Certificate programs continue to be a popular choice among students pursuing higher education opportunities, according to an annual report by Higher Ed Growth (HEG), a leader in post-secondary education and generating enrollment leads.

The annual Enrollment Pursuit Report, issued by HEG’s data of more than 3,000 schools, shows medical assisting is the No. 1 choice in certificate-based enrollments. Management/business administration, health care administration, legal studies and medical billing round out the top five list, showing a large interest among today’s students in niche educational opportunities.

“Our data shows that students see a large demand in the marketplace for a very specialized focus,” said Eric Flottmann, chief operating officer for HEG. “Specialized certificates like medical assisting prove to be popular among nontraditional students, and they tend to see the opportunity for a significant salary in these fields upon completion.”

Among the other findings in the Enrollment Pursuit Report include:

HVAC has surged over the last 18 months, and experts believe this program will continue to grow. Dental programs are also experiencing a boom in 2014.

Economics programs have fallen from being in the top five degrees to not even making the top 10.

Assisted living programs increased to a top 15 program in 2014.

Electrical programs surged in late 2014, and mechanical engineering and welding programs also received a boost during this time period as well. This could be an early indicator that these programs will continue to grow.

Each year, HEG examines data from the previous year to understand trends and emerging degrees and certificates across the nation. Last year’s Enrollment Pursuit Report showed health care and medical enrollments grew more than 15 percent while business degree enrollments decreased approximately 10 percent. Vocational program enrollments, like automotive and massage therapy, were also on a steady increase.

Frank Healy is president and CEO of Higher Ed Growth, a full-service marketing agency specializing in post-secondary education. Visit www.higheredgrowth.com for more information.