Higher Education Enrollments Show Increase In Medical Assisting Certificates

Certificate programs continue to be a popular choice among students pursuing higher education opportunities, according to an annual report by Higher Ed Growth (HEG), a leader in post-secondary education and generating enrollment leads.

The annual Enrollment Pursuit Report, issued by HEG’s data of more than 3,000 schools, shows medical assisting is the No. 1 choice in certificate-based enrollments. Management/business administration, health care administration, legal studies and medical billing round out the top five list, showing a large interest among today’s students in niche educational opportunities.

“Our data shows that students see a large demand in the marketplace for a very specialized focus,” says Eric Flottmann, chief operating officer for HEG. “Specialized certificates like medical assisting prove to be popular among nontraditional students, and they tend to see the opportunity for a significant salary in these fields upon completion.”

Among the other findings in the Enrollment Pursuit Report include:

  • HVAC has surged over the last 18 months, and experts believe this program will continue to grow. Dental programs are also experiencing a boom in 2014.
  • Economics programs have fallen from being in the top five degrees to not even making the top 10.
  • Assisted living programs increased to a top 15 program in 2014.
  • Electrical programs surged in late 2014, and mechanical engineering and welding programs also received a boost during this time period as well. This could be an early indicator that these programs will continue to grow.

Each year, HEG examines data from the previous year to understand trends and emerging degrees and certificates across the nation. Last year’s Enrollment Pursuit Report showed health care and medical enrollments grew more than 15 percent while business degree enrollments decreased approximately 10 percent. Vocational program enrollments, like automotive and massage therapy, were also on a steady increase.

For more information about the HEG 2015 Educational Pursuit Report, visit www.higheredgrowth.com.

About Higher Ed Growth
Higher Ed Growth (HEG) is a full-service marketing agency specializing in post-secondary education. HEG uses propriety technology to deliver targeted enrollment leads to for-profit and nonprofit education clients. In addition to lead generation, HEG offers nurture marketing, creative services, enrollment consulting, search engine optimization and in-house printing services — with the ultimate goal of boosting enrollment and retention numbers for clients.

Featured

  • Construction Begins on New University Research Vessel

    Boat-building company All American Marine recently announced that it has begun construction on a new catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) in Port Aransas, Texas, according to a news release.

  • California K–12 District Completes Elementary School Campus Replacement

    The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) in Richmond, Calif., recently announced the completion of a replacement campus for Lake Elementary School, according to a news release. The school has capacity for 470 students between Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and sixth grade.

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.