College students with autism are far more common than previously known

Autistic students are attending college in far greater numbers than previously understood, but many campuses may not realize how many there are or how to support them.

A new study from Michigan State University estimates that roughly 280,000 autistic students are currently enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, a figure three to five times higher than earlier estimates.

“For years, we’ve known more autistic students were going to college — we just didn’t know how many,” said Brad Cox, an associate professor in the MSU College of Education who researches college student success and autism. “What this shows is that this is not a small or niche population. These students are already part of our campuses.”

A personal reality behind the numbers

For many families, the findings reflect lived experience.

Kim Ward, a public relations professional at MSU, said her daughter was not diagnosed as autistic until her mid-20s, years after navigating school with challenges that were not fully understood.

“It was bittersweet,” Ward said. “There was relief in finally understanding, but there was also frustration. I couldn’t help but wonder how things might have been different if we had known earlier.”

Her daughter’s experience, including pursuing postsecondary education, mirrors what the new data now confirms: autistic students are not only capable of going to college, they’re already there in significant numbers.

A population hiding in plain sight

Earlier estimates suggested there were as few as 60,000 autistic college students nationwide. But those figures were based on old and limited data, making it difficult for researchers and policymakers to understand the true scale of the population.

“Most everyone knows of the 1 in 31 statistic that gets updated every year, but that stat is about 8-year-old children,” Cox said. “The most prominent comparable statistics about autistic college students relies on data from a sample formed more than 25 years ago."

The new analysis shows the number is several times higher and still likely undercounted.

“Autistic college students don’t all show up in disability services,” Cox said. Many choose not to make formal disclosures to their institutions. Others may not have access to the required documentation. But they’re in college and without accurate data, it’s hard to build systems that support them.

This means colleges may need to rethink how they identify and support autistic students, including moving beyond systems that rely on self-disclosure.

The study also found that roughly 43% to 47% of high school students with autism go on to college, a significant shift from past decades when postsecondary education was often seen as unlikely.

That change is driven by:

• Broader and earlier diagnosis
• Improved K-12 support and interventions
• Increased awareness and reduced stigma

“Twenty years ago, expectations were very different,” Cox said. “Autistic children were not commonly expected to go to college. Now, it’s a realistic and appropriate goal for many.”

While more students are reaching college, the systems designed to support them have not kept pace.

After high school, students lose the proactive support guaranteed under federal special education law. In college, support shifts to a self-advocacy model under the Americans with Disabilities Act, meaning students must disclose their needs and request accommodations, Cox said.

For many autistic students, that transition can be challenging.

“If a student doesn’t know how to navigate that system or doesn’t feel comfortable asking for help, institutions may never know they need support,” Cox said.

A perspective shaped by experience

Cox’s work is informed not only by research, but by his own life.

He began studying autism after his son was diagnosed at age 4. More recently, Cox himself was diagnosed as autistic as an adult, a realization that reshaped both his personal and professional life.

“I couldn’t separate my work from my life anymore,” he said. “They became the same thing.”

For students, the research offers an important message: They are part of a much larger community than they may realize.

“Autistic students often feel isolated,” Cox said. “But there are likely other autistic students in your classes, in your residence hall, in your daily life even if you don’t know it.”

Cox said the findings highlight a broader challenge: a lack of consistent, reliable data on autistic college students, which is something that has made it difficult for institutions to fully understand and support this population.

“There’s either been no data or bad data for years,” he said. “Until we fix that, we’re going to struggle to build systems that truly meet students’ needs.”

He said the new findings should serve as a turning point for how colleges, policymakers, funders and researchers approach support for autistic students.

“Our numbers clearly show this is a large and growing group that deserves more attention — from families, educators, policymakers and researchers alike,” Cox said. “The next step is turning that awareness into action so autistic individuals have the support they need to thrive in school, work and life.”

This research was funded by the Spencer Foundation, FAR Fund, Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University and the College Autism Network.