George Grayeb President and CEO | Ross Medical Education Center-Granger
George Grayeb President and CEO | Ross Medical Education Center-Granger
Of the nine institutions in the county, six provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Bethel University, Saint Mary's College and Indiana University-South Bend.
At least 32,817 people applied to St. Joseph County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 21,023 students enrolled in the universities, including 15,993 in undergraduate and 5,030 in graduate programs. Only 3% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (63.7%) and Hispanic (14.9%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Notre Dame stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 13,105 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 two institutions in St. Joseph County, including Purdue University - Purdue Polytechnic South Bend and Ivy Tech Community College-South Bend/Elkhart.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame | 26,509 | 3,446 | 13,105 |
| Purdue University - Purdue Polytechnic South Bend | -- | -- | -- |
| Holy Cross College | 944 | 717 | 434 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Granger | -- | -- | 90 |
| Saint Mary's College | 2,260 | 1,898 | 1,519 |
| Indiana University-South Bend | 2,348 | 2,043 | 4,326 |
| Ivy Tech Community College-South Bend/Elkhart | -- | -- | -- |
| John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences | 4 | 4 | 257 |
| Bethel University | 752 | 744 | 1,292 |
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