
University enrolment rates vary across the world. In the US, about 3.3 million students graduate from high school each year, and about 66% of them enrol in college immediately, amounting to about 2.2 million traditional first-time freshmen. In the UK, UCAS data from 2017 revealed that the highest proportion of 18-year-olds on record entered higher education, with a total of 241,585 UK 18-year-olds gaining a place in higher education. This was a 1.1% increase from 2016. In 2022, about 19 million students attended colleges and universities in the US, a 10% decrease from 2012.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of students entering first year of college in the US in Fall 2022 | 6.6 million (33% of 19 million students enrolled in colleges and universities) |
| Number of students entering first year of college in the US in Fall 2019 | 6.93 million (33% of 21.1 million students enrolled in colleges and universities) |
| Percentage of US college students who are female | 43.8% of 18-24-year-olds |
| Number of students entering first year of college in the UK in 2017 | 533,890 |
| Number of UCAS applicants in 2018 | 700,000 |
| Number of students entering first year of college in California in 2021 | 2.487 million |
| Number of students entering first year of college in New York | Over 1 million |
| Number of students entering first year of college in Texas | Over 1 million |
| Number of students entering first year of college in Alaska | 22,152 |
| Number of students entering first year of college in Wyoming | Under 50,000 |
| Number of students entering first year of college in Montana | Under 50,000 |
| Number of students entering first year of college in Vermont | Under 50,000 |
| Number of students entering first year of college in New Hampshire | N/A |
| Number of students entering first year of college in Utah | N/A |
| Number of students entering first year of college in Idaho | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
- In 2017, the UK saw its largest ever proportion of 18-year-olds enter higher education
- California has the highest number of enrolled college students in the US
- In 2024, 34.2% of American males aged 18-24 were enrolled in college
- % of first-year college students are full-time
- In 2022, 19 million students attended colleges and universities in the US

In 2017, the UK saw its largest ever proportion of 18-year-olds enter higher education
In 2017, the UK witnessed a record-breaking trend, with the highest proportion of 18-year-olds entering higher education. This significant milestone underscores a growing interest in full-time undergraduate studies among young people in the UK. UCAS, the UK's centralised admissions service for higher education, reported that 32.6% of 18-year-olds in the UK gained a place in higher education, marking a 0.7% increase from the previous year. This translates to an overall increase of 1.1% in the number of placed UK 18-year-olds, amounting to 241,585 individuals.
Diving into the data across different countries in the UK, England stood out with a notable increase of 0.8 percentage points, resulting in 33.3% of 18-year-olds entering higher education. Scotland also experienced a rise, with a 0.6 percentage point increase, reaching 25.9%. However, Northern Ireland and Wales saw slight decreases, with entry rates dropping by 0.4 and 0.1 percentage points, respectively.
The acceptance rate for university applicants in the UK reached impressive heights in 2017, with nearly 86% of applicants securing a place. This contributed to an overall intake of more than half a million students (533,890) across domestic, EU, and international students in UK higher education. The number of international students (excluding the EU) rose to a record high of 40,245, reflecting a 5.0% increase compared to 2016.
While the number of UK students entering higher education overall witnessed a minor decrease of 0.5%, the decline was more pronounced among mature students. This trend underscores a shift towards younger students pursuing university education. The data from UCAS highlights the dynamic nature of higher education enrolment in the UK, with fluctuations in entry rates across different regions and student demographics.
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California has the highest number of enrolled college students in the US
The University of California (UC) enrolled over 226,000 undergraduates in Fall 2020, including freshman and transfer students from almost every county in California. UC's Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) policy aims to increase the geographic diversity of freshman entrants. UC has also maintained access for populations that are historically underserved by higher education, with around 41% of entering students being first-generation.
The academic indicators of UC's entering freshmen have improved over time, with an increase in the share of students completing 25 or more college-preparatory courses and achieving a high school GPA of 3.8 or higher. UC transfer students in Fall 2020 were also better prepared academically than their counterparts a decade ago.
In the US, 62.0% of high school graduates go on to enrol in postsecondary study. Among first-time, first-year college students, 82.7% are full-time students, and 67.2% of college students are projected to be aged 24 years and under in 2024.
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In 2024, 34.2% of American males aged 18-24 were enrolled in college
College enrollment rates among 18- to 24-year-olds have historically been higher for females than for males. In 2022, 44% of females in this age group were enrolled in college, compared to 39% of males. This trend has been consistent since 2012. Additionally, females are more likely to complete their bachelor's degrees at the institution they first enrolled in within six years compared to males.
In 2024, 67.2% of college students were projected to be aged 24 years and under. This age group constitutes the majority of college students, with approximately 65% of undergraduates falling within this range. Among all college students, 26.84% are aged 18 to 19 years old, 38.52% are aged 20 to 24 years old, and 9.19% are aged 25 to 29 years old.
The overall college enrollment rate for 18- to 24-year-olds has fluctuated over time. In 2022, 39% of individuals in this age group were enrolled in college, representing a decrease from 41% a decade earlier in 2012. However, the enrollment rate for 2024 indicated a slight increase, with 39.0% of 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college or graduate school.
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82.7% of first-year college students are full-time
In the US, about 3.3 million students graduate from high school each year, and about 66% of them enrol in college immediately in the fall. This amounts to about 2.2 million "traditional first-time freshmen". In the 2022-2023 academic year, 1.06 million enrolled college students (5.69%) were internationals.
Among first-time, first-year college students, 82.7% are full-time. Most college students first enrol in their late teens as full-time students. Part-time students tend to be older. In the US, 39% of 18- to 24-year-olds are enrolled in college or graduate school. Within this age group, 26.84% are aged 18 to 19, and 38.52% are aged 20 to 24.
In the UK, UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) manages almost three million applications each year for full-time undergraduate courses at over 380 universities and colleges. In 2017, UCAS data showed that the proportion of 18-year-olds in the UK population who gained a place in higher education increased by 0.7 percentage points to 32.6% – the highest on record. This equated to an overall increase in the number of placed UK 18-year-olds to 241,585, up 1.1% from 2016.
In 2017, the entry rate for 18-year-olds in England increased by 0.8 percentage points to 33.3%, while the entry rate for the same group in Scotland increased by 0.6 percentage points to 25.9%. The entry rate for Northern Ireland decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 34.5%, and for Wales, it fell by 0.1 percentage points to 29.4%. The number of international students (excluding those from EU countries) accepted to UK universities increased to a record high of 40,245, up 5.0% on 2016.
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In 2022, 19 million students attended colleges and universities in the US
In 2022, there were 18.58 million college students in the US, with 13.49 million enrolled in public colleges and 5.09 million enrolled in private colleges. This figure includes students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs.
Among first-time, first-year college students, 82.7% are full-time. In 2022, 26.84% of all enrolled students were aged 18 to 19, 38.52% were aged 20 to 24, 9.19% were aged 25 to 29, 5.71% were aged 30 to 34, 3.72% were aged 35 to 39, 4.1% were aged 40 to 49, 1.92% were aged 50 to 64, and 2.18% were aged 50 and over.
In terms of demographics, 52.3% of college students are White or Caucasian, 19% are Hispanic, 10% are Black or African American, and 0.69% are American Indian or Alaska Native. 7.21% of American adults are enrolled in college as part-time or full-time students.
The overall number of higher education institutions in the US is around 4,000, with California having the most. The cost of college is an important factor for students and their parents, with annual expenses totaling nearly $78,000 at Harvey Mudd College in California for the 2021-2022 academic year.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2022, about 19 million students attended colleges and universities in the US. 66% of high school graduates enroll in college immediately, which equates to about 2.2 million "traditional first-time freshmen".
In 2017, the number of students accepted into UK higher education was 533,890, including domestic, EU, and international students. UCAS, the UK's shared admissions service for higher education, manages around 700,000 applications each year.
About 66% of high school graduates in the US enroll in college immediately in the fall.
In the fall of 2022, about 49.6 million students were enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in the US.











































