Allan Belton, PLU President | Pacific Lutheran University
Allan Belton, PLU President | Pacific Lutheran University
Of the 11 institutions in the county, four provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Northwest College of Art & Design, University of Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University.
At least 10,784 people applied to Pierce County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 31,069 students enrolled in the universities, including 29,557 in undergraduate and 1,512 in graduate programs. In total 7.7% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (45.3%) and Hispanic (15%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Pierce College District stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 8,635 students.
U.S. college enrollment has been in a downward trend since peaking at around 18.1 million students in 2010. Recent increases offered some relief, but experts project a steeper decline in 2025.
This decline is likely due to two main factors. First, the pool of young adults is shrinking as birth rates have fallen nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022. Second, the rising cost of higher education, including skyrocketing student loan debt. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report shows that more than half of Americans think a four-year degree is not worth the cost.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for BJ's Beauty & Barber College in Pierce County.
Some educational data is based on estimates. Shifting demographics among student populations can sometimes result in gender totals which do not equal 100%.
| Institution | # of Applicants | # of Admitted Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| BJ's Beauty & Barber College | -- | -- | -- |
| Tacoma Community College | -- | -- | 5,502 |
| Northwest College of Art & Design | 131 | 89 | 119 |
| Summit Salon Academy | -- | -- | 107 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | 3,334 | 2,967 | 2,633 |
| Bates Technical College | -- | -- | 4,133 |
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | 1,974 | 1,737 | 4,794 |
| Faith International University | -- | -- | 335 |
| Clover Park Technical College | -- | -- | 2,788 |
| Pierce College District | -- | -- | 8,635 |
| University of Puget Sound | 5,345 | 4,436 | 2,023 |
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