Home: Adult learners

Only one in six students fits the mold of the “typical” 18-year-old who enrolls at a residential campus, stays four years and graduates with a baccalaureate degree. Adult students (25 years of age and older) are becoming the new majority on campuses across the nation, and many of these students face language barriers and deficiencies in academic preparation. To succeed in school, these students need very different services — services that Lumina Foundation and its partners are working to identify and test. For a closer look at adult learners in higher education, read What We Know about Adult Learners and Lumina's Focus magazine Lifelong lessons.

Academic services

Lifelong learning is an economic necessity.  Adult learners have major life responsibilities outside school.  They are no longer financially dependent on their parents.  They may work full time and may be married or have dependents.  Adult learners need new skills and knowledge. They turn to postsecondary education to enhance their careers or enter new careers.

The cost of education can be a barrier for some adults seeking postsecondary education. Many adult students are considered low-income: 40 percent of undergraduates 25 years old and older — nearly 2.5 million people — have incomes of less than $25,000.

Some adult students may face learning obstacles and deficiencies in academic preparation. Forty-one percent of low-income adult students have taken a remedial course during their academic career, compared to 31 percent of traditional students.

Retention rates among adult students are lower than those of traditional college-aged students.  Adult students are less likely than traditional students to attain a postsecondary degree or remain enrolled after five years.  

Support services

Adult learners who receive financial aid are more likely to continue with their education. Student aid can help low-income adults get the education and skills needed to increase their standard of living and quality of life.  

Institutional factors

More than 30 percent of today's college students are adult learners. Yet many aspects of the higher education system are not designed with these students in mind. Higher education must better understand and address the needs of adult students pursuing conventional degrees, earning professional credentials, retooling their skills or earning prerequisites for another level of courses.

Curriculum delivery

Adult students want quality and convenience. New technology makes it possible for many adults to pursue an education online without leaving their homes.