Enrollment Trends for Massachusetts Colleges

3,338

Total Enrollment

-2,042

Male Students

5,380

Female Students

-12,193

Undergraduate

15,531

Graduate

Massachusetts Colleges Enrollment Trends Summary (2015-2025)

  • Overall Population Change:
    • Total Enrollment: 404,065 students were enrolled in Massachusetts colleges.
    • 10-Year Change: The total student population increased by 1% compared to a decade ago.
  • Student Level Trends:
    • Undergraduate Growth: Undergraduate enrollment saw a decrease of -4.54% compared to a decade ago.
    • Graduate Growth: Graduate enrollment saw a increase of 11.76% compared to a decade ago.
  • Gender Dynamics:
    • Current Ratio: There are more female students than male, with a ratio of 1.30 female to 1 male.
    • Women Enrollment: Female students total 228,204 and have increased by 2.41% compared to a decade ago.
    • Men Enrollment: Male students total 175,861 and have decreased by -1.15% compared to a decade ago.
  • Online Education Growth:
    • Online Exclusively: 59,639 students (14.76%) are enrolled exclusively in online programs.
    • Online Growth: The number of students enrolled completely online has seen a dramatic increase of 111% since 2015.

Student Population Changes

The average number of students over the past 11 years is 406,719, and 404,065 students were attending the schools in the academic year 2024-2025.

Of the total students, 63.67% are undergraduate students and 36.33% are graduate students. Over the past 11, the number of undergraduate students decreased by 12,450, and the graduate student enrollment increased by 14,169.

The females per 100 male students ratio is 77.17, meaning that there are far more female students enrolled in Massachusetts Colleges than male students. You can check the males per 100 female students ratio trends over the years for Massachusetts colleges.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in student population by gender at Massachusetts Colleges since 2015.

YearTotalUndergraduateGraduate
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
2014-15400,727268,671121,200147,471132,05656,70375,353
2015-16406,055
5,328
271,479
2,808
122,611
1,411
148,868
1,397
134,576
2,520
57,356
653
77,220
1,867
2016-17408,126
2,071
270,514
-965
122,034
-577
148,480
-388
137,612
3,036
58,357
1,001
79,255
2,035
2017-18411,796
3,670
271,295
781
122,825
791
148,470
-10
140,501
2,889
59,651
1,294
80,850
1,595
2018-19413,265
1,469
270,632
-663
121,928
-897
148,704
234
142,633
2,132
60,337
686
82,296
1,446
2019-20410,622
-2,643
267,223
-3,409
119,879
-2,049
147,344
-1,360
143,399
766
59,818
-519
83,581
1,285
2020-21400,310
-10,312
256,905
-10,318
114,057
-5,822
142,848
-4,496
143,405
6
58,600
-1,218
84,805
1,224
2021-22409,765
9,455
258,604
1,699
114,296
239
144,308
1,460
151,161
7,756
61,807
3,207
89,354
4,549
2022-23405,820
-3,945
256,790
-1,814
113,207
-1,089
143,583
-725
149,030
-2,131
61,349
-458
87,681
-1,673
2023-24403,363
-2,457
255,271
-1,519
112,953
-254
142,318
-1,265
148,092
-938
61,904
555
86,188
-1,493
2024-25404,065
702
256,478
1,207
113,546
593
142,932
614
147,587
-505
62,315
411
85,272
-916
Average406,719263,987118,049145,939142,73259,83682,896
Massachusetts Colleges Student Population Trends Chart

Undergraduate Enrollment Changes

The average number of Undergraduate students over the past 11 years is 263,987. Compared 11 years ago, the number of Undergraduate students decreased by 12,193 from 268,671 to 256,478.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in Undergraduate enrollment by attending status and gender at Massachusetts Colleges since 2015.

YearTotalFulltimeParttime
TotalMenFemaleTotalMenFemale
2014-15268,671233,390106,607126,78335,28114,59320,688
2015-16271,479235,432107,620127,81236,04714,99121,056
2016-17270,514236,290107,806128,48434,22414,22819,996
2017-18271,295237,399108,594128,80533,89614,23119,665
2018-19270,632237,799108,056129,74332,83313,87218,961
2019-20267,223235,585106,488129,09731,63813,39118,247
2020-21256,905224,742100,258124,48432,16313,79918,364
2021-22258,604229,872102,252127,62028,73212,04416,688
2022-23256,790227,543100,921126,62229,24712,28616,961
2023-24255,271226,316100,656125,66028,95512,29716,658
2024-25256,478228,119101,556126,56328,35911,99016,369
Average263,987263,987104,619127,425263,98713,42918,514
Massachusetts Colleges Undergraduate Enrollment Trends Chart

Graduate Enrollment Changes

The average number of Graduate students over the past 11 years is 142,732. Compared 11 years ago, the number of Graduate students increased by 15,531 from 132,056 to 147,587.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in Graduate enrollment by attending status and gender at Massachusetts Colleges since 2015.

YearTotalFulltimeParttime
TotalMenFemaleTotalMenFemale
2014-15132,05673,64433,92939,71558,41222,77435,638
2015-16134,57674,96834,06440,90459,60823,29236,316
2016-17137,61277,76135,27542,48659,85123,08236,769
2017-18140,50181,23136,55444,67759,27023,09736,173
2018-19142,63382,23236,75545,47760,40123,58236,819
2019-20143,39982,07636,45445,62261,32323,36437,959
2020-21143,40580,50234,76645,73662,90323,83439,069
2021-22151,16187,02037,87749,14364,14123,93040,211
2022-23149,03088,15938,21049,94960,87123,13937,732
2023-24148,09288,29839,04649,25259,79422,85836,936
2024-25147,58789,02339,35149,67258,56422,96435,600
Average142,732142,73236,57145,694142,73223,26537,202
Massachusetts Colleges Graduate Enrollment Trends Chart

Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity Changes

The percentage of white students is 45.09% and the percentage of black students is 7.20% at Massachusetts Colleges. 10.57% of enrolled students is Asian.

The following table and chart illustrate the student population trends by race/ethnicity at Massachusetts Colleges over the past 11 years (2014-2025).

YearAmerican Indian or Native AmericanAsianBlackHispanicNative Hawaiian or Other Pacific IslanderWhiteTwo or More Races
2014-1569830,02425,43629,277258222,45110,463
2015-1668530,64226,20831,437262221,02711,330
2016-1765031,59926,67832,969297218,93011,481
2017-1863333,25927,15335,467312218,26611,660
2018-1962134,30527,60437,122316214,45612,246
2019-2058735,52327,21338,484292208,97412,962
2020-2154137,10627,64539,837263203,14113,347
2021-2252739,61627,52341,032270200,33914,160
2022-2351340,31328,31541,902263191,87514,305
2023-2446940,98328,25243,548251184,90715,024
2024-2545442,52728,95645,687281181,47415,514
Average58035,99127,36237,887279205,98512,954
Massachusetts Colleges Student Population by Race Trends Chart

Distance Learning (Online Courses) Enrollment Changes

59,639 students are enrolled in online degree programs exclusively for the academic year 2024-2025, which is 15% of total students. The number of online students has increased 141.43% since 2013.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in the online student population by enrolled type at Massachusetts Colleges from 2012 to 2025.

YearTotal EnrollmentOnline CompletelyEnrolled in Some Online CoursesNot Enrolled in Online Courses
2012-13398,88524,70223,887350,296
2013-14400,32924,60626,068349,655
2014-15400,72728,25928,575343,893
2015-16406,05530,80131,043344,211
2016-17408,12634,57541,100332,451
2017-18411,79637,47735,818338,501
2018-19413,26539,31738,047335,901
2019-20410,62241,10338,657330,862
2020-21399,953184,662110,396104,895
2021-22409,76563,96876,753269,044
2022-23405,82058,46063,153284,207
2023-24403,36357,81064,380281,173
2024-25404,06559,63966,131278,295
Average405,59852,72149,539303,337