College enrollment for low-income students in Michigan drops by nearly half in past 10 years

Since the 2010/2011 enrollment peak in the state, colleges & universities in Michigan have lost nearly half of their Pell students. Fewer students with high financial need are choosing to attend college.

Pell Grants are federal grants that help low-income students pay for college. The number of Pell students enrolled in college is often used as an indicator of how many low-income students are accessing higher education and postsecondary training.

In Michigan, enrollment in college has been on the decline. The most affected group is Pell students. Pell student enrollment in college in Michigan has dropped by nearly half since the last peak in 2010/2011.

During the 2020/2021 academic year (most recent data) 128,683 Pell students enrolled in college in Michigan. This is a drop from over 235,000 in 2010/2011.

Pell enrollment decline is concerning because college and postsecondary attainment for low-income students is often the driver for future economic success and security. With fewer students in this group accessing a college education, how are Michigan’s low-income students and families going to fare during the next economic slow-down?

MICU is doing a deep dive into Pell enrollment for the next several issues of Independent Indicators. If you have any questions or would like further information, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Please contact MICU for further information or questions. ccesaro@micolleges.org