pts19 pts → 2 pts
- 12Full Sail University−16 pts21 pts → 5 pts
- 13Cameron University−16 pts21 pts → 5 pts
- 14Washburn University−16 pts28 pts → 12 pts
- 15University of Guam−16 pts3 pts → −12 pts
- 16Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences−15 pts17 pts → 2 pts
- 17Misericordia University−15 pts22 pts → 7 pts
- 18Southwestern University−15 pts22 pts → 7 pts
- 19Southern Nazarene University−15 pts25 pts → 10 pts
- 20Lamar University−15 pts23 pts → 8 pts
- 21University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras−15 pts9 pts (fall 2014) → −6 pts
- 22Lewis-Clark State College−14 pts26 pts → 11 pts
- 23Assumption University−14 pts21 pts → 7 pts
- 24Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs−14 pts10 pts → −4 pts
- 25Saint Mary's College of California−14 pts18 pts → 4 pts
Who's ranked: colleges with 100+ Pell recipients and 100+ students with neither in both entering classes (classes entering fall 2013 and fall 2018). Left out: closed, merged, or reorganized campuses (10).
Sources:IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), classes entering fall 2013 to fall 2018;College Scorecard (enrollment), Fall 2013 to Fall 2024About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)
How the lists are made
- The same change as college pages. Each list ranks the change a college's own page and Explore show, from the window's first year (or up to two years later, when a college didn't report that year) to its last. Ties at the tenth place are all shown.
- A floor at the start. A percent change on a small base isn't the story, so each list names the size a college needed at the start of the window.
- Still open, one campus. Colleges under 300 undergraduates today are closing rather than shrinking, and are left off every list, as are campuses that merged or split during the window (42 reviewed by hand).
- Campus-based growth. The growth lists leave out for-profit colleges and , colleges where more than half of undergraduates took every course online at the window's start or at its end, whose enrollment can grow without a campus growing. A college that reported no share counts as campus-based.
- Reporting errors. A count at either end that is more than 3× (or under a third) of the year next to it is usually a typo in a college's report; those colleges are left off the list, not out of the data.
- The universe. The site's four-year colleges, not all of U.S. higher education. A list shows how much a college changed, not why.