Colleges and universities nationwide are anticipating a drop in enrollment numbers in 2026 due to a birth rate decline during the 2008 financial recession. While Grand Valley State University has seen year-to-year increases in enrollment, the emerging issue presents a wider dilemma that experts in higher education and administrators are navigating.
In 2025, Michigan experienced the sixth largest drop of high school graduates in the country and the second biggest drop in the Midwest with a 20% decline, while Illinois experienced a 32% decline. The population of high school graduates in decline affects the enrollment of those entering higher education. GVSU, among other secondary schools in the West Michigan area are sharing their efforts to facilitate student body growth, as well as grant a higher priority to non-traditional and transfer students.
The Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU) serves as the coordinating board for the state’s 15 public universities. Their data reflects that this decline in enrollment is linked to fewer high school graduates, with 104,326 high school graduates statewide in 2025, estimated to drop to 85,131 by 2041, which is nearly 19%…