During the COVID-19 pandemic, community colleges lost an unprecedented 15 percent of year-on-year enrollments, far beyond the usual annual fluctuation of +/-2 percent, says a report from the Community College Research Center.
Federal funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER) Fund more than made up for tuition losses at community colleges, raising their average total annual revenue from $81 million to $84 million. It also provided an additional $4 million per college, on average, in student aid.
Post-pandemic, community colleges confront tough fiscal challenges with the cessation of HEER funding, the report notes. Specifically, they face increased costs due to inflation and decreased overall enrollments relative to pre-pandemic levels, raising concerns about viability at many colleges.