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America's future college pipeline is growing in the South and shrinking across the Northeast and California.
Why it matters: America's next higher-ed reckoning won't hit regions evenly. Colleges in shrinking markets will face a fierce fight for students, while those in growing regions will have to adapt to serve an expanding, more diverse student body.
By the numbers: America's under-18 population fell by 1.8 million from 2020 to 2025, an Axios analysis found.
