This Is What College Looks Like Now: The Rise of Non-Traditional Students

When we think of college students, most would picture teenagers fresh out of high school, who settle into dorm rooms and discover campus life for the first time. Fortunately or not, that’s no longer the full picture. More and more, college classrooms are getting filled with people who took a different path — we call them non-traditional students.

Non-traditional students often delay college enrollment, begin their studies at an older age (typically 23 or older), balance full-time jobs or family caregiving responsibilities, return after taking significant breaks, or attend school while serving in the military. Many seek to advance or change careers, support dependents, or enroll after earning a GED rather than a high school diploma.

To better understand their journeys, we surveyed 2,000 non-traditional students across the U.S. What we found was eye-opening: the challenges they face, the resilience they show, and the smart, sometimes surprising ways they make it all work. These students are rewriting what it means to be in college, and their stories deserve the spotlight!

3 Big Takeaways From Our Research

• Only 9% of non-traditional students are unemployed.
• 6 out of 10 students over 25 are parents
• The average sum spent on education so far by non-traditional students is $10640 (mind you, most of them are still have a long way ahead)

Diverse Educational Journeys

Non-traditional students come from various backgrounds, and their paths to higher education typically reflect that. Here’s what our survey discovered:

• Over half (51%) of respondents said they took time off before enrolling in college.
• Nearly 28% returned to college after previously dropping out.
• More than one-third (35%) live more than five miles from campus (a quick reminder that not all students have the convenience of on-campus living).
• 35% reported being first-generation college students.
• About one-third (33%) balance their education with caregiving responsibilities on a daily basis.

These findings confirm what many educators already know: today’s students try to match far more things than just classes and coursework.

Indeed, the presence of non-traditional students isn’t a niche trend — it’s a fundamental shift in who higher education serves. Their diverse life experiences shape how they learn, what support they need, and how institutions should evolve to meet them where they are.

Kinder, Küche, Kirche is no more. Time for Family, Finals, Full-Time Jobs

Perhaps one of the most defining traits of non-traditional students is their ability to balance work and study. Accordingly, striking 51% manage to survive a full-time job while attending school, and another 32% hold part-time positions. That means over 80% are employed in some capacity while pursuing their education! Well, that’s quite disturbing…

An additional 8% are self-employed or freelance, 9% are unemployed, and a small percentage are identified as homemakers, disabled, or full-time students. These numbers highlight just how much responsibility non-traditional students carry daily and how little colleges know about it.

For many, returning to school isn’t just a personal goal — it’s a strategic decision to improve their careers, income, or quality of life. Meanwhile, it means managing work schedules, family obligations, and academic deadlines with a spoonful of free time.

Their Why: Personal Goals Behind Every Lecture and Late Night

The motivations of such students reflect their ambition quite vividly. For many non-traditional students, the degree is a personal achievement and a practical tool for financial, professional, and emotional transformation.

The drive to increase earning potential is at the top of the list, followed closely by the desire for a better job or promotion. Personal fulfillment is another strong motivator, as is gaining new skills for current roles. Some pursue degrees to make a career pivot, while others dream of launching their own business. Earning respect, achieving closure on unfinished goals, and setting an example for family members round out such a list:

• Increase earning potential (64%);
• Better job or promotion (59%);
• Personal fulfillment (42%);
• Gain additional knowledge or skills needed for current role (39%);
• Enter a new field (33%);
• Start a business (25%);
• Gain credibility or respect (28%);
• Finish something started earlier in life (26%);
• Set an example for children or family (23%).

The Hardest Part Starts Outside the Lecture Hall

Juggling school, work, and life can seriously challenge one’s time management. When asked about their biggest struggles, non-traditional students pointed to issues beyond the classroom (they keep surprising us, huh?).

Here are the top 11 challenges they reported:

1. Time management – 61%.
2. Motivation – 46%.
3. Financial stress – 46%.
4. Balancing work and school – 44%.
5. Mental health issues or burnout – 33%.
6. Keeping up with academic demands after time away – 23%.
7. Feeling out of place on campus – 19%.
8. Transportation or long commute – 18%.
9. Finding childcare or dependent care – 14%.
10. Difficulty connecting with classmates – 13%.
11. Lack of support from the college or university – 12%.

Paying the Price or How Expensive Is a Dream

Higher education comes with a cost, which is often felt in real time for non-traditional students. We discovered they’ve spent an average of between $5,000 and $20,000 on their education so far! This level of financial commitment is a serious investment, especially considering many support themselves or their families in the meantime.

The truth is that most rely on personal savings, jobs, scholarships, and student loans to afford their dream (or obligatory) studies. While some are fortunate to receive support from employers or family members, for many, pursuing a degree means stretching every dollar and every hour of the day.

Well, dreams still come true, but at what price?

Parenting While Studying

Education is only one part of most non-traditional students’ daily reality. Thus, 59% of respondents reported having children under 18 or other dependents in their care — a factor that severely impacts and reshapes every part of the college experience.

Still, time pressure is the top challenge student-parents face. They often struggle with the feeling that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Work-study conflicts, childcare costs, fatigue, and interrupted focus all pile on top of college’s demanding schedules. Guilt, stress, and the constant sense of being pulled in multiple directions only add to the emotional toll.

Nevertheless, students can still be resourceful in such rigorous conditions:

• Many rely on strict time-management strategies — alarms, calendars, and carved-out blocks of study time.
• Others lean on their support networks, including family, spouses, or friends.
• Some sacrifice sleep, turn to mindset tools like prayer and meditation, or simply take it one day at a time.

Whether through paid childcare, adjusted work hours, or sneaking in study time while kids sleep, these parents make it work. And get our resounding applause for such commitment!

Strengths They Bring to Campus

Despite the challenges, non-traditional students arrive on campus with powerful strengths that often give them an edge over their more traditional peers. These include critical thinking (50%), self-motivation (46%), and strong problem-solving abilities (44%).

Their ability to manage time effectively (41%) is not just a necessity — it’s a skill honed by years of learning to balance work, family, and study. They also bring adaptability (36%), real-world experience (38%), and resilience (34%) — traits that make them uniquely equipped to thrive in both academic and professional environments!

While fewer cite technology fluency (21%) as an advantage, it’s clear that the real value non-traditional students bring is grounded in varied lived experience, maturity, and a deep commitment to their goals.

A Redefinition in Progress

Non-traditional students are not just participating in higher education — they’re proactively transforming it. Thus, their presence, persistence, and perspective force institutions to rethink assumptions about who belongs in the classroom and what support looks like.

These learners also bring grit, insight, and motivation forged through their life experiences. They don’t just study — they lead families, manage careers, and carve new paths. As their numbers continue to grow, so does the importance of listening to their needs. It presumes that administrations should design flexible support systems and honor the realities they navigate every day.

Because the future of education doesn’t belong to any one kind of student — it belongs to all of them!