Michigan colleges see steeper enrollment decline than national average, as students question value of four-year degree and underrepresented groups show less interest.

Enrollment at Michigan colleges is declining at a higher rate than the national average, with a 2.2% drop from the previous spring compared to the national decline of less than 1%, according to a report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Private four-year colleges saw the steepest decline with a 4.5% drop, while public four-year universities experienced a 1.5% drop, and community colleges dropped 2.8%. The decline in enrollment is attributed to a new set of factors that are preventing students from returning to campuses, according to the executive director of National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.