Gen Z’s Education Shift May Impact Florida’s Entry Level Market

Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, grew up watching Millennials struggle to advance in the economy under the weight of hefty school loans. According to the 2025 National Association of Realtors® Home Buyers and Sellers report, first-time buyers cite high rent and student loans as the top barriers to saving for a home.  While many have parlayed those advanced degrees into well-paying jobs, others have not. In response, Gen Z is increasingly looking to the trades as an on ramp into the workforce, rather than pursuing a traditional four-year degree.

For the third consecutive year, enrollment at vocational public two-year programs has risen sharply, increasing nearly 12% nationwide, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center[1]. Since spring 2020, enrollment at these trade-focused institutions increased almost 20% and now accounts for about 19% of all public two-year enrollment. In Florida, the growth has been even stronger. Enrollment in mechanic and repair technologies/ technicians programs increased by nearly 32% from fall 2022–fall 2025 while enrollment in construction trades increased by 38%.

While freshman enrollment in public four-year institutions has grown modestly (rising about 1.9% in fall 2025), community colleges have posted stronger gains (a 6.7% increase in 2024). The trend points to renewed interest in two-year and career-aligned pathways.

These trends also indicate four-year programs may be as less feasible for some students while shorter, more flexible vocational paths are becoming more appealing.

National trends are also playing out in Florida. The 2024–25 academic year the number of registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs increase by 4% while participation in these programs rose 11%, according to the state Department of Education[2]. Interest in these programs is certainly increasing as a viable alternative to a traditional four-year degree and may help backfill the depleted pipeline of electricians, masons and construction workers needed to maintain and create new housing supply.

Emphasis on Workforce Development in Florida

Recently, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Florida’s achievement as the number one state in the nation for workforce education. Some of the top accomplishments in Florida include[3]:

• During the 2024-25 academic year, Florida saw record-breaking career and technical education (CTE) enrollment, with more than 818,000 K-12 students and nearly 512,000 postsecondary students, representing a 30% increase since the 2018-19 academic year.
• Florida’s adult education programs now serve more than 189,000 individuals statewide, expanding access to education and workforce opportunities.  
• The state has grown its Integrated Education And Training (IET) programs to 582 statewide, serving more than 11,000 students since 2021 and allowing adults to earn credentials while earning their high school diploma.
• Since its inception, the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program has allocated $240 million for workforce education and training, supporting 80 agencies and 812 newly created or expanded programs and increasing workforce capacity by 94%.
• The Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant, which expands registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, has awarded more than $105 million total, with over 350 grant proposals funded and over 20,000 participants.

Implications for Florida’s Residential Real Estate Market

Without long degree programs and heavy student loan debt loads, today’s youngest buyers may be able to enter the workforce and start earning earlier. That could allow them to save sooner and approach homebuying with different priorities. This could  translate into different housing preferences, including smaller homes, condos or townhouses. Younger buyers may be open to purchasing with a roommate or other non-spouse, so the typical 3/2 in the suburbs may not be the right fit. School districts may not be of importance yet, but connection to employment centers will be key.

If this pool of buyers grows, it could increase competition for starter homes, both existing and new construction. Agents may want to watch inventory in lower price tiers when targeting this group. Because trade workers are more likely to be self-employed or have variable income, understanding how to work with nontraditional income sources may also become more important.

Takeaways

Gen Z is not abandoning the traditional pathways paved by the previous generation. Instead, they are more open to exploring alternative paths. Florida’s commitment to multiple education pathways offers a unique set of opportunities to young people looking to make their way in our new, more mature economy. This may offer some new types of customers to Realtors®, particularly in areas where employment in construction and manufacturing is strong.

[1] Kim, H., Cohen, J., Ibrahim, M., Randolph, B., Holsapple, M., and Shapiro, D. (January 2025), Stay Informed Fall 2024, Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

[2] Florida’s Annual Apprenticeship and Pre-apprenticeship Report, Program Year 2024–2025, Florida Department of Education.

[3] Florida Office of the Governor. “Florida Reaches #1 in Workforce Education.” Press Release, 2026.

Jennifer Warner is an economist and Director of Economic Development

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