Applications to U.S. graduate schools increase, but domestic enrollments are down

The Graduate Enrollment and Degrees: 2012 to 2022 Report is available with new application and enrollment trends from the past 10 years. Published annually since 1986, the report presents the findings of the CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees and provides essential data on trends in graduate education.

This report describes applications for admission to graduate school in Fall 2022, first-time and total graduate student enrollment for Fall 2022, graduate degrees and certificates conferred in 2021-2022, and application and enrollment trends from 2012 to 2022.

Key Findings

• Applications for admission to U.S. graduate schools rose by nearly four percent between Fall 2021 and Fall 2022, but domestic enrollments fell by 4.7 percent.
• Underrepresented minority groups experienced declining first-time enrollments in the range of 2-8%, suggesting a need for additional resources to strengthen their participation in the knowledge economy.
• First-time enrollments in master’s colleges and universities increased by roughly 3%.
• Individuals pursuing master’s degrees or graduate certificates comprised roughly 85% of first-time graduate students in the Fall 2021 – Fall 2022 period.
• There was a 3.2% decrease of doctoral first-time enrollment during the reporting period.
• In Fall 2022, more than half of first-time graduate students at the master’s degree and certificate level (58.0%) and at the doctoral level (56.3%) were women.