What does the campus marketplace look like in 2025?

To understand how and why to advertise to college students, you must understand the current state of the campus marketplace. While the higher education sector has faced difficult times in recent years, today the collegiate audience is diverse and growing. Discover what the campus marketplace looks like in 2025.

The campus marketplace includes a range of educational offerings.

Higher ed offerings include public and private colleges and universities. Certificate and degree programs range from a few months to four or more years. Schools vary greatly in location, student body size, programs offered and more.

In 2023-2024, the number of postsecondary institutions eligible to participate in federal student financial assistance programs in the United States and other jurisdictions was 5,819. The United States boasts the third most universities worldwide, and more top-ranked higher education institutions than any other country. The majority of degrees in the United States are granted by public institutions, run by U.S. states or territories.

The collegiate target market is growing.

In 2022-23, almost 25 million students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Spring 2024 marked the second consecutive semester of enrollment growth following years of decline during the pandemic, with an overall increase of 2.5%. 

• Gains occurred across all major sector groups, but the majority of the increase was due to community college growth.
• With a 3% increase, graduate enrollment fared even better than undergraduate enrollment. 
• Forty-four states saw enrollment growth in the campus marketplace.
• Freshman enrollment grew at a faster rate than overall undergraduate enrollment. This growth was strongest at community colleges and public PABs (schools that primarily grant associate degrees). 

Projections estimate that almost five million higher education degrees will be earned annually in the U.S. by 2032.

"Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." 

– MALCOLM X

The campus marketplace offers a diverse target audience.

The target audience for college campus advertising is wider today than ever before. From high school students enrolled in dual enrollment programs, to young adults of traditional college age, to older adults looking to change or advance careers, many people of multiple generations are interested in obtaining postsecondary education. Furthermore, college campuses are becoming increasingly diverse.

In 2022-23, freshmen women’s enrollment growth outpaced men’s, a reversal of the previous two-year trend. The number of dual enrolled high school students grew for the third year in a row, accounting for nearly 28.1 percent of the undergraduate enrollment increases. Undergraduate enrollment increased among all major ethno-racial groups except white students.

+ Advertise to multicultural college students effectively.

Whether you’re looking to engage a diverse group of young adults poised to enter the career and consumer marketplace or you need to target a niche audience of teens and twenty-somethings, the campus marketplace is an essential advertising venue.

See our complete guide to advertising to university students.

Here at MSS Media, Inc., we’ve been providing Education, Government, Real Estate & Lifestyle clients with succinct, optimized, and successful marketing solutions for more than 15 years. Consider MSS Media, Inc. a full-service, one-stop shop for all your Media and Public Relations needs. Your goals are our motivation. And our mission is to propel your message, further and faster, to achieve the outcomes you’re looking for. If you found this blog post helpful, please share!