The Typical College Student Is Not Who You Think

As a fight over the future of elite higher education consumes university leaders and politicians, most college students live in a very different world with very different challenges.

Community College

• 43 percent of undergraduates attend community college
• About 75 percent of community college students are enrolled part time

Demographics

• 1.4 million undergraduate students with children are single mothers
• 9 % of US undergraduate population
• 25 percent of all undergraduate students live with their parents
• Only 16 % live on campus

Online Learning

• 10.3 million students take at least some classes online
• 26 percent of students take classes exclusively online
• up from 11% 10 years ago.

Student Debt

• The average student is $19,000 in debt
• Up from $13,000 two decades ago, with adjustments for inflation
• 10.8 million students owe more than $44,000
• Two-thirds of student loan debt belong to women
• Black women have the highest debt load, with an average of $33,000.
• 3 X  the amount  of white men are carrying, and $15,000 more than white women
• About a third of all undergraduate students received a Pell Grant

Success

• 41 million people (12% of the US Population) attended college but never graduated

Blinder, A. (2025, August 25). The Typical College Student is Not Who You Think. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/us/us-typical-college-student.html?unlocked_article_code=1.g08.-Fff.cnL2cbdddkMB&smid=url-share