To support student parents in college, institutions should provide accessible childcare programs, flexible class scheduling, emergency financial aid, and designated support services. Research shows that student parents with access to on-campus childcare are nearly three times more likely to graduate or transfer within three years. [1]
Supporting initiatives like these highlights how essential it is to support student parents college programs through sustainable funding and institutional policies that prioritize accessibility and equity for parenting students. Colleges that intentionally support student parents college programs often see higher retention and graduation rates, proving that such investments benefit both students and institutions alike.
Introduction
Nearly one in five undergraduate students in the United States is raising a child while pursuing a degree. [2] That's approximately 3 million student parents juggling coursework, exams, and career preparation alongside diaper changes, parent-teacher conferences, and the constant search for affordable childcare. Yet despite representing such a significant portion of the student population, these learners remain largely invisible on many college campuses.
The data tells a sobering story. While student parents often maintain comparable or even higher GPAs than their peers without children, they face a stark graduation gap. Fewer than four in ten student parents complete their degree within six years, compared to more in six in ten students without children. [3] The difference isn't a matter of academic ability or motivation—it's about systemic barriers that too few institutions have adequately addressed. For many universities aiming to support student parents college initiatives, understanding these challenges is the first step toward real change.
The Hidden Population on Campus
Student parents don't fit the traditional college student mold, and that's precisely the problem. Campus cultures, policies, and support structures have historically been designed with 18-to-22-year-old students in mind—those living in dorms, attending evening social events, and enjoying the flexibility of few responsibilities beyond their studies.
But the reality is far more diverse. Among student parents nationally, a majority are single mothers, and significant percentages identify as Hispanic or Black. [4] More than half attend community colleges, where they often balance full-time work with part-time enrollment. [5] Seventy percent struggle to afford basic necessities like food and housing. [6] This diversity underscores why it’s crucial for policymakers to support student parents college systems that recognize their unique needs and experiences.
The first step to support student parents in college is simply recognizing they exist. Only six states currently require colleges to collect data on whether students have children: California, Oregon, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Texas. [7] Without this fundamental information, institutions can't direct resources effectively or measure the impact of support programs. "How does an institution direct resources to a population if they don't know they exist?" asks one higher education researcher. [8]
The Childcare Challenge
For most student parents, childcare represents the single biggest barrier to degree completion. The numbers are staggering. The average annual cost of toddler childcare can exceed $19,000 in some states—often more than tuition itself. [9] To cover both childcare and college expenses, a student parent would need to work an estimated 52 hours per week on average. [10]
Yet fewer than half of two- and four-year public colleges provide on-campus childcare programs, and only about nine percent of private institutions offer such services. [11] The federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program, designed to help low-income student parents afford childcare, serves only about 11,000 students annually—less than one percent of those who could benefit. [12]
The institutions that do invest in childcare see remarkable results. Research from the Institute for Women's Policy Research found that community college student parents with access to on-campus childcare were nearly three times more likely to graduate or transfer to a four-year college within three years. [1] The proximity matters too. On-campus centers allow students to drop off their children, attend classes just steps away, and even visit during breaks—reducing both logistical stress and separation anxiety.
Successful Childcare Models
Several institutions have developed innovative approaches to childcare support. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro offers free childcare to eligible student parents through its Child Care Education Program, with a focus on single-parent, Pell Grant-eligible students. [13] The University of Washington's Childcare Assistance Program covers the full cost of childcare for eligible families with children from newborn through age 12. [14]
New York State has pioneered a systems-level approach, allocating part of its childcare subsidy through agreements with its public college systems (SUNY and CUNY). In 2023, the state allocated $2.2 million in subsidies for low-income families at these institutions, supporting both on-campus childcare centers and direct subsidies to eligible student parents. [15]
Even institutions without on-campus centers can make a difference by connecting students to existing resources. The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), a federal program that provides childcare subsidies to low-income families, can support college students—though fewer than 13 percent of eligible student parents currently receive assistance. [16]
Flexible Scheduling and Program Design
Childcare isn't the only logistical challenge. Student parents often need class schedules that work around jobs, school pick-up times, and unpredictable family emergencies. Traditional daytime class schedules designed for residential students can be impossible for parents managing complex daily routines.
Flexible course scheduling emerges as one of the most impactful retention strategies for nontraditional students. [17] This includes evening and weekend classes, hybrid and fully online options, and accelerated programs that allow students to progress more quickly toward completion.
The shift to remote and hybrid learning during the pandemic demonstrated that flexible delivery models can work at scale. Student parents consistently report that online and hybrid courses help them better manage time and reduce additional childcare needs. [19] Smart institutions are maintaining these options even as in-person learning has resumed.
Financial Support Beyond Tuition
The financial challenges facing student parents extend far beyond tuition and fees. Most financial aid calculations don't account for childcare costs, meaning student parents receive aid packages as if they don't have children—even though their actual educational costs can be two to five times higher than students without dependents. [20]
The average national student parent affordability gap—representing the difference between available aid and true costs including childcare—stands at $19,298 and ranges from $12,587 to $30,145 depending on the state. [21] For a student parent holding a minimum-wage job, covering these costs would require working 54 hours per week for 50 weeks. [22]
Progressive financial aid policies for student parents include emergency grants for unexpected expenses, subsidized or free childcare, assistance with transportation costs, and preferential consideration for campus employment. Some institutions have established emergency aid funds specifically for student parents facing crisis situations—a broken-down car, unexpected medical bills, or temporary loss of childcare—that might otherwise force them to withdraw.
Creating Visible Support Systems
Perhaps the most insidious barrier student parents face is invisibility. Many feel they don't belong on campus, that they're the only ones struggling to balance parenthood and academics, and that asking for help means admitting failure. Creating visible, accessible support structures sends a powerful message: You belong here, and we're invested in your success.
One-stop support offices dedicated to student parents can transform the experience. These offices should provide comprehensive services including childcare referrals, academic advising tailored to parents' unique scheduling needs, connections to emergency aid and public benefits, peer support networks, and assistance navigating the complex intersection of student status and parental responsibilities.
Wilson College in Pennsylvania offers a model program that provides year-round housing for single parents with up to two children in dedicated residence halls. [23] Endicott College's Single Parent Services offers a comprehensive suite of support including career and academic coaching, financial aid for tuition and textbooks, mentorships, and an annual Parent Scholar Recognition Ceremony that celebrates student parent achievements. [24]
Even small gestures matter. Designated parent lounges provide spaces where student parents can study while supervising children, connect with peers facing similar challenges, and access resources. Family-friendly campus events scheduled during daytime hours allow student parents to participate in college life while bringing their children along.
Faculty and Staff Training
Not all support needs to come from dedicated programs. Faculty and staff interactions shape the daily experience of student parents, and training can help create a more welcoming environment. Simple accommodations—understanding when a student needs to miss class for a sick child, allowing children in office hours when childcare falls through, or offering deadline flexibility during particularly challenging periods—demonstrate that the institution recognizes student parents' realities.
Faculty should receive professional development on supporting diverse student populations, including student parents. This training can cover communication strategies, appropriate accommodations, campus resources for referral, and understanding the unique stressors facing this population.
Policy-Level Changes
Beyond individual campus initiatives, broader policy changes can expand support for student parents. States should require colleges to collect data on student parents, prioritize student parents for childcare subsidies, streamline application processes for support programs, and allocate funding specifically for student parent services. [25] National advocacy organizations continue to emphasize how essential it is to support student parents college programs through policy and federal funding, ensuring that no parent has to choose between education and childcare.
Federal investments matter too. Expanding CCAMPIS funding from its current $75 million annually to $500 million would enable an estimated 100,000 additional parenting students—roughly six percent of Pell-eligible student parents with young children—to access affordable childcare. [26]
Measuring Success
How do institutions know if their support strategies are working? Tracking student parent enrollment, retention, and graduation rates—disaggregated by demographic factors—provides essential accountability. Qualitative feedback through focus groups and surveys reveals whether support services are actually meeting needs. And calculating the return on investment of student parent programs demonstrates their value to institutional leaders and board members.
The evidence is clear: supporting student parents isn't just the right thing to do—it's a smart institutional strategy. By helping these motivated, goal-oriented students complete their degrees, colleges simultaneously improve their own retention and graduation rates, strengthen ties to the surrounding community, and fulfill their mission of expanding access to higher education.
Looking Forward
Student parents represent an often-overlooked opportunity for higher education. They're typically highly motivated—pursuing degrees specifically to create better lives for their families. They bring valuable life experience and perspective to campus. And supporting their success creates intergenerational benefits, as children whose parents complete degrees are more likely to pursue higher education themselves.
To truly support student parents in college, institutions must move beyond acknowledging their existence to actively removing barriers. This means investing in affordable childcare, redesigning systems and policies with flexibility in mind, providing targeted financial support, creating visible communities of support, and training faculty and staff to recognize and respond to student parents' needs. Universities that consistently support student parents college efforts not only empower individual learners but also strengthen their institutional reputation for inclusivity and student success.
The demographic shifts facing higher education make this imperative even more urgent. With traditional college-age populations declining in many regions, institutions seeking to maintain enrollment will need to better serve nontraditional students—including parents. Those that make these investments now will be positioned to thrive in the changing landscape of American higher education.
Student parents don't need special treatment. They need the same opportunity to succeed that other students take for granted—and the support systems necessary to access that opportunity. The question for campus leaders isn't whether to invest in student parent support, but whether they can afford not to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What percentage of college students are parents?
A: Approximately one in five undergraduate students in the United States—roughly 3 million students—are raising children while pursuing their degrees. This includes both mothers (74% of student parents) and fathers. Student parents are most concentrated at community colleges, where they represent a significant portion of enrollment, though they attend all types of institutions.
Q: Why do student parents have lower graduation rates?
A: Student parents face systemic barriers including childcare costs averaging $19,000 annually, inflexible class schedules, financial aid packages that don't account for dependent expenses, and lack of institutional support. While they often maintain comparable or higher GPAs than peers, fewer than 40% graduate within six years compared to 60%+ of students without children—not due to academic ability but resource constraints.
Q: What is the CCAMPIS program?
A: Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) is a federal competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Education. It provides funding to colleges to establish or support campus-based childcare services for low-income, Pell-eligible student parents. Currently funded at $75 million annually, CCAMPIS serves approximately 11,000 students—less than 1% of those who could potentially benefit from the program.
Q: How can colleges make campus more welcoming for student parents?
A: Colleges can support student parents by collecting data on parenting students, providing on-campus or subsidized childcare, offering flexible class schedules including evening and online options, creating dedicated parent lounges and support offices, providing priority registration, training faculty on accommodations, establishing emergency aid funds, and celebrating student parent achievements through recognition events. Visibility and accessibility are key to making parents feel they belong on campus.
Q: Do student parents perform worse academically than other students?
A: No, student parents typically perform as well as or better than students without children. Research shows student parents average a 3.17 GPA compared to 3.15 for non-parents, and student fathers actually outperform non-parenting male students academically. The challenge isn't academic capability but rather access to support services, flexible scheduling, and affordable childcare that enables them to balance family responsibilities with coursework successfully.
WORKS CITED
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[2] Anderson, Theresa, Afet Dundar, Sheron Gittens, Renee Ryberg, Rebecca Schreiber, Laney Taylor, Jessica Warren, and Kate Westaby — "Who Are Undergraduates with Dependent Children?" https://www.urban.org/research/publication/who-are-undergraduates-dependent-children. Published: 2024-09-30. Accessed: 2025-11-11.
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About the Author
Author Byline: Written by Campus Mind's editorial team in collaboration with student success experts. Campus Mind provides data-driven solutions to help colleges improve student retention and completion rates through personalized engagement and early intervention strategies.
Review Note: This article has been reviewed for accuracy using peer-reviewed research, federal data sources, and reports from leading higher education organizations including the Urban Institute, Institute for Women's Policy Research, and the National Center for Education Statistics.
Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes. Individual institutional contexts vary, and colleges should conduct their own needs assessments when implementing student parent support programs. Financial aid and childcare subsidy eligibility depends on federal, state, and institutional policies that change over time.
