US EditionMore adults return to college in California as inflation and job fears rise
Adult enrollment at California community colleges rises over 10%, driven by economic pressures and demand for job-ready credentials in health care and technical fields.
- This year, California community colleges report rising enrollment, with early data showing upward trends and some presidents reporting over 10% increases, while Los Rios Community College District sees over 5% growth.
- Rising unemployment and higher consumer costs are pushing workers seeking retraining to community colleges, officials say, citing the gap between Wall Street gains and Main Street hardship.
- Career-Technical programs are showing a 10% enrollment increase this semester, adding almost 4,000 students, while Merced College's electronics waitlist has nearly doubled compared to three years ago and students aged 35–54 in the Los Angeles district are up 28% from last year.
- Funding formulas mean a Sacramento-area district serves about 5,000 more students than funded, with about $20 million in lost revenue, and summer funding fell short.
- Last month, 10 presidents and chancellors asked the governor of California to change policy as the Legislative Analyst's Office projects an $18 billion deficit next year.
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More California Adults Returning To College
It appears more adults are returning to college in California. That is according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, which oversees all 116 community colleges statewide. Executive Vice Chancellor Chris Ferguson tells CalMatters early data on fall enrollment shows an upward trend. Some college presidents report they’re seeing more than ten percent more students compared to last fall. Ferguson says enrollments tend to go up w…
Associated Press News
More adults return to college in California as inflation and job fears rise
If you want to gauge the health of California’s economy, start with its community colleges. “When the economy is doing well, our enrollments are down, and when the economy is in a tough stretch or in a recession, we see our enrollments go up,” said Chris Ferguson, an executive vice chancellor with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, which oversees all of the state’s 116
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