A 2012 research study conducted by the National Student Clearing House, which is a non-profit organization that functions to collect and exchange comprehensive data pertaining to higher education enrollment, degrees, and certificate records for over 3,300 participating institutions of higher learning (representing 96 percent of all public and private United States institutions), found that over a third (at least 38 percent) of college students are 25 years of age and over. Obviously, the 30-something’s fit, to some degree, into that statistic.
This same study also broke adult learners into three age brackets: 25-29, 30-39, and 40+. Of all age brackets, the study concluded that there has been a steady increase in enrollment for these students and as full-timers. Taking these realities into account, it is evident that, at least currently and who knows how far into the future, one way to look at more mature students might be as the new normal. This is to say – those 30 and older are certainly not alone.
The above statistics demonstrate that people 30 and over are in company with a great deal of who were traditionally coined “non-traditional students”, those who have not recently graduated from high school. Many instructors express their courses are comprised of a mixture, probably half, of 30 something’s and older along with younger students. They report the diversity makes the classes extremely interesting. They express that the heightened interest is not only for them but also for the entire class as the intergenerational mix helps to keep each other engaged about who knows what and who does what from her generation.
According to American Higher Education in the Twenty First Century: Social, Political, and Economic Challenges, on average, there have been shifts in the age of college/university students. Enrollment for more traditional higher education students aged 19 and under dropped from 46 percent in 1970 to 29 percent in 2008. On the other hand, students 25 years and older increased from 12 percent in 1970 to 28 percent in 2008. Interestingly, the enrollment rate for 18-24 year olds did not increase between 1997 and 2007, although that segment of the American population grew by 4.5 million as reported by the same research.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s more recent figures than those reported above (2011) reported more recently (2011) that indicate that by percentage, individuals age 30-34 attend 2-year institutions part-time 14.6 percent compared to 19-20 year olds at 6.3 percent, 21-22 year olds at 8.6 percent, 23-24 year olds at 11.1 percent, and 25-29 year olds at 13.5 percent. 35 and over were the highest at 21 percent. These percentages were substantially different for full-time students, leaving one to consider the reason may be that older adults have to work full-time at higher rates than younger students while younger students could attend college/university full-time at higher rates than older adults.
Due to the change in how America primarily does business, which is to say, America’s change from a manufacturing to a knowledge-based economy, high-skilled jobs (requiring at least a Bachelor’s Degree) increased, while low-skilled jobs (requiring a high school diploma or less) declined. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that only 22 percent of jobs will require no college by 2014. Operating on the same economic principle of supply and demand, when good paying jobs are in short supply, going to college/university for the first time or returning to school for the 30 and up population whose jobs have transitioned on them can be a very appealing choice.
Furthermore, as it relates to jobs, studies have shown that non-traditional students (those 30 and older) who enter college/university after some time in the workforce can increase their human capital (a measure of the economic value of an employee’s skill set), increase their adjustment to workforce change, and increase their skills for higher labor demands.
Blog By Terita Smith