Spring enrollment ticked up in 2026, but growth was uneven across institutions and degrees. Final National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data show total spring enrollment at 18.6 million students, about 1% higher than spring 2025, with undergraduate enrollment rising and graduate enrollment essentially flat or down slightly. Undergraduate enrollment reached 15.5 million, up 1.3%, driven in particular by community colleges and public four-year institutions. Community college spring enrollment increased 3.1% and public four-year enrollment grew 1.5%. In contrast, private nonprofit and for-profit colleges reported smaller changes, with for-profit undergraduate enrollment down. Graduate enrollment fell 0.1% to 3.1 million, with declines in master’s programs and international graduate students—international graduate enrollment dropped 4.3% for the largest declines at public four-year institutions. Undergraduate certificate programs posted the fastest growth at 10.2%, suggesting demand is concentrating in shorter credentials. For institutional strategy teams, the clearest takeaway is that student demand is bifurcating: recruitment and retention investments may need to emphasize certificates and undergraduate pathways while addressing graduate pipeline and international market pressure.