Demand for skilled trade professionals is on the rise, a community college marketing opportunity to acquire new students and increase enrollment.

• 90% of consumers surveyed indicated that colleges should focus on trade skills or agriculture and natural sciences. This reflects a growing demand for practical skills that align with current workforce needs.¹
• 85% of respondents believe technical and trade colleges offer somewhat high or very high value, indicating a strong preference for vocational education over traditional academic paths.¹

Enrollment Continues to Grow

Approximately 5.7 million students are enrolled in public two-year colleges every year.²

• Community colleges experienced 10.3% growth in credentials awarded in spring 2024 compared to the previous year, reflecting increasing student interest in short-term, career-focused pathways.³
• In 2024, two-year colleges saw a 4.7% increase in enrollment, the largest growth among all sectors. While dual enrollment contributed significantly, enrollment among students aged 30+ grew by 4.3%, and total freshman enrollment surged by 6.2%.⁴
• During the 2022-23 academic year, students aged 18-20 led all other age groups in completion of certificates, an 11% increase over the previous year.³
• Community colleges have long been leaders in dual enrollment (enrolling in community college while attending high school), with these programs now accounting for 21% of two-year college enrollment nationally, after years of stagnant enrollment among students aged 17 and under.³

Most colleges lose between 30 and 70% of their applicants between the application and census day. Boosting conversions should be a priority for these schools.¹

Potential community college students are highly responsive to mail and digital media.

Potential Community College Student Media Response Past 12 Months⁴

Integrated Community College Marketing Campaigns + Value-Driven Creative Impact Success

An integrated community college marketing strategy that leverages print and mail touch points to engage your target audience is proven to drive results.

• Digital ads can increase brand awareness by as much as 80%.⁵
• Digital marketing helps you achieve consistent brand delivery across media channels and platforms, which can increase revenue by 23% on average.⁶
• Digital advertising + mail can increase response rates up to 450% and increase conversion rates up to 28%.⁷

Targeting Strategies for Potential Students

Mspark’s data-backed targeting capabilities enable us to match your ideal target audience with advertising solutions that resonate with them and drive the strongest response. Below are a few examples of targeting criteria for community colleges.

• Location: Most customers are drawn from a 47-mile radius,¹ providing a refined target area to deliver mail, digital, and CTV.¹
• Diverse ages: Traditionally, colleges target the young adult population. However, consider promoting continuing education and online programs to adult learners for extended education, career changes, or new skills and certifications.¹
• Value-Focused: As the price of private four-year colleges and universities soar, more Americans are viewing community colleges as the more valuable choice.⁸

Ready to plan your community college marketing strategy to grow in 2025 and beyond? Click “get started” below to connect with an expert to discuss your goals.

Sources: AdMall Local Account Report, Community Colleges¹; Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, 2023²; 6 community college trends to watch in 2025, January 15, 2025, eab.com³; AdMall AudienceSCAN 2024Community College Tuition Buyers⁴ ; omnicoreagency.com, 2023⁵; advertisingweek.com⁶; U.S. Modern Postcard, Direct Mail Statistics 2023⁷; Inside Higher Ed. Insidehighered.com, 21 Aug. 2023. Web. Dec. 2023.⁸