Mark Putnam President | Central College
Mark Putnam President | Central College
At least 1,970 people applied to Marion County college in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 1,169 students enrolled in the university, all of them in undergraduate programs. Only 3.2% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (86%) and Hispanic (5%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Central College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 1,169 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.
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Central College | 1,970 | 1,556 | 1,169 |