More and more adults are going back to school to learn new skills. The National Center for Education Statistics data show a 7 percent growth in college enrollment for adults over the age of 24 between 2005 and 2015. This is projected to increase to 12 percent by 2019.
A large percent of these are community college students who are either enrolled in two-year associate’s degree programs or technical education certificates, or are simply taking classes to learn new skills. In spring 2016, over 2.1 million adults over the age of 24 were enrolled in two-year public community colleges. These students represent approximately one-third of all adult students enrolled in colleges.