Tennessee college enrollment improves for high school seniors

Data: Tennessee Higher Education Commission; Note: Includes public high school graduates who enroll at a post-secondary institution the summer or fall after graduation; Chart: Axios Visuals

A growing share of Tennessee high school graduates went to college last year, although enrollment numbers still lag behind pre-pandemic levels.

Why it matters: The state has worked for years to boost college-going through programs like Tennessee Promise, but there was a sharp drop in enrollment during the pandemic. Tennessee Higher Education Commission officials touted the latest data, released this month , as evidence that they are reversing the trend.

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The big picture: Higher education is an important part of Tennessee's economic development strategy. Most business leaders said they could not find enough trained workers, according to a 2024 survey from the University of Tennessee.

• Half of the survey respondents said the state should improve training and education opportunities to expand the workforce.

By the numbers: According to the THEC report, 56.7% of high school seniors who graduated from public schools in 2023 went into college.

• That's up from a low point of 52.8% for the class of 2021.

Yes, but: It's still far below the state's high-water mark. College-going reached 64.4% for the class of 2015. That was the first year students could use Tennessee Promise to attend community or technical colleges tuition-free.

What they're saying: "We have definitely turned a corner from the depths of the pandemic," Steven Gentile, executive director of THEC, tells Axios. "We need to continue that momentum."

Zoom in: Davidson County's college-going rate is 51%, compared to 47% in 2021.

• Williamson County has the highest rate in the state at 82%, up from 81% in 2021.

Between the lines: Despite the recent progress, there are still persistent gaps.

• For instance, Black and Latino students are less likely to enroll than their white peers and women are more likely to enroll than men.

This year's report was the first to examine enrollment patterns for students from different economic backgrounds.

• About 65% of students who were not economically disadvantaged enrolled in college. The enrollment rate was 26 points lower for students who were economically disadvantaged.

"The difference is jaw-dropping," Gentile says.

• He says it underscored the importance of ongoing efforts to help students file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

What's next: The FAFSA deadline for Tennessee Promise students is Aug. 1.