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The paper innovates on the existing literature and field data by assessing the socio-economic factors influencing the enrolment decisions of students, to tourism programs among 12 selected Kenyan public universities. The study uses a descriptive design. A structured questionnaire and an interview guide were used to gather data from 192 students and 12 departmental heads. The study used a multi-sampling technique; purposive sampling was adopted to select the universities, while simple random sampling was used to determine students pursuing a degree in tourism management. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS. A structural equation model was used for data analysis, following exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factors analysis. The logit regression results reveal the existence of a statistically significant relationship between socioeconomic factors and students’ choice to enroll in tourism programs. The most important reasons influencing the student’s tourism degree choice are tuition fees, employment prospects, and parents/family background. The study recommends that education practitioners, scholars, governments, and private sectors allocate resources and dedicate efforts to improving and tourism awareness among high school students. Future research should investigate the same study variables using longitudinal and in-depth approaches to minimize generalizability concerns related to the study findings.