Spring enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center showed the college student population rose 3.2% from the previous year, an increase of 562,000 students. Specifically, traditional-aged college students represented about 40% of undergraduates and students 25 to 29 fluctuated significantly. Data also revealed all regions of the U.S., and a vast majority of states saw their total college enrollment grow in spring 2025. Undergraduate enrollment gains were also found across ethnicity and racial demographics. Black students showed the biggest increase of 10.3%, multiracial students likewise expanded by 8.5% year over year, and White students rose by 1.8%. Fall 2024 marked the start of the first cohort of freshmen admitted since the U.S. Supreme Court barred race-conscious admissions practices. The minority of colleges that the ruling affected — those that maintain selective admissions processes — reported mixed outcomes on their class diversity, with Black students representing the biggest loss among racial groups.