In 2009, Community colleges have a dominant position in undergraduate recruitment securing 43% of all students. In second place: public 4-year research and master universities with 34% of all students. Private non-profit universities accounted for 15%, while for profit universities reached 8%. The thing is, 10 years ago, for profits drew just 4% of all students. They doubled their student population in the past decade. It will be interesting to follow this trend over the next few years as regulatory changes intersect with for profit marketing and tuition financing. Not to mention the growth of online and distance learning.
On the graduate side, for profit universities grew to 9% of the total graduate student market. They grew exclusively at the expense of public 4-year universities which dropped from 60% of all graduate students in 1999 to 53% in 2009.
