College enrollment dropped to 62 percent as job growth increased in the restaurants, theme parks and hospitality sectors.

• 62 percent of US high school graduates ages 16 to 24 are enrolled in four-year college programs
• In April 2023, the unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds was 9.2 percent.
• A variety of blue-collar jobs have been added to two-year programs this spring.

Young people seem to be moving away from traditional universities, student numbers are declining and teenagers are taking jobs or attending two-year institutions to study more blue-collar jobs.

According to the US Department of Labor, 62 percent of American high school graduates ages 16 to 24 enrolled in a four-year college this year, down from 66.2 percent in 2019.

Although this was a year before the outbreak, the number was down from a peak in 2009, when 70 percent enrolled in a traditional university.

The opposite is true for community colleges, where enrollment in two-year programs has increased.

The figures come as the unemployment rate for teenagers is at its lowest in decades. In April 2023, the rate was 9.2 percent, the lowest since 1953.

Youth unemployment peaked at 30.2 percent in the early stages of the epidemic, but has since largely declined.

When entering the workforce, young people working in entertainment and hospitality will see wage increases of 30 percent for seasonal workers and 20 percent for year-round workers from 2019 to 2023.

Others are opting for two-year programs as traditional universities face rising costs and declining graduate debt.

After two consecutive years of declining enrollment, community colleges are projected to increase by half a percent in 2023.

Similar to four-year colleges, two-year schools peaked shortly after the stock market crash in 2010 and have been on a downward spiral ever since.

In particular, four traditionally blue-collar majors saw significant enrollment increases this spring.

Computer and information sciences and support services grew by 9.7 percent, mechanics and maintenance technologies/technicians by 8.2 percent, personal and food services by 9.7 percent, and transportation and material activities by 11.8 percent.

Years of severe decline have hit community colleges across the country. Community college enrollment rose 0.5 percent from last year after falling 8.2 percent and 10.1 percent in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Overall, bachelor’s degree programs fell 1.4 percent this spring.

‘If you can find it [a job] Without a BA and good salary progression, why get a BA?’ ZipRecruiter Chief Economist Pollak asked.

Polk pointed out that being able to get a job during the pandemic allows young people to drop out of college and not return after success.

The epidemic caused many people to delay going until it disrupted college. “Once they’re late, they get caught up in earning and working and don’t go back to college,” Pollack said.

According to the Wall Street Journal, 60 percent of 18-34 year olds say a four-year college degree is not a good investment.

Women are less likely than men to attend four-year colleges, with two-thirds of women enrolled in the past year compared to nearly 10 percent of men.

Doug Shapiro, research and executive director of the National Student Clearinghouse, said the number appears to be a response to both inflation and the changing nature of college.

“Opportunity costs seem to be increasing for students at all levels,” he told Axios.

“Colleges and universities, like the rest of us, need to think differently about the types of students and what programs and services they can offer to get students in.”