September was National Student Parent Month. As the experiences and challenges of student parents were highlighted throughout the month, three organizations—IWPR, the Urban Institute, and Child Trends—leveraged their strong track records in research and policy to produce new insights on this critical topic, utilizing the latest data from the 2020 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS). The series of publications from this collaborative effort sheds light on the demographics of student parents, where they predominantly attend college, their enrollment patterns, and much more.

A significant portion of today’s college student population in the United States is student parents. According to the latest data from the 2020 NPSAS, nearly one in five undergraduate students (18 percent) are parenting while also raising children. This represents 3.14 million individuals who are leveraging postsecondary education to change their own futures as well as shape the future of their families.

Many things we have known about student parents are still the same. They are more likely to be mothers—nearly three-quarters of parenting students (74 percent) are women, compared to just over half of nonparenting students (54 percent). The majority of undergraduate student parents are students of color (55 percent), which is slightly higher than that for nonparenting students (51 percent). With an average age of 35, student parents are also more likely to be older than nonparenting students, whose average age is 23.

The new series also highlights that student parents are more likely than nonparenting students to be first-generation college students (48 percent and 27 percent, respectively), veterans (9 percent and 2 percent, respectively), and to have income below the federal poverty level (35 percent and 24 percent, respectively).

Student parents are highly motivated to succeed, not only for their personal development but also for the well-being of their children. On average, student parents earn grades comparable to those of nonparenting students, with an average grade point average (GPA) of 3.17 compared to their nonparenting peers’ average GPA of 3.15.

However, balancing the demands of education and parenting can be incredibly difficult and differences emerge in their enrollment patterns. Student parents are more likely to enroll part-time than nonparenting students (47 percent and 21 percent, respectively). In fact, part-time attendance is not common among nonparenting students enrolled in public baccalaureate institutions, as 89 percent are enrolled full-time. In comparison, among student parents enrolled in these institutions, 43 percent attend part-time.

Moreover, student parents take advantage of online classes and entirely online programs more frequently. In comparison with nonparenting students, student parents are more likely to enroll in entirely online programs (44 percent and 19 percent, respectively) or take at least some online classes (76 percent and 64 percent, respectively).

The series also emphasizes the important role community colleges play in student parents’ academic success. Student parents are more likely to attend community and technical colleges than non-parenting students: about half of student parents (51 percent) attend these institutions compared with 40 percent of nonparenting students.

Among student parents who attended a public or private nonprofit baccalaureate college or university in 2019–20, 73 percent had, at some point, also attended a community or technical college. In contrast, among nonparenting students, only 34 percent of those who attended a baccalaureate college or university in 2019–20 had, at some point, attended a community or technical college.

Student parents are a substantial and diverse segment of the student population. Addressing their needs and supporting their success should be integral to strategic goals at all types of institutions. As colleges strive to promote diversity, ensuring that student parents receive the necessary support to manage their various responsibilities is essential for improving retention, graduation rates, and overall student success. We hope this series informs and empowers policymakers at all levels with the right knowledge and understanding of this student population to create learning environments that are sensitive to the needs of this diverse and motivated group.