States where college enrollment saw the greatest percentage decline, spring 2017

Postsecondary student enrollment decreased 1.5 percent in spring 2017, compared with the previous spring, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Data gathered by the center show that enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities in spring 2017 was 18,071,004—272,651 less than the 18,343,655 enrolled in spring 2016. (The figures include some students who are enrolled at more than one institution. The unduplicated higher education student headcount for spring 2017 was 17,740,912.)

The state with the largest percentage one-year decline was Alaska, which saw its numbers drop by 5.8 percent.

Here are the 10 states with the largest percentage enrollment declines from spring 2016 to spring 2017.