Record Number of Americans Age 40 and Older Returning to School

Reflecting both the strains of today’s high-tech economy and the pursuit of personal fulfillment, Americans age 40 and older are going back to school in record numbers, according to a report released Wednesday.

Enrollment of 40-plus students in adult education more than tripled between 1970 and 1993, according to the study, which was conducted by the Washington-based Institute for Higher Education Policy and the Boston-based Education Resource Institute.

Overall, the presence of the older generation in higher education jumped from 5.5% of total enrollment in 1970 to 11.2% in 1993.

“By sheer numbers, the baby boomers are revolutionizing our educational worlds, as they have been doing all along, starting in elementary school and continuing throughout society as they have aged,” said Ted Freeman, president of the Education Resource Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides information and financing services.

The 1.6 million older Americans currently taking courses were spurred by waning job skills, the desire to enhance their careers, a need to keep up with information and industry technology changes, or to satisfy changing lifestyles, the report said.

There are about 105 million Americans 40 and older, representing an estimated 40% of the U.S. population--up from 1950, when they were 31% of the country’s citizens, the report said.

The typical 40-plus student is white, female and married. This student tends to have better grades than younger ones.

The report said students over 40 share many concerns with their younger counterparts, including juggling family, work and other time commitments, but face additional problems with job skills that are becoming obsolete.

The study warned that the wave of older students potentially could “overwhelm our educational infrastructures.”

As a result, traditional academic institutions will have to adapt to major new demands on their services, the study said. Also, employers will be expected to do more to provide education and training for their older workers.