Author Sean Simone, Ph.D. 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. Download supplemental tables here.

• Sharp Decline in Representation: The proportion of first-generation students enrolled in postsecondary education dropped from 66% in 1996 to 53% in 2020.
• 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.
• 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.