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University Student Enrollments during the next Decade

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Conference

2024 South East Section Meeting

Location

Marietta, Georgia

Publication Date

March 10, 2024

Start Date

March 10, 2024

End Date

March 12, 2024

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

12

DOI

10.18260/1-2--45578

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/45578

Download Count

14

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Paper Authors

biography

George D Ford Mississippi State University

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Dr. George Ford P.E. is a Professor at Mississippi State's Building Construction Science (BCS) program. Dr. Ford has 15 years of industrial experience including corporate work, and 20 years of teaching experience at the post-secondary level.

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biography

Saeed Rokooei Mississippi State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-8543-653X

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Saeed Rokooei is an assistant professor of Building Construction Science at Mississippi State University. Saeed obtained his bachelor's degree in Architecture and then continued his studies in Project and Construction Management. Saeed completed his PhD i

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Abstract

According to the US Census, the number of births in the United States during 2008 dropped by more than 68,000 over the previous year. This trend continued for the next six years through 2014. Starting in the fall of 2026, those born during these years will be 18 years old. For the seven-year period starting in 2026 through 3031, there will be cumulatively nearly 400,000 fewer high school graduates and potentially 240,000 fewer college freshmen for the period, about ½ percent per year.

During 2023, economic inflation, concern about student debt and employee shortages could further affect university enrollments in the United States. The full effects of inflation in the United States might be benchmarked by mortgage rates which are expected to rise to nearly 7% by the end of 2023, up from 4% in 2019. In 2022, President Biden’s attempt to forgive student debt increased awareness about the high costs of a university degree. Unemployment rates during 2023 are at historic lows resulting in increased salaries and even sign-on bonuses for those ready to join the workforce.

The effects on enrollments at a specific university are difficult to predict, given all the potential economic and geographic considerations. Generally, the best universities will continue to attract students, but smaller, lesser-known colleges and universities may face enrollment shortages affecting their financial operations resulting in program and employee terminations. This paper examines enrollments at Mississippi State University, considering population and economic climates to provide a template for post-secondary administrators to determine their enrollment forecasts for the next decade.

Ford, G. D., & Rokooei, S. (2024, March), University Student Enrollments during the next Decade Paper presented at 2024 South East Section Meeting, Marietta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--45578

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