Black male college enrollment declined by 22% nationwide between 2010 and 2022, according to a 2024 report from the American Institute for Boys and Men. At HBCUs, the decline was even greater at 25%. This has raised questions about the barriers Black men face in pursuing higher education and what support they need to enroll and finish.

There are many factors that go into the decision to attend college. Have Black men been given reasons to believe college can lead to a better future for them? Were they encouraged and supported by the people around them? And when earning money is an immediate priority, how realistic does spending years working toward a degree feel?

Some of those barriers begin long before college. Research points to inadequate preparation in K–12 schools, a shortage of Black male teachers and lower expectations from some educators as factors affecting Black boys’ paths to college. These experiences can shape whether Black men see higher education as a possibility for themselves. If we expect Black boys to picture themselves in college, that encouragement has to come with preparation and support while they are still in school. 

The need for an immediate income can make college feel even further out of reach. For someone who has bills to pay or family members depending on them, earning money now may have to come before pursuing a degree. Even if they want to attend college, they still have to figure out how to support themselves while doing it. A degree may offer more opportunities later, but that does not cover the expenses they have today.

Black men also need support that makes staying in school possible. Financial barriers have been identified as an issue for both enrollment and continued attendance. They might start college with the plan to graduate, then find out that they cannot afford another semester. That is why this conversation has to include what happens after students arrive.

Are they getting help when money becomes tight or coursework becomes difficult? Encouraging Black men to enroll has to come with a commitment to helping them finish.

HBCUs can be that place to build relationships with mentors, find community, and receive the support that they need. But historic underfunding limits the financial aid and services they can offer. There are signs of progress: Black male enrollment at HBCUs increased between 2020 and 2022, although it remained below pre-pandemic levels. That recovery matters because it shows the longer decline has not been uninterrupted. 

College will not be the path every Black man chooses, and a degree should not determine how we measure his ambition or potential. But choosing another direction is different from wanting to attend college and feeling like there is no realistic way to make it work. When someone has to choose between paying bills and staying in school, how much of that decision is truly a choice?

That distinction matters when talking about declining enrollment. The numbers tell us fewer Black men are enrolled, but they do not tell us how many still wanted to be there. They may still want the degree and the career that requires it, even if their circumstances force them to put both on hold. Any effort to address this decline should also make room for those men to return.

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