Percentage of First-Generation Students Declines between 1996 and 2020. Research Brief
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| Title: | Percentage of First-Generation Students Declines between 1996 and 2020. Research Brief |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Sean Simone, Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education |
| Source: | Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. 2025. |
| Availability: | Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. 1025 Vermont Avenue NW Suite 1020, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-638-2887; Fax: 202-638-3808; e-mail: info@pellinstitute.org; Web site: http://www.pellinstitute.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 3 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | First Generation College Students, Educational Trends, Trend Analysis, College Students, Student Financial Aid, National Surveys, Declining Enrollment, Enrollment Trends |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NCES), Current Population Survey |
| Abstract: | This brief examines national trends in the representation of first-generation college students over a 24-year period. Using data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) and the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS), the analysis finds a significant decline in the proportion of first-generation students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities--from 66 percent in 1996 to 53 percent in 2020. The brief explores possible explanations for this decline, including both demographic and systemic factors. While a greater share of the adult population now holds a bachelor's degree--reducing the pool of first-generation students overall--barriers to access, affordability, and information remain persistent. Key findings include: (1) Sharp decline in representation: The proportion of first-generation students enrolled in postsecondary education dropped from 66% in 1996 to 53% in 2020; (2) Rising parental education levels: Over the same period, the share of U.S. adults aged 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree rose from 24% to 38%, indicating an increasingly educated population that reduces the overall pool of first-generation students; and (3) Two likely explanations for the trend: (1) Colleges and universities may be enrolling fewer first-generation students; and (2) The population of first-generation students itself is shrinking as more parents earn college degrees. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | ED677330 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This brief examines national trends in the representation of first-generation college students over a 24-year period. Using data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) and the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS), the analysis finds a significant decline in the proportion of first-generation students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities--from 66 percent in 1996 to 53 percent in 2020. The brief explores possible explanations for this decline, including both demographic and systemic factors. While a greater share of the adult population now holds a bachelor's degree--reducing the pool of first-generation students overall--barriers to access, affordability, and information remain persistent. Key findings include: (1) Sharp decline in representation: The proportion of first-generation students enrolled in postsecondary education dropped from 66% in 1996 to 53% in 2020; (2) Rising parental education levels: Over the same period, the share of U.S. adults aged 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree rose from 24% to 38%, indicating an increasingly educated population that reduces the overall pool of first-generation students; and (3) Two likely explanations for the trend: (1) Colleges and universities may be enrolling fewer first-generation students; and (2) The population of first-generation students itself is shrinking as more parents earn college degrees. |
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