The American high-school graduate pipeline is entering a historic decline. By 2029, the nation will produce 576,000 fewer students. In an environment of rising acquisition costs and diminishing value perception, institutional inertia is a form of decline.
The median cost of acquiring a single undergraduate student since 2021.
Private college mergers and permanent closures reached a decadal high this year.
Midwestern markets face deeper contractions than the national average through 2030.

Understanding the birth-rate fallout and the geographical migration of future cohorts.

Data-driven strategies to counteract the declining public trust in traditional degrees.

Optimizing acquisition funnels in an era of hyper-competition and rising digital costs.
Dr. Helena Vance
Senior Research Fellow, SEM Institute